scholarly journals Monitoring of Air Quality in Pristina for the Time Period of November, December 2016 and January 2017

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Time Period

scholarly journals Air quality indicators from the Environmental Performance Index: potential use and limitations in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
RM Garland ◽  
M Naidoo ◽  
B Sibiya ◽  
R Oosthuizen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Environmental Performance Index ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Source Data ◽  
Potential Use

In responding to deteriorating air quality, many countries, including South Africa, have implemented national programmes that aim to manage and regulate ambient air quality, and the emissions of air pollutants. One aspect within these management strategies is effective communication to stakeholders, including the general public, with regard to the state and trend of ambient air quality in South Africa. Currently, information on ambient air quality is communicated through ambient mass concentration values, as well as number of exceedances of South African National Ambient Standards. However, these do not directly communicate the potential impact on human health and the ecosystem. To this end, the use of air quality indicators is seen as a potential way to achieve communication to stakeholders in a simplified, yet scientifically defensible manner. Air quality indicators and their source data from the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) were interrogated to understand their potential use in South Africa. An assessment of four air quality indicators, together with their source data, showed improvements in air quality over the time period studied, though the input data do have uncertainties. The source data for the PM indicators, which came from a global dataset, underestimated the annual PM2.5 concentrations in the Highveld Priority Area and Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area over the time period studied (2009-2014) by ~3.7 times. This highlights a key limitation of national-scale indicators and input data, that while the data used by the EPI are a well-thought out estimate of a country’s air quality profile, they remain a generalised estimate. The assumptions and uncertainty inherent in such an ambitious global-wide attempt make the estimates inaccurate for countries without proper emissions tracking and accounting and few monitoring stations, such as South Africa. Thus, the inputs and resultant indicators should be used with caution until such a time that local and ground-truthed data and inputs can be utilised.

scholarly journals Stubble Burning and its Impact on Air Quality in Delhi NCT: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (06) ◽  
pp. 58-68
Author(s):  
Geeta Singh ◽  
◽  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Deepanshu Vaid ◽  
Prashant Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
North India ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Respiratory Problems ◽  
Noticeable Increase ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Gaseous Pollution ◽  
Specific Reason ◽  
Stubble Burning

Stubble burning is now considered to be one of the major activities affecting air quality because it is one of the major sources of aerosol as well as gaseous pollution. There are two main reasons for biomass burning, first one is that there is a very short window of time between the harvesting and the wheat sowing of the wheat. The second being, removing the paddy residue that has remained on the field is a time-consuming job. The time period from harvesting to sowing being very low and the labor is either very expensive or unavailable this leads to the only easiest option that the farmer has i.e. burning the residue right on the field after harvest so that the farmers can quickly prepare the land for the next sowing. This method is very cheap and takes less time that’s why farmers use this method. For this specific reason with the onset of winter, stubble fires become rampant in north India. Stubble-burning emissions contain toxic chemicals which cause respiratory problems as well as diseases. The paper aims to examine the environmental impacts associated with stubble burning over the NCT of Delhi. The paper performs both qualitative and quantitative analysis on the statistical data pertaining to crop burning. The monthly variation for particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and trace gases (NOx, CO, and SO2) during the stubble burning period (Sep-Nov) has also been studied and analyzed for 5 years (2015-19), and a noticeable increase in pollutant levels.

Air Quality Forecast Verification Using Satellite Data

2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kondragunta ◽  
P. Lee ◽  
J. McQueen ◽  
C. Kittaka ◽  
A. I. Prados ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Long Range ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Forecast Performance ◽  
Air Quality Forecast ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Range Transport

Abstract NOAA’s operational geostationary satellite retrievals of aerosol optical depths (AODs) were used to verify National Weather Service developmental (research mode) particulate matter (PM2.5) predictions tested during the summer 2004 International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation/New England Air Quality Study (ICARTT/NEAQS) field campaign. The forecast period included long-range transport of smoke from fires burning in Canada and Alaska and a regional-scale sulfate event over the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern United States. Over the 30-day time period for which daytime hourly forecasts were compared with observations, the categorical (exceedance defined as AOD > 0.55) forecast accuracy was between 0% and 20%. Hourly normalized mean bias (forecasts − observations) ranged between −50% and +50% with forecasts being positively biased when observed AODs were small and negatively biased when observed AODs were high. Normalized mean errors are between 50% and 100% with the errors on the lower end during the 18–22 July 2004 time period when a regional-scale sulfate event occurred. Spatially, the errors are small over the regions where sulfate plumes were present. The correlation coefficient also showed similar features (spatially and temporally) with a peak value of ∼0.6 during the 18–22 July 2004 time period. The dominance of long-range transport of smoke into the United States during the summer of 2004, neglected in the model predictions, skewed the model forecast performance. Enhanced accuracy and reduced normalized mean errors during the time period when a sulfate event prevailed show that the forecast system has skill in predicting PM2.5 associated with urban/industrial pollution events.

