Particulate Matter in Ambient Air

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinhold Görgen ◽  
Udo Lambrecht
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
European Institutions ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Time Extension ◽  
The Eu

AbstractNumerous studies have demonstrated the negative effect of particulate matter on human health. The EU therefore introduced ambitious limit values for particulate matter (PM10) in ambient air as early as 1999: an annual limit and a daily limit that can be exceeded on up to 35 days a year. These values are binding since 2005. The daily limit is still exceeded in many cities throughout Europe. Heated debates on the future of the daily limit are taking place at all levels of the EU in the context of the negotiations on the Commission's proposal on a new Air Quality Directive. Suggestions range from allowing a compliance time extension to increasing the number of days the daily limit can be exceeded, and abolition of the daily limit value. The deliberations have not yet been concluded, but the decisive European institutions have voiced support for keeping the daily limit while at the same time extending the compliance deadline. In this article, we will make the point that the problem can most probably be solved by allowing a compliance extension of around 5 years after the new directive enters into force. This would give the competent local authorities and the EU the time necessary to intensify their measures in order to comply with the daily limit in most areas where it is currently exceeded. An increase in the number of days the limit values may be exceeded, as called for by the European Parliament (EP), would therefore amount to an unnecessary lowering of the limit value.

Evaluation of air quality in Suceava, Romania

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dumitru Mihăilă ◽  
Petruț Ionel Bistricean ◽  
Alin Prisacariu ◽  
Mihaela Țiculeanu – Ciurlică
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Urban Atmosphere ◽  
Monitoring Point ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Hourly Data ◽  
The Hours

<p>In cities the chemical parameters of the urban atmosphere are being influenced, mainly negatively, by the daily human activities. The urban agglomeration of Suceava (from the NE of Romania) amounted to 116404 inhabitants as per the census from 2011. Their quality of life depends directly on the quality of the air inhaled, and this is being affected by the variable emissions of the transport and industrial sectors and by the household activities. The Municipality of Suceava is an important commercial center and, at the same time, a tourist city.</p><p>The general objective of the study consists in the evaluation of the air quality of Suceava Municipality, on the basis of the hourly data from the stations SV1 (urban background) and SV2 (industrial background) from the interval January 2009 - October 2019, on the basis of five chemical indicators: NO2, SO2, CO, O3 and PM10. The main objectives are: i) the identification of the fluctuations in time of the daily or hourly average concentrations of these emissions with the outlining of their daily or annual regime; ii) the comparison of the air quality in the neighbourhoods with residential function from the central and central-southern areas (Zamca, Marasesti, George Enescu, Areni, Obcini and so on) with the one from the industrial platform vicinity, and iii) the releasing of some accurate evaluations based on data from monitoring, which to classify in different levels of quality the air breathed in by humans.</p><p>Results. In Suceava the concentrations of NO2 (with hourly indices of quality evaluated as being excellent in 96,51% of cases at SV1 and 93,51% of cases at SV2), SO2 (with hourly indices of quality evaluated as being excellent in 99,79% of cases at SV1 and 99,03% of cases at SV2) and CO (with indices of excellent quality of the air in 99,78% of the hours of observations at SV1 and 97,32% at SV2) are not capable to raise real problems from the perspective of their impact on human health. In the case of O3, in 1,67% of the hours of observations from SV1 the concentration of this gas exceeded the target value for the protection of human health (120 μg/mc). The situation is not alarming due to the reduce percentage held by these situations and to the limitation of the areal to a single monitoring point. In the case of PM10 the concentration does not raise problems at SV1 station where the proportion of time with exceedings of the daily limit value for human health protection is on average 1,3 days/year<sup>-1</sup>, but at SV2 the daily limit values are being exceeded in 35 day/year<sup>1</sup>. The interval October - March, with thermal inversions, persistent fog and low stratiform clouds, is the critical one related to this pollutant.</p><p>Conclusions. On the background of the industrial decline that followed after 1989, the quality of the air from the atmosphere of Suceava has increased. The problem of the particles in the areal of the industrial platform and Burdujeni neighbourhood stays a current one. </p>

scholarly journals Improving Air Quality in the Po Valley, Italy: Some Results by the LIFE-IP-PREPAIR Project

