scholarly journals Benzo[a]pyrene in the Ambient Air in the Czech Republic: Emission Sources, Current and Long-Term Monitoring Analysis and Human Exposure

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 955
Author(s):  
Markéta Schreiberová ◽  
Leona Vlasáková ◽  
Ondřej Vlček ◽  
Jana Šmejdířová ◽  
Jan Horálek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Local Heating ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Kendall Test ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Residential Heating ◽  
Annual Average Concentration

This paper provides a detailed, thorough analysis of air pollution by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in the Czech Republic. The Czech residential sector is responsible for more than 98.8% of BaP, based on the national emission inventory. According to the data from 48 sites of the National Air Quality Monitoring Network, the range of annual average concentration of BaP ranges from 0.4 ng·m−3 at a rural regional station to 7.7 ng·m−3 at an industrial station. Additionally, short-term campaign measurements in small settlements have recorded high values of daily benzo[a]pyrene concentrations (0.1–13.6 ng·m−3) in winter months linked to local heating of household heating. The transboundary contribution to the annual average concentrations of BaP was estimated by the CAMx model to range from 46% to 70% over most of the country. However, the contribution of Czech sources can exceed 80% in residential heating hot spots. It is likely that the transboundary contribution to BaP concentrations was overestimated by a factor of 1.5 due to limitations of the modeling approach used. During the period of 2012–2018, 35–58% of the urban population in the Czech Republic were exposed to BaP concentrations above target. A significant decreasing trend, estimated by the Mann-Kendall test, was found for annual and winter BaP concentrations between 2008 and 2018.

Evaluation and Management of Ambient Air Quality, with Special Reference to China

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Zhi-Qi
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Quality Indices ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Hygienic Standard ◽  
Annual Average Concentration

Monitoring and evaluation of air quality in urban and industrial areas are essential for air quality management. For evaluating the composite air-quality in the concomitant presence of several pollutants in the atmosphere, many air quality indices have been developed. This paper presents two indices, the ‘composite air-quality index (I1)’ and ‘the standard-exceeding index of air pollution (I2)’ together with their respective sub-indices, for the pollutants monitored and for use in combination.The first index, I1, is based on the annual average concentration measured in a year for each pollutant; it measures the overall composite air-quality. By relating the annual average concentration (Ci) of each pollutant to its hygienic standard (Si), as many (Ci/Si) values as the number of pollutant parameters monitored are found, whereupon I1 is computed as the geometric mean of the maximum and average of all (Ci/Si) values. A greater value of I1 means worse composite air-quality. It is simpler to compute than those more sophisticated ones in the literature, and holds the unique characteristic of considering, and yet not overemphasizing as formula (3) does (Nemerow, 1974), the maximum (Ci/Si) value.

scholarly journals Analysis of the distributions of hourly NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations contributing to annual average NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations across the European monitoring network between 2000 and 2014

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Malley ◽  
Erika von Schneidemesser ◽  
Sarah Moller ◽  
Christine F. Braban ◽  
W. Kevin Hicks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Annual Average Concentration ◽  
Standard Set ◽  
Human Health Effects

Abstract. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is associated with negative human health effects, both for short-term peak concentrations and from long-term exposure to a wider range of NO2 concentrations. For the latter, the European Union has established an air quality limit value of 40 µg m−3 as an annual average. However, factors such as proximity and strength of local emissions, atmospheric chemistry and meteorological conditions means that there is substantial variation in the hourly NO2 concentrations contributing to an annual average concentration. The aim of this analysis was to quantify the nature of this variation at thousands of monitoring sites across Europe through the calculation of a standard set of chemical climatology statistics. Specifically, at each monitoring site that satisfied data capture criteria for inclusion in this analysis, annual NO2 concentrations, as well as the percentage contribution from each month, hour of the day, and hourly NO2 concentrations divided into 5 µg m−3 bins were calculated. Across Europe, 2010–2014 average annual NO2 concentrations (NO2AA) exceeded the annual NO2 limit value at 8 % of > 2500 monitoring sites. The application of this chemical climatology approach showed that sites with distinct monthly, hour of day, and hourly NO2 concentration bin contributions to NO2AA were not grouped in specific regions of Europe, and within relatively small geographic regions there were sites with similar NO2AA, but with differences in these contributions. Specifically, at sites with highest NO2AA, there were generally similar contributions from across the year, but there were also differences in the contribution of peak vs moderate hourly NO2 concentrations to NO2AA, and from different hours across the day. Trends between 2000 and 2014 for 259 sites indicate that, in general, the contribution to NO2AA from winter months has increased, as has the contribution from the rush-hour periods of the day, while the contribution from peak hourly NO2 concentrations has decreased. The variety of monthly, hour of day and hourly NO2 contribution bin contributions to NO2AA, across cities, countries and regions of Europe indicate that within relatively small geographic areas different interactions between emissions, atmospheric chemistry and meteorology produce variation in NO2AA and the conditions that produce it. Therefore, measures implemented to reduce NO2AA in one location may not be as effective in others. The development of strategies to reduce NO2AA for an area should consider i) the variation in monthly, hour of day and hourly NO2 concentration bin contributions to NO2AA within that area, and ii) how specific mitigation actions will affect variability in hourly NO2 concentrations.