scholarly journals Prayagraj: Air Pollution Profile and Policy Recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 560-573
Author(s):  
Sugandh Kumar Choudhary
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Nitrogen Dioxide ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Critical Zone ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Time Period ◽  
The City ◽  
Pollution Profile

Air pollution is the fifth leading risk factor behind theworld – wide mortality. Ever growing population size feeding industrial activity through demand channel, vehicular pollution accompanied by rapid urbanization and burning of fossil fuels pose a serious threat to clean air. Some major air pollutants under study in the city of Prayagraj are Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Particulate Matter (PM10) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2). Pollution profile of the city localityi.e. Rambagh, Johnstonganj, Alopibagh, Crossing Mahalakshmi talkies and Bharat Yantra Nigam are studied. PM10 level of exposure is serious in Crossing Mahalakshmi talkiesand Alopibagh area as exposure to very high level in the range of 250 – 400 µg/m3 occurs for the longest duration of time. Alopibagh, Johnstonganj and Rambagh shows critical level of Nitrogen Dioxide indicating higher vehicular movement in these areas. Trend wise, SO2 component has spiked above 12 µg/m3 at Rambagh, Johnstonganj and Alopibagh during the onset of winters season in 2016. Similar phenomenon was seen at Bharat Yantra Nigam and Crossing Mahalakshmi talkies during winter season of 2019. Arrival of monsoon tend to lower pollutants content in the outdoor ambient air quality. Overall air quality is in critical zone at Alopibagh for 45 per cent of the time period followed by Johnstonganj. Crossing Mahalakshmi talkies and Bharat Yantra Nigamshows critical air quality for more than 60 per cent of the time period which calls for urgent action to prevent them from entering the critical zone. Overall air quality of Prayagraj is range bound with air pollutants improve during the monsoon season. However, improvement in air quality has reduced in the last two years as fall in air pollutants is less in 2018 and 2019 monsoon compared to previous two years. The findings of the paper will help the administration, municipal corporation and various stake holders of the city to take targeted measures locality wise towards pollution control depending upon pollutants concentration and exposure area – wise. It will also raise public awareness about pollutant levels in their area.

scholarly journals Examining the competing effects of contemporary land management vs. land cover changes on global air quality

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 16479-16497
Author(s):  
Anthony Y. H. Wong ◽  
Jeffrey A. Geddes
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Dry Deposition ◽  
Surface Ozone ◽  
Land Cover Changes ◽  
Land System ◽  
Time Period ◽  
System Changes ◽  
Emission Changes ◽  
Surface O3

Abstract. Our work explores the impact of two important dimensions of land system changes, land use and land cover change (LULCC) as well as direct agricultural reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions from soils, on ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in terms of air quality over contemporary (1992 to 2014) timescales. We account for LULCC and agricultural Nr emissions changes with consistent remote sensing products and new global emission inventories respectively estimating their impacts on global surface O3 and PM2.5 concentrations as well as Nr deposition using the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model. Over this time period, our model results show that agricultural Nr emission changes cause a reduction of annual mean PM2.5 levels over Europe and northern Asia (up to −2.1 µg m−3) while increasing PM2.5 levels in India, China and the eastern US (up to +3.5 µg m−3). Land cover changes induce small reductions in PM2.5 (up to −0.7 µg m−3) over Amazonia, China and India due to reduced biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions and enhanced deposition of aerosol precursor gases (e.g., NO2, SO2). Agricultural Nr emission changes only lead to minor changes (up to ±0.6 ppbv) in annual mean surface O3 levels, mainly over China, India and Myanmar. Meanwhile, our model result suggests a stronger impact of LULCC on surface O3 over the time period across South America; the combination of changes in dry deposition and isoprene emissions results in −0.8 to +1.2 ppbv surface ozone changes. The enhancement of dry deposition reduces the surface ozone level (up to −1 ppbv) over southern China, the eastern US and central Africa. The enhancement of soil NO emission due to crop expansion also contributes to surface ozone changes (up to +0.6 ppbv) over sub-Saharan Africa. In certain regions, the combined effects of LULCC and agricultural Nr emission changes on O3 and PM2.5 air quality can be comparable (>20 %) to anthropogenic emission changes over the same time period. Finally, we calculate that the increase in global agricultural Nr emissions leads to a net increase in global land area (+3.67×106km2) that potentially faces exceedance of the critical Nr load (>5 kg N ha−1 yr−1). Our result demonstrates the impacts of contemporary LULCC and agricultural Nr emission changes on PM2.5 and O3 in terms of air quality, as well as the importance of land system changes for air quality over multidecadal timescales.