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katia Raffaelli ◽  
Marco Deserti ◽  
Michele Stortini ◽  
Roberta Amorati ◽  
Matteo Vasconi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Po Valley ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Environmental Agencies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The Po Valley (Northern Italy) represents an important exceedance zone of the air-quality limit values for PM (particulate matter), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and O3 (ozone). This area covers the territory of most Italian northern regions and includes several urban agglomerates, such as Milan, Turin, Venice and Bologna. The area is densely populated and heavily industrialized. The paper summarizes the assessment of the impact of the current (2013) and future (2025) emissions and of the meteorological conditions on the air quality of the Po Valley. This study is one of the first outcomes of the EU LIFE-IP Clean Air Program Po Regions Engaged to Policies of Air (PREPAIR) project. The project, involving administrations and environmental agencies of eight regions and three municipalities in Northern Italy and Slovenia, started in 2017 and will end in 2024. Future emission scenarios consider the emissions reduction due to the air-quality action plans of the regions involved, of the agreements between the national authorities and regional administrations and of the PREPAIR project itself, in the overall context of the application of the current legislation of the European Union. The combination of these measures will lead to the reduction of direct emissions of PM10 in the Po Valley and of the main precursors emitted in the area (NOx, nitrogen oxides and NH3, and ammonia) by 38% for PM10, 39% for NOx and 22% for NH3, respectively. This lowering corresponds to a reduction of about 30.000 tons of primary PM10, 150.000 tons of NOx, 54.000 tons of NH3 and 1700 tons of SO2. The results show that these expected reductions should allow us to achieve the EU PM10 limit value in the Po Valley by the year 2025.

scholarly journals Concentrations of the selected air pollutants at Bily Kriz, the Czech Republic, for 1994 to 1999

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-58
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Sulfur Dioxide ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
The Czech Republic

Air pollution related problems, such as acidification, air quality and ground-level ozone, are recognized as some of the important problems facing the people of the Czech Republic, whose health is damaged by impacts of air pollutants. Also the impacts of these air pollutants on human health, forests and vegetation are investigated. This paper presents evaluation of air pollution caused by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and ozone, based on the readings of measuring site at Bílý Køíž for the six-year period 1994-1999. The evaluation of the status of the ambient air pollution is based on air pollution limit values as specified by the new European Directives. Concern has been expressed about the possible effects of ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter exposures on forested areas, materials and human health. The main objective of this study is to examine the evolution observed in the concentrations of these air pollutants considered. The reduction is observed for winter air pollutants as sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from 1996 to 1999. In contrary, the ozone concentrations increase considerably for the same period.

Revising the EU Air Quality Legislation: Experiences and Proposed Improvements

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-299
Author(s):  
Dick van den Hout ◽  
Marco Gasparinetti
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Member States ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Thematic Strategy ◽  
New Type

AbstractThe Commission has issued in 2005 a proposal for replacing the current Framework Directive on air quality and its first three daughter directives by a single new directive on ambient air quality. The proposal responds to the high priority given by the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution to regulating PM2.5 in order to reduce the severe health risks associated with this component of particulate matter. One of the proposed changes is the adoption of an exposure reduction target for PM2.5, a new type of standard which, combined with a binding concentration cap, aims at delivering more substantial benefits in terms of population exposure, compared to the traditional approach. The directive also addresses certain difficulties that Member States are experiencing in implementing the existing directives. This concerns in particular the questions of where limit values apply and how to deal with natural sources of particulate matter when establishing compliance with limit values and the introduction of the possibility for extending, under strict conditions, the time frame for meeting limit values. This paper summarises the main elements of the existing directives, experience of its implementation in Member States and proposed changes. At the time of writing the paper, the proposal was under negotiation in Council and Parliament.

scholarly journals The impact of measures to reduce ambient air PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations originating from road dust, evaluated for a street canyon in Helsinki