scholarly journals Analysis of the distributions of hourly NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations contributing to annual average NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations across the European monitoring network between 2000 and 2014

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 3563-3587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S. Malley ◽  
Erika von Schneidemesser ◽  
Sarah Moller ◽  
Christine F. Braban ◽  
W. Kevin Hicks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Annual Average Concentration ◽  
Standard Set ◽  
Human Health Effects

Abstract. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is associated with negative human health effects, both for short-term “peak” concentrations and from long-term exposure to a wider range of NO2 concentrations. For the latter, the European Union has established an air quality limit value of 40 µg m−3 as an annual average. However, factors such as proximity and strength of local emissions, atmospheric chemistry, and meteorological conditions mean that there is substantial variation in the hourly NO2 concentrations contributing to an annual average concentration. The aim of this analysis was to quantify the nature of this variation at thousands of monitoring sites across Europe through the calculation of a standard set of “chemical climatology” statistics. Specifically, at each monitoring site that satisfied data capture criteria for inclusion in this analysis, annual NO2 concentrations, as well as the percentage contribution from each month, hour of the day, and hourly NO2 concentrations divided into 5 µg m−3 bins were calculated. Across Europe, 2010–2014 average annual NO2 concentrations (NO2AA) exceeded the annual NO2 limit value at 8 % of > 2500 monitoring sites. The application of this “chemical climatology” approach showed that sites with distinct monthly, hour of day, and hourly NO2 concentration bin contributions to NO2AA were not grouped into specific regions of Europe, furthermore, within relatively small geographic regions there were sites with similar NO2AA, but with differences in these contributions. Specifically, at sites with highest NO2AA, there were generally similar contributions from across the year, but there were also differences in the contribution of peak vs. moderate hourly NO2 concentrations to NO2AA, and from different hours across the day. Trends between 2000 and 2014 for 259 sites indicate that, in general, the contribution to NO2AA from winter months has increased, as has the contribution from the rush-hour periods of the day, while the contribution from peak hourly NO2 concentrations has decreased. The variety of monthly, hour of day and hourly NO2 concentration bin contributions to NO2AA, across cities, countries and regions of Europe indicate that within relatively small geographic areas different interactions between emissions, atmospheric chemistry and meteorology produce variation in NO2AA and the conditions that produce it. Therefore, measures implemented to reduce NO2AA in one location may not be as effective in others. The development of strategies to reduce NO2AA for an area should therefore consider (i) the variation in monthly, hour of day, and hourly NO2 concentration bin contributions to NO2AA within that area; and (ii) how specific mitigation actions will affect variability in hourly NO2 concentrations.

scholarly journals The Temporal And Spatial Changes Of Beijing’s Pm 2.5 Concentration And Its Relationship With Meteorological Factors From 2015 To 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-81
Author(s):  
Guo Peng ◽  
A. B. Umarova ◽  
G. S. Bykova
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Meteorological Factors ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Daily Average ◽  
Annual Average Concentration ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

Currently, Beijing is facing increasing serious air quality problems. Atmospheric pollutants in Beijing are mainly composed of particulate matter, which is a key factor leading to adverse effects on human health. This paper uses hourly data from 36 environmental monitoring stations in Beijing from 2015 to 2020 to obtain the temporal and spatial distribution of the mass concentration of particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5). The 36 stations established by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Beijing Environmental Protection Monitoring Center and obtain continuous real-time monitoring of particulate matter. And the 36 stations are divided into 13 main urban environmental assessment points, 11 suburban assessment points, 1 control point, 6 district assessment points, and 5 traffic pollution monitoring points. The annual average concentration of PM2.5 in Beijing was 60 μg/m3 with a negative trend of approximately 14% year-1. In urban areas the annual average concentration of PM2.5 was 59 μg/m3, in suburbs 56 μg/m3, in traffic areas 63 μg/m3, and in district areas 62 μg/m3. From 2015 to 2020, in urban areas PM2.5 decreased by 14% year-1, in suburbs by 15% year -1, in traffic areas by 15% year-1, and in district areas by 12% year-1. The quarterly average concentrations of PM2.5 in winter andspring are higher than those in summer and autumn (64 μg/m3, 59 μg/m3, 45 μg/m3, 55 μg/m3, respectively). The influenceof meteorological factors on the daily average value of PM2.5 in each season was analysed. The daily average PM2.5 in spring, summer, autumn and winter is significantly negatively correlated with daily average wind speed, sunshine hours, and air pressure, and significantly positively correlated with daily average rainfall and relative humidity. Except for autumn, the daily average PM2.5 is positively correlated with temperature. Although Beijing’s PM2.5 has been declining since the adoption of the‘Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan’, it is still far from the first level of the new ‘Ambient Air Quality Standard’(GB309S-2012) formulated by China in 2012.

