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Lisbon is one of the European cities where NO2and PM10legal limit values are still exceeded, leading to an Air Quality Plan applicable up to 2020. The developed work combined a detailed emission inventory, monitoring data, and modelling in order to assess if the proposed emission abatement scenarios, focused on the road transport sector, were able to tackle exceedances. A maximum decrease of 14% for PM10concentrations was achieved, and of 21% for NO2, providing compliance. PM10smallest reduction is related with higher weight of regional background sources, while for NO2local traffic has more influence on concentrations.

Advanced Traveller Information Systems (ATIS) have been used worldwide to mitigate different road traffic impacts such as traffic congestion. However, the impact of these systems in fuel use and emissions is still an important research topic, due to their non-linear behaviour. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the impact of traffic incidents on a regional scale on energy and emissions levels. To achieve these objectives, several scenarios assessing different degrees of information (through the use of ATIS) were analysed. To model both traffic operations and emissions a mesoscopic traffic model (DTALite) and a road emissions methodology (EMEP/EEA) were used. The data related to the characterization of the road network was collected between Oporto and Aveiro, in Portugal. To ensure reliable results, the traffic model was calibrated and validated taking into account statistical methods that compare observed traffic flows and travel times with the values estimated by the model. The simulation platform was then used to assess the impact of traffic incident when it occurs in two different road types (a motorway and a highway), in order to evaluate the impact of usage and availability of information on emissions and fuel consumption. The results show that in a regional road network for each occurred incident, the use of ATIS can allow a maximum reduction of emissions and energy consumption on those routes where they occurred to up 2%. Nonetheless, a global analysis of the network indicates different results depending if the incident occur in a motorway or in a highway. In both cases, drivers tend to choose a route with similar costs to the previously selected. Furthermore, a non-linear trend between the availability of information and the impact on emissions and energy consumption was found.

Nowadays, several methods to promote a more sustainable distribution of traffic flows are available. In response to rising energy costs and increased environmental concerns, eco-friendly route choices can be provided individually by means of smart navigation tools that allow several vehicle routing options designed to minimize air pollutant emissions and fuel consumption. Simultaneously, the use of intelligent road pricing systems and the use of variable message signs can change the route choice process of drivers (and thus network equilibrium), by varying the perceived attributes of competing routes. However, so far too little attention has been paid to the fact that the eco-friendliness of various routes may change, depending on vehicle characteristics which may cause problems on the efficiency of these systems. This issue has been empirically addressed in this research, using a database of more than 13,330km of GPS data in six different Origin-Destination (OD) pairs and 9 different routes. Simultaneously, two different approaches for estimating (CO2, HC, CO, NOX) emissions were tested: a) second-by-second vehicle dynamics, using the Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) instantaneous model; and b) route average speed using the EMEP/EEA methodology. The results show that depending on the characteristics of the routes associated with a certain OD pair, the eco-friendly route may differ according to the vehicle model and the emissions estimation method. Innovative approaches to provide accurate emissions and eco-routing information are needed.

Entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, may provide nutrient-rich, environmental-friendly, and economically-sound alternative protein sources for the pet food industry. However, little is known about the nutritional value of insects for pets. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the nutritional adequacy of 3 insect meals [i.e., Nauphoeta cinerea (Speckled cockroach; SC), Gromphadorhina portentosa (Madagascar cockroach; MC),and Zophobas morio larvae (Superworm, SW)] added at 2 inclusion levels (7.5% and 15% as is) in diets of adult dogs. The study was performed at the Canine and Feline Nutrition Center at the Federal University of Lavras, Brazil. Six adult beagles (mean BW: 17.7 ± 2.64 kg) were randomly assigned to one of the 6 treatments using a Latin square design. Experimental periods were 15 d long; 10 d for diet adaptation and 5 d for fecal collection. A fresh fecal sample from each dog per period was collected to determine fermentative end-product concentrations (SCFA, BCFA, indoles and phenols) and microbiota (16S rRNA). Microbial DNA was extracted and PCR amplicons from the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene were used for Illumina sequencing. MiSeq data were analyzed with QIIME 1.9.1. Crude protein and fat concentrations varied substantially among the insect meals; 49–79% and 13–33%, respectively, whereas DM (94–95%), ash (3–4%) and chitin (8–10%) were similar. There was no interaction between insect meal type and inclusion level, and coefficients of digestibility did not differ among treatments and were within acceptable range (> 80% for DM, CP, and fat). Fecal microbial communities (i.e., richness and diversity) were not affected by treatment. Dogs remained healthy throughout the experimental period. The data gathered herein suggest that inclusion up to 15% of these insect meals are adequate for canine nutrition, being well accepted by dogs without affecting nutrient digestibility, fecal metabolites, and microbiota.