scholarly journals Impact of climate change on photochemical air pollution in Southern California

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3745-3754 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Millstein ◽  
R. A. Harley
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Reaction Rates ◽  
Biogenic Emissions ◽  
Western Boundary ◽  
Technology Change ◽  
Increased Temperature ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Global Background ◽  
Atmospheric Reaction

Abstract. The effects of future climate and emissions-related perturbations on ozone air quality in Southern California are considered, with an assumed increase to 2× pre-industrial levels for global background levels of carbon dioxide. Effects of emission and climate-related forcings on air quality are superimposed on a summer 2005 high-ozone time period. Perturbations considered here include (a) effect of increased temperature on atmospheric reaction rates, (b) effect of increased temperature on biogenic emissions, (c) effect of increased water vapor concentrations, (d) effect of increased pollutant levels at the inflow (western) boundary, and (e) effect of population growth and technology change on emissions within Southern California. Various combinations of the above perturbations are also considered. The climate-related perturbations (a–c) led to combined peak 1-h ozone increases of up to 11 ppb. The effect on ozone was greatly reduced when the temperature increase was applied mostly during nighttime hours rather than uniformly throughout the day. Increased pollutant levels at the inflow boundary also led to ozone increases up to 5 ppb. These climate and inflow-related changes offset some of the anticipated benefits of emission controls within the air basin.

Time Period and Vehicle Class Highway Assignment for Air Quality Conformity Evaluation

1998 ◽  
Vol 1641 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Eash
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Vehicle Emissions ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Vehicle Class ◽  
Metropolitan Planning Organizations ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Time Periods

Regions that have not attained the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone must demonstrate that their transportation plans and programs conform to a state implementation plan to meet national air quality standards. Vehicle emissions are estimated by metropolitan planning organizations for these conformity evaluations, and the state of the practice is to calculate vehicle emissions from the vehicle distances traveled at different speeds. A highway assignment procedure for air quality conformity has been developed at the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) to provide more detailed estimates of how vehicle distances and speeds vary by time of day and by type of vehicle. The assignment procedure prepares tables of vehicle distances traveled by speed for six classes of vehicles and eight time periods during a typical workday. The eight time period assignments more correctly depict network congestion than the peak—off-peak or average daily highway assignments previously carried out by CATS. The separate vehicle class link volumes reflect the geographic and time period distribution of trips by light- and heavy-duty vehicles. The conformity assignment procedure and the problems encountered in adapting existing highway assignment practices to allow for additional time periods and vehicle classes are outlined. Some conformity assignment results are compared with a daily average assignment to illustrate how the time period assignment procedure affects vehicle emission estimates.

Bioaerosols study in central Taiwan during summer season

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Chin Wang ◽  
Guor-Cheng Fang ◽  
LienYao Lee
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Sampling Site ◽  
Summer Season ◽  
Bacterial Concentration ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Microbial Products ◽  
Central Taiwan ◽  
Total Average