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (17) ◽  
pp. 11199-11212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Stojiljkovic ◽  
Mari Kauhaniemi ◽  
Jaakko Kukkonen ◽  
Kaarle Kupiainen ◽  
Ari Karppinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Street Canyon ◽  
Dust Emission ◽  
Road Dust ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Air Quality Measurements ◽  
Emission Models ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Quality Measurements

Abstract. We have numerically evaluated how effective selected potential measures would be for reducing the impact of road dust on ambient air particulate matter (PM10). The selected measures included a reduction of the use of studded tyres on light-duty vehicles and a reduction of the use of salt or sand for traction control. We have evaluated these measures for a street canyon located in central Helsinki for four years (2007–2009 and 2014). Air quality measurements were conducted in the street canyon for two years, 2009 and 2014. Two road dust emission models, NORTRIP (NOn-exhaust Road TRaffic Induced Particle emissions) and FORE (Forecasting Of Road dust Emissions), were applied in combination with the Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM), a street canyon dispersion model, to compute the street increments of PM10 (i.e. the fraction of PM10 concentration originating from traffic emissions at the street level) within the street canyon. The predicted concentrations were compared with the air quality measurements. Both road dust emission models reproduced the seasonal variability of the PM10 concentrations fairly well but under-predicted the annual mean values. It was found that the largest reductions of concentrations could potentially be achieved by reducing the fraction of vehicles that use studded tyres. For instance, a 30 % decrease in the number of vehicles using studded tyres would result in an average decrease in the non-exhaust street increment of PM10 from 10 % to 22 %, depending on the model used and the year considered. Modelled contributions of traction sand and salt to the annual mean non-exhaust street increment of PM10 ranged from 4 % to 20 % for the traction sand and from 0.1 % to 4 % for the traction salt. The results presented here can be used to support the development of optimal strategies for reducing high springtime particulate matter concentrations originating from road dust.

scholarly journals Geochemical and Mineralogical Characteristics of Airborne Particulate Matter in Relation to Human Health Risk

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzena Rachwał ◽  
Małgorzata Wawer ◽  
Mariola Jabłońska ◽  
Wioletta Rogula-Kozłowska ◽  
Patrycja Rogula-Kopiec
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Susceptibility ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Magnetic Particles ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Human Health Risk ◽  
Airborne Particulate Matter ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Health Indices

The main objective of this research was the determination of the geochemical and mineralogical properties of particulate matter: TSP (total suspended particles) and, especially PM1 (particles with aerodynamic diameter not greater than 1 µm) suspended in the air of a selected urban area in southern Poland. Identification of the emission sources of metals and metalloids bound in TSP and PM1 as well as the assessment of potential risk of urban ambient air to human health using hazard indices was an additional aim of this investigation. The daily TSP and PM1 quartz fiber filters collected during heating season were subjected to mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) measurements, SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) observations and geochemical analyses. Obtained results revealed that the concentration of TSP and PM1 well correlated with their mass-specific magnetic susceptibility. The good relationship between the PM concentration and χ suggests that magnetic susceptibility measurements can be a good proxy of low-level atmospheric dust pollution. The rank order of potentially toxic elements (PTE) based on average concentration was Ba > Zn > Al > Fe > Pb > Mn > Ti > Cu > Cr > Ni >As > Cd > V > Tl, both for TSP and PM1. PM1/TSP ratios for PTE concentrations and χ were around or slightly above unity, which indicated that PM1 was the main carrier of PTE (with the exception of cadmium, copper and lead) and technogenic magnetic particles. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were confirmed by very high values of human health indices.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of SOx, NOx, and Primary Particulate Matter Control Strategies in the Improvement of Ambient PM Concentration in Taiwan

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Jiun-Horng Tsai ◽  
Ming-Ye Lee ◽  
Hung-Lung Chiang
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Clean Air Act ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Control Plan ◽  
Clean Air ◽  
Pm2.5 Concentration

The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) measurement was employed for evaluating the effectiveness of fine particulate matter control strategies in Taiwan. There are three scenarios as follows: (I) the 2014 baseline year emission, (II) 2020 emissions reduced via the Clean Air Act (CAA), and (III) other emissions reduced stringently via the Clean Air Act. Based on the Taiwan Emission Data System (TEDs) 8.1, established in 2014, the emission of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) was 73.5 thousand tons y−1, that of SOx was 121.3 thousand tons y−1, and that of NOx was 404.4 thousand tons y−1 in Taiwan. The CMAQ model simulation indicated that the PM2.5 concentration was 21.9 μg m−3. This could be underestimated by 24% in comparison with data from the ambient air quality monitoring stations of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA). The results of the simulation of the PM2.5 concentration showed high PM2.5 concentrations in central and southwestern Taiwan, especially in Taichung and Kaohsiung. Compared to scenario I, the average annual concentrations of PM2.5 for scenario II and scenario III showed reductions of 20.1% and 28.8%, respectively. From the results derived from the simulation, it can be seen that control of NOx emissions may improve daily airborne PM2.5 concentrations in Taiwan significantly and control of directly emitted PM2.5 emissions may improve airborne PM2.5 concentrations each month. Nevertheless, the results reveal that the preliminary control plan could not achievethe air quality standard. Therefore, the efficacy and effectiveness of the control measures must be considered to better reduce emissions in the future.

scholarly journals Particulate matter air pollution offsets ozone damage to global crop production

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke D. Schiferl ◽  
Colette L. Heald
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Surface Ozone ◽  
Diffuse Radiation ◽  
Environmental Pressures ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Pollution Exposure

Abstract. Ensuring global food security requires a comprehensive understanding of environmental pressures on food production, including the impacts of air quality. Surface ozone damages plants and decreases crop production; this effect has been extensively studied. In contrast, the presence of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere can be beneficial to crops given that enhanced light scattering leads to a more even and efficient distribution of photons which can outweigh total incoming radiation loss. This study quantifies the impacts of ozone and PM on the global production of maize, rice, and wheat in 2010 and 2050. We show that accounting for the growing season of these crops is an important factor in determining their air pollution exposure. We find that the effect of PM can offset much, if not all, of the reduction in yield associated with ozone damage. Assuming maximum sensitivity to PM, the current (2010) global net impact of air quality on crop production is positive (+6.0 %, +0.5 %, and +4.9 % for maize, wheat, and rice, respectively). Future emissions scenarios indicate that attempts to improve air quality can result in a net negative effect on crop production in areas dominated by the PM effect. However, we caution that the uncertainty in this assessment is large due to the uncertainty associated with crop response to changes in diffuse radiation; this highlights that more detailed physiological study of this response for common cultivars is crucial.

scholarly journals Ambient Particulate Matter Air Pollution in Mpererwe District, Kampala, Uganda: A Pilot Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Schwander ◽  
Clement D. Okello ◽  
Juergen Freers ◽  
Judith C. Chow ◽  
John G. Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Airborne Particulate Matter ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Combustion Products ◽  
Carbonaceous Aerosol ◽  
Coarse Particles

Air quality in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, has deteriorated significantly in the past two decades. We made spot measurements in Mpererwe district for airborne particulate matter PM2.5(fine particles) and coarse particles. PM was collected on Teflon-membrane filters and analyzed for mass, 51 elements, 3 anions, and 5 cations. Both fine and coarse particle concentrations were above 100 µg/m3in all the samples collected. Markers for crustal/soil (e.g., Si and Al) were the most abundant in the PM2.5fraction, followed by primary combustion products from biomass burning and incinerator emissions (e.g., K and Cl). Over 90% of the measured PM2.5mass can be explained by crustal species (41% and 59%) and carbonaceous aerosol (33%–55%). Crustal elements dominated the coarse particles collected from Kampala. The results of this pilot study are indicative of unhealthy air and suggest that exposure to ambient air in Kampala may increase the burden of environmentally induced cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory diseases including infections. Greater awareness and more extensive research are required to confirm our findings, to identify personal exposure and pollution sources, and to develop air quality management plans and policies to protect public health.

scholarly journals Impacts of Global Solid Biofuel Stove Emissions on Ambient Air Quality and Human Health

GeoHealth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaoxian Huang ◽  
Debatosh B. Partha ◽  
Kandice Harper ◽  
Chris Heyes
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Solid Biofuel
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