A full-scale test of a chemically engineered air-purifying pavement has been conducted in the Netherlands, paving the way for a new technology that can eliminate urban smog and its harmful effects on peoples’ health and the environment.

Conducted over a year, the experiment managed to lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) air pollution by 45% in ideal weather conditions, and by nearly one-fifth (19%) over the duration of a whole day.

The findings have been published by the Eindhoven University of Technology, which carried out the experiment in two adjacent streets in Hengelo in the Eastern Netherlands.

The research involved monitoring air pollution in a ‘control street’ that had normal paving blocks of 100m in length.

A second street was installed along a 150m-long pavement with a photocatalytic surface, which is known to reduce air pollution. The two adjacent streets were then measured for levels of NOx.

"The findings have been published by the Eindhoven University of Technology, which carried out the experiment in two adjacent streets in Hengelo in the Eastern Netherlands."

The experiment used titanium oxide (TiO2), which can be easily sprayed onto surfaces, and possesses an ability to remove chemical pollutants from the air and make them less harmful.

Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) chief executive David Brown said that preventing air pollution is vital to protecting health and environmental protection in the long term, but the latest research shows the potential of chemically engineered surfaces to further enhance the quality of life, particularly in major urban areas with high traffic emissions.

"Further studies of this nature are needed to assess and improve the potential of other photocatalytic materials and in different environments. However, the potential is there and gives a strong indication of how streets may be designed in the future," Brown added.

IChemE is a hub for chemical, biochemical and process-engineering professionals worldwide, with a global membership of over 35,000.