scholarly journals Heavy Metal Content in Water of Resko Lake (North-West Poland)

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 279-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Daniszewski ◽  
Ryszard Konieczny
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Metal Content ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Permissible Limit ◽  
Toxic Heavy Metals ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
North West ◽  
Annual Average Concentration

The present research work deals with the quantification of toxic heavy metals in the water samples collected from Lake of Resko (North-West Poland). While the annual average concentration of Cadmium was calculated as 0.34 ppm in 2008 of the year and 0.28 ppm in 2009 of the year. The values obtained were found to be below the permissible limit of 2.0 ppm set for inland surface water. While the annual average concentration of Chromium was calculated as 1,75 ppm in 2008 of the year and 1.97 ppm in 2009 of the year. Which was very much above the permissible limit of 0.1 ppm set for inland surface water. The observed annual average concentration of Copper in the water was 0.05 ppm in 2008 of the year and 0.06 ppm in 2009 of the year, which was below the permissible limit of 3.0 ppm set for inland surface water. While the annual average concentration of Mercury was calculated as 0.03 ppm in 2008 of the year and 0.04 ppm in 2009 of the year, which was very much above the maximum limit of 0.01 ppm set for inland surface water. The annual average concentration of Nickel in the water samples was observed to be 2.07 ppm in 2008 of the year and 2.09 ppm in 2009 of the year, which is close to the limit of 3.0 ppm set for inland surface water. The annual average concentration of Pb in the water samples was observed to be 0.07 ppm in 2008 of the year and 0.05 ppm in 2009 of the year, which is above the permissible limit of 0.1 ppm set for inland surface water. The results of the present investigation indicate that the annual average concentration of Zn in water samples was 3.02 ppm in 2008 of the year and 2.74 ppm in 2009 of the year, which is above the permissible limit of 5.0 ppm set for inland surface water.

scholarly journals Impact of Air Pollution on the Health of the Population in Parts of the Czech Republic

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6454
Author(s):  
Radim J. Sram
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Local Heating ◽  
The United States ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Surprising Result ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Impact

Thirty years ago, Northern Bohemia in the Czech Republic was one of the most air polluted areas in Europe. After political changes, the Czech government put forward a research program to determine if air pollution is really affecting human health. This program, later called the “Teplice Program”, was initiated in collaboration with scientists from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). This cooperation made possible the use of methods on the contemporary level. The very high concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in the air showed, for the first time, the impact of air pollutants on the health of the population in mining districts: adverse pregnancy outcomes, the impact of air pollution on sperm morphology, learning disabilities in children, and respiratory morbidity in preschool children. A surprising result came from the distribution of the sources of pollution: 70% of PM10 pollution came from local heating and not from power plants as expected. Thanks to this result, the Czech government supported changes in local heating from brown coal to natural gas. This change substantially decreased SO2 and PM10 pollution and affected mortality, especially cardiovascular mortality.

scholarly journals Long-Term Trends of Air Pollution at National Atmospheric Observatory Košetice (ACTRIS, EMEP, GAW)

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 537
Author(s):  
Milan Váňa ◽  
Adéla Holubová Smejkalová ◽  
Jaroslava Svobodová ◽  
Pavel Machálek
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Kendall Test ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
International Projects ◽  
Long Term Trends

The National Atmospheric Observatory Košetice operated by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute was established in 1988 as a station specializing in air quality monitoring at the background scale. The observatory is located in the free area outside of the settlement and represents the Czech Republic in various international projects. The objective of the present study is to detect the long-term trends of air quality at the background scale of the Czech Republic. The statistical method used for trend analysis is based on the nonparametric Mann–Kendall test. Generally, the results show that the fundamental drop in emission of basic air pollutants was reflected in the significant decrease in pollution levels. A most significant drop was detected for sulphur. No trend was found for NO2 in 1990–2012, but a visibly decreasing tendency was registered in the last 7 years. A slightly decreasing trend was registered for O3 in the whole period, but a slightly increasing tendency was found after 2006. More importantly, the number of episodes exceeding the target value for human health dropped significantly. The reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions was reflected in a statistically significant decrease of concentrations. Only isoprene, which is of natural origin, displays an inverse trend. Concentrations of elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) dropped since 2010, but only for EC is the trend statistically significant.

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