Suspended particles, of which bioaerosols are one type, constitute one of the main reasons to cause severe air quality in Taiwan. Bioaerosols include allergens such as fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, arthropods and protozoa, as well as microbial products such as mycotoxins, endotoxins and glucans. When allergens and microbial products are suspended in the air, local air quality will be influenced severely. In addition, when the particle size is small enough to pass through the respiratory tract entering the human body, the health of the local population is also threatened. Therefore, the purpose of this study attempted to understand the concentration and types of bacteria during summer period at four sampling sites in Taichung city, central Taiwan. The results indicated that total average bacterial concentration by using R2A medium incubated for 48 h were 7.3 × 102 and 1.2 × 103 cfu/m3 for Chung-Ming elementary sampling site during daytime and night-time period of summer season. In addition, total average bacterial concentration by using R2A medium incubated for 48 h were 2.2 × 103 and 2.5 × 103 cfu/m3 for Taichung refuse incineration plant sampling site during daytime and night-time period of summer season. As for Rice Field sampling site during daytime and night-time period of summer season, the results also reflected that the total average bacterial concentration by using R2A medium incubated for 48 h were 3.4 × 103 and 3.5 × 103 cfu/m3. Finally, total average bacterial concentration by using R2A medium incubated for 48 h were 1.6 × 103 and 1.9 × 103 cfu/m3 for Central Taiwan Science Park sampling site during daytime and night-time period of summer season. Moreover, the average bacterial concentration increased as the incubated time in a growth medium increased for particle sizes of 0.65—1.1, 1.1—2.1, 2.1—3.3, 3.3—4.7 and 4.7—7.0 μm. The total average bacterial concentration has no significant difference for day and night sampling period at any sampling site for the expression of bacterial concentration in term of order. The high average bacterial concentration was found in the particle size of 0.53—0.71 mm (average bioaerosol size was in the range of 2.1—4.7 μm) for each sampling site. Besides, there were exceeded 20 kinds of bacteria for each sampling site and the bacterial shape were rod, coccus and filamentous. Toxicology and Industrial Health 2007; 23: 133—139.

scholarly journals The influence of benzene air pollution on leukemia incidence and mortality rates

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-13
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Pilarska ◽  
Aleksandra Pospieszyńska
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Incidence And Mortality ◽  
Benzene Concentration ◽  
Icd 10 ◽  
Central Statistical ◽  
Central Statistical Office

Abstract The following study identifies areas where adverse conditions related to benzene pollution are concurrent with leukaemia incidence and mortality (C91–C95). Moreover, it determines the similarities between benzene and leukaemia levels, as well and rules defining their co-occurrence. The analysis covered the period of 2015–2017. Data were obtained from Dane.gov.pl (number of leukaemia cases), the Polish National Cancer Registry website (number of deaths), the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office (population data) and the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection and the Air Quality Portal (data on air quality). Based on the conducted analysis, it was concluded that the following poviat towns have an unfavourable epidemic situation related to leukaemia: Kielce (incidence), Rzeszów (incidence), Elbląg (mortality); meanwhile, high leukaemia incidence and mortality co-occurred with high average benzene concentration in 2015–2017 in the following poviat towns: Kielce, Rybnik, Płock and Rzeszów. It was found that leukaemias belonging to the three-character ICD-10 categories C94, C95 and C92 show the highest rate of co-occurrence with benzene concentration. In addition, two main rules for the co-occurrence of benzene pollution and leukaemia were identified. It was also noted that it is necessary to continue the research for a longer time period, especially in the poviat towns of Kielce and Rzeszów.

scholarly journals Impact of climate change on photochemical air pollution in southern California

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1561-1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Millstein ◽  
R. A. Harley
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Reaction Rates ◽  
Biogenic Emissions ◽  
Western Boundary ◽  
Technology Change ◽  
Increased Temperature ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Global Background ◽  
Atmospheric Reaction

Abstract. The effects of future climate and emissions-related perturbations on ozone air quality in Southern California are considered, with an assumed increase to 2× pre-industrial levels for global background levels of carbon dioxide. Effects of emission and climate-related forcings on air quality are superimposed on a summer 2005 high-ozone time period. Perturbations considered here include (a) effect of increased temperature on atmospheric reaction rates, (b) effect of increased temperature on biogenic emissions, (c) effect of increased water vapor concentrations, (d) effect of increased pollutant levels at the inflow (western) boundary, and (e) effect of population growth and technology change on emissions within southern California. Various combinations of the above perturbations are also considered. The climate-related perturbations (a–c) led to combined peak 1-h ozone increases of up to 11 ppb. The effect on ozone was greatly reduced when the temperature increase was applied mostly during nighttime hours rather than uniformly throughout the day. Increased pollutant levels at the inflow boundary also led to ozone increases up to 5 ppb. These climate and inflow-related changes offset some of the anticipated benefits of emission controls within the air basin.

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