Nitrogen Emission and Deposition: The European Perspective

Europe has been successful in reducing the emissions of several nitrogenous pollutants over recent decades. This is reflected in concentrations and deposition rates that have decreased for several components. Emissions of nitrogen containing gases are estimated to have decreased in Europe by 10%, 21%, and 14% for NO, NOx, and NH3, respectively, between 1990 and 1998. The main reductions are the result of a decrease in industrial and agricultural activities in the east of Europe as a result of the economic situation, measures in the transport sector, industry and agricultural sector, with only a small part of the reduction due to specific measures designed to reduce emissions. The reduction is significant, but far from the end goal for large areas in Europe in relation to different environmental problems. The Gothenburg Protocol will lead to reductions of 50 and 12% in 2010 relative to 1990 for NOx and NH3, respectively. The N2O emissions are expected to grow between 1998 and 2010 by 9%. Further reductions are necessary to reach critical limits for ecosystem protection, air quality standards and climate change. Emissions of nitrogen compounds result from an overload of reactive nitrogen, which is produced by combustion processes, by synthesis of ammonia or by import from other areas as concentrated animal feeds. Although some improvements can be made by improving the efficiency of combustion processes and agricultural systems, measures to reduce emissions substantially need to be focused on decreasing the production or import of reactive N. Reactive N ceilings for regions based on critical limits for all N-related effects can help to focus such measures. An integrated approach might have advantages over the pollutant specific approach to combat nitrogen pollution. This could provide the future direction for European policy to reduce the impacts of excess nitrogen

Acid rain and air pollution : 50 years of progress in environmental science and policy

Because of its serious large-scale effects on ecosystems and its transboundary nature, acid rain received for a few decades at the end of the last century wide scientific and public interest, leading to coordinated policy actions in Europe and North America. Through these actions, in particular those under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, air emissions were substantially reduced, and ecosystem impacts decreased. Widespread scientific research, long-term monitoring, and integrated assessment modelling formed the basis for the policy agreements. In this paper, which is based on an international symposium organised to commemorate 50 years of successful integration of air pollution research and policy, we briefly describe the scientific findings that provided the foundation for the policy development. We also discuss important characteristics of the science–policy interactions, such as the critical loads concept and the large-scale ecosystem field studies. Finally, acid rain and air pollution are set in the context of future societal developments and needs, e.g. the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We also highlight the need to maintain and develop supporting scientific infrastructures

European Nitrogen Assessment - Technical Summary

A century ago, when the world depended on fossil nitrogen and manure recycling, there wasinsuffi cient reactive nitrogen to feed the growing human population. With the invention of theHaber–Bosch process, humans found a way to make cheap reactive nitrogen from the almostinexhaustable supply of atmospheric di-nitrogen. What humans did not anticipate was that themassive increase in reactive nitrogen supply, exacerbated by fossil fuel burning, would lead toa web of new environmental problems cutting across all global-change challenges.Th e European Nitrogen Assessment presents the fi rst full, continental-scale assessmentof reactive nitrogen in the environment and sets the problem in context by providing amultidisciplinary introduction to the key processes in the nitrogen cycle. Issues of up-scalingfrom fi eld, farm and city to national and continental scales are addressed in detail withemphasis on opportunities for better management at local to global levels. A comprehensiveseries of maps showing nitrogen pools and fl uxes across Europe also highlight the locationof the major threats and allow a comparison of national budgets for the fi rst time. Five keysocietal threats posed by reactive nitrogen are assessed, providing a framework for a set ofpolicies that can be used for joined-up management of the nitrogen cycle in Europe. Th isincludes the fi rst cost–benefi t analysis for diff erent reactive nitrogen forms and considerationof future scenarios.JRC.DDG.H.2-Climate change and air qualit

Nitrogen oxides and related compounds in north Europe. Atmospheric processes, deposition, monitoring and trends

Emissions of nitrogen oxides in Europe are causing a transboundary problem with respect to acid deposition as well as for the production of photochemical oxidants. Nitrate concentrations in precipitation over north Europe has doubled since the 50'ies, although the upward trend seems to have broken during the last decade. Nitrate contributes today as a mean for north Europe to 30-40 % of the acidity in rain. High concentrations of photochemical oxidants are frequently observed as a regional problem, where precursors emitted in one country may cause high concentrations in other countries. Although today's knowledge does not allow us to obtain accurate quantifications of the transpboundary fluxes of NOx, oxidants and oxidant precursors, existing results clearly show that oxidized nitrogen compounds and oxidants are internatonal air pollution problems wihich need to be handled through international agreementsEmissions of nitrogen oxides in Europe are causing a transboundary problem with respect to acid deposition as well as for the production of photochemical oxidants. Nitrate concentrations in precipitation over north Europe has doubled since the 50'ies, although the upward trend seems to have broken during the last decade. Nitrate contributes today as a mean for north Europe to 30-40 % of the acidity in rain. High concentrations of photochemical oxidants are frequently observed as a regional problem, where precursors emitted in one country may cause high concentrations in other countries. Although today's knowledge does not allow us to obtain accurate quantifications of the transpboundary fluxes of NOx, oxidants and oxidant precursors, existing results clearly show that oxidized nitrogen compounds and oxidants are internatonal air pollution problems wihich need to be handled through international agreement

Oxidized nitrogen compounds in long-range transported polluted air masses

The emissions of nitrogen oxides have increased at a relatively high rate during the 1960s and '70s while emissions of many other substances, e.g. soot and sulphur dioxide, have remined a a more or less constants level. We may also expect a further increase in the emissions of nitrogen oxides in teh next decade. Last year, data from a number of OECD countries indicated an increase in NOx emissions of about 40-60 % between 1972 and 1985. This rapid increase will probably not only lead to effects on the local scale but directly or indirectly cause effects over lage regions. In order to investigaete the long range transport and conversion of nitrogen oxides, mesurements of oxidized nitrogen compounds have been undertaken at a remote station, (Rörvik) at the Swedish west coast. The mesurements comprise NO and NO2, monitored continuously with a chemiluminiscent instrument; particle -borne nitrate on Fluoropore filters; and gaseous nitrates (HNO3) with a method based on adsorption on impregnated filters. The NO2 values obtained with the chemiluminiscent monitor will include other gaseous nitrogen compounds as well, such as PAN and HNO3. Unless otherwise specified, the NO2 value in the presentation includes these substances. Nitrogen oxide were monitored between 1976 and 1978 and gaseous nitrates mainly between June 1977 and June 1978. Partculate intrates have been monitored occasionally only during this period; most of the data on particulate nitrates are from measurements prior to 1976The emissions of nitrogen oxides have increased at a relatively high rate during the 1960s and '70s while emissions of many other substances, e.g. soot and sulphur dioxide, have remined a a more or less constants level. We may also expect a further increase in the emissions of nitrogen oxides in teh next decade. Last year, data from a number of OECD countries indicated an increase in NOx emissions of about 40-60 % between 1972 and 1985. This rapid increase will probably not only lead to effects on the local scale but directly or indirectly cause effects over lage regions. In order to investigaete the long range transport and conversion of nitrogen oxides, mesurