Photocatalytic road pavements for reducing vehicle nitrogen oxide emissions: A concept for application in Uzbekistan

Titanium dioxide can give road surfaces a light-driven air-purification function, but performance under controlled irradiation does not establish effectiveness on an operating road. The aim of this study is to develop the EcoRoad-TiO₂ concept for reducing vehicle-related NOx pollution in Uzbekistan through an analysis of international research and the formulation of a framework for its experimental verification. The study analysed 21 scientific publications, supplemented by an international testing standard and an air-quality report, to compare findings from laboratory experiments, pilot studies and field investigations. The analysis identified surface application of TiO₂ as a promising approach for treating existing asphalt pavements, while highlighting the influence of ultraviolet irradiation, humidity, pollutant concentration and traffic-induced wear on photocatalytic performance. The concept therefore treats surface coating as a testable design choice rather than an established optimum. A laboratory screening programme compares dry titanium dioxide loadings of 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/m² with untreated and binder-only controls. The proposed methodology separates nitric oxide disappearance from net nitrogen oxide removal, and links blank-corrected chamber fluxes to a conditional, seasonally stratified estimate of removed mass. Ambient concentration differences are reserved for evaluation of roadside exposure and are not directly converted into kilograms removed. Uzbekistan-specific evidence on severe dust events and spatially variable solar resources motivates measurements of deposited dust, ultraviolet irradiance and surface moisture before and after cleaning. The resulting framework integrates catalytic activity, pavement safety, durability and cost per kilogram of nitrogen dioxide equivalent removed. No local treatment performance, optimum dosage or economic return is claimed

Hali tarjima qilinmagan