Analiza urbanih i ruralnih masenih koncentracija onečišćujućih tvari u Hrvatskoj u razdoblju 2006.–2014.

Air pollution due to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10) and diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) was investigated using available measurements in Croatia. Hourly and daily PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentrations were analysed for urban and rural background stations. Urban and industrial PM10 measurements from 2006 to 2014 and rural background PM10 and PM2.5 measurements from 2011 to 2014 were used to determine the main characteristics of regional and local air pollution related to particles and to assess the level of air pollution according to the defined limit values (CAFÉ Directive 2008/50/EC). Significant difference between coastal and continental urban and rural PM10 levels was found with high PM10 concentrations in continental areas and considerably lower PM10 values at the coast. Substantially different spatial distribution of rural background PM concentrations with relatively high annual average concentration ~ 30 μm/m3 at e.g. continental station Kopački rit, to only ~ 5 μm/m3 at Hum located on the island of Vis was found. Strong spatial PM gradients from the continent towards the coast are resulting from the distinct differences in climatological characteristics between Croatia’s inlands and the coastline and different physical processes affecting the PM concentrations in the two regions (e.g. sea breeze, deposition, wet removal, resuspension). Furthermore, distinct complex chemical mechanisms that depend on emission rate and PM composition and on meteorological parameters (sun radiation, humidity etc.) have different influence on the formation of secondary organic aerosol in marine and continental boundary layer. Ratio between rural PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations (PM2.5/PM10) for all sites was investigated and compared to the results obtained in other European studies. Rural site-specific PM2.5/PM10 ratios ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 during the warmer part of the year while during the colder part of the year ratios were higher and ranged from 0.85 to 0.98. The spatial gradient of rural PM2.5/PM10 values is orientated from the coast to the continent implying that at the coast the PM concentrations are mainly composed of fine particles. Observed hourly temperature, relative humidity and wind values in the period from 2006 to 2014 are analysed together with the corresponding PM concentrations and an initial source identification was conducted based on bivariate polar plots.Istraženo je onečišćenje zraka uzrokovano lebdećim česticama aerodinamičkog promjera ≤ 10 μm (PM10) i promjera ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) na temelju raspoloživih mjerenja u Hrvatskoj. Analizirane su satne i dnevne PM10 i PM2.5 masene koncentracije na urbanim i ruralnim pozadinskim postajama. Korištena su urbana i industrijska mjerenja PM10 koncentracija od 2006. do 2014. godine i ruralna pozadinska mjerenja PM10 i PM2.5 od 2011. do 2014. kako bi se utvrdile glavne značajke regionalnog i lokalnog onečišćenja zraka uzrokovanog česticama i kako bi se procijenila razina onečišćenja zraka u odnosu na propisane granične vrijednosti (CAFÉ Direktiva; EK, 2008). Utvrđene su značajne razlike između razina urbanih i ruralnih PM10 koncentracija na obali i na kontinentu, s visokim PM10 koncentracijama na kontinentalnom području i značajno nižim PM10 vrijednostima na obali. Pronađena je znatno različita postorna aspodjela ruralnih pozadinskih PM koncentracija s relativno visokim godišnjim srednjim vrijednostima od ~ 30 μg/m3 u primjerice Kopačkom ritu do samo ~ 5 μg/m3 na Humu na otoku Visu. Jaki prostorni PM gradijenti usmjereni od kontinenta prema obali posljedica su izrazitih klimatoloških različitosti između unutrašnjosti i obale u Hrvatskoj, te različitih upravljačkih fizikalnih procesa koji utječu na PM koncentracije u ta dva područja (primjerice obalne cirkulacije, depozicije, mokrog taloženja i resuspenzije). Nadalje različiti kompleksni kemijski mehanizmi koji ovise o iznosu emisija i kemijskom sastavu PM čestica kao i o meteorološkim parametrima (količini sunčevog zračenja, relativnoj vlažnosti itd.) različito utječu na stvaranje sekundarnog organskog aerosola u obalnom i kontinentalnom graničnom sloju. Istražene su vrijednosti omjera ruralnih PM2.5 i PM10 masenih koncentracija (PM2.5/PM10) na svim postajama i uspoređene sa rezultatima drugih istraživanja u Europi. Ruralni PM2.5/PM10 omjeri na različitim postajama su varirali od 0,6 do 0,9 tijekom toplog dijela godine dok su tijekom hladijeg dijela godine omjeri bili viši i nalazili se u rasponu vrijednosti od 0,85 do 0,98. Prostorni gradijent ruralnih PM 2.5/PM10 vrijednosti usmjeren je od obale prema kontinetu što upućuje da su u obalnom području PM koncentracije pretežno sastavljene od finih čestica. Analizirane su mjerene satne vrijednosti temperature, relativne vlažnosti i vjetra u razdoblju od 2006. do 2014. zajedno s odgovarajućim PM koncentracijama te je izvršena inicijalna analiza izvora onečišćenja na temelju dvodimenzionalnih polarnih prikaza

Heavy metals air pollution study in mines environments. Case study Bregalnica river basin, Republic of Macedonia

Application of several moss species and attic dust for monitoring of anthropogenic impact on heavy metals air pollution in Bregalnica River Basin, Republic of Macedonia, was studied. Moss samples were reviewed for their potential to reflect heavy metals air pollution. The attention was focused on their quantification ability, underlying the metal accumulation within moss plant tissue and attic dust “historical archiving”. Potential “hot spots” were selected in areas of copper mine (Bučim mine) and lead and zinc mines (Zletovo mine and Sasa mine) as main metal pollution sources in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Continuously, dust distribution from ore and flotation tailings occurs. This results with air-introduction and deposition of higher contents of certain metals. Several moss species (Hypnum cupressiforme, Homalothecium lutescens and Scleropodium purum) were used as plant sampling media. Determination of chemical elements was conducted by using both instrumental techniques: atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES) and mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS). Combination of multivariate techniques (PCA, FA and CA) was applied for data processing and identification of elements association with lithogenic or anthropogenic origin. Spatial distribution maps were constructed for determination and localizing of narrower areas with higher contents of certain anthropogenic elements. In this way influences of selected human activities in local (small scale) air pollution can be determined. Summarized data reveal real quantification of the elements distribution not only in order determination of hazardously elements distribution, but also present complete characterization for elements deposition in mines environs

Contribution of atmospheric emissions to the contamination of leaf vegetables by persistent organic pollutants (POPs): Application to southeastern France

International audienceA modeling approach has been developed to estimate the contribution of atmospheric emissions to the contamination of leaf vegetables by persistent organic pollutants (POPs). It combines an Eulerian chemical transport model for atmospheric processes (Polair3D/Polyphemus) with a fate and transport model for soil and vegetation (Ourson). These two models were specifically adapted for POPs. Results are presented for benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). As expected no accumulation of BaP in leaf vegetables appears during the growth period for each harvest over the 10 years simulated. For BaP and leaf vegetables, this contamination depends primarily on direct atmospheric deposition without chemical transfer from the soil to the plant. These modeling results are compared to available data

Air quality co-benefits from climate mitigation for human health in South Korea

Climate change mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have associated costs, but there are also potential benefits from improved air quality, such as public health improvements and the associated cost savings. A multidisciplinary modeling approach can better assess the co-benefits from climate mitigation for human health and provide a justifiable basis for establishment of adequate climate change mitigation policies and public health actions. An integrated research framework was adopted by combining a computable general equilibrium model, an air quality model, and a health impact assessment model, to explore the long-term economic impacts of climate change mitigation in South Korea through 2050. Mitigation costs were further compared with health-related economic benefits under different socioeconomic and climate change mitigation scenarios. Achieving ambitious targets (i.e., stabilization of the radiative forcing level at 3.4 W/m2) would cost 1.3-8.5 billion USD in 2050, depending on varying carbon prices from different integrated assessment models. By contrast, achieving these same targets would reduce costs by 23 billion USD from the valuation of avoided premature mortality, 0.14 billion USD from health expenditures, and 0.38 billion USD from reduced lost work hours, demonstrating that health benefits alone noticeably offset the costs of cutting GHG emissions in South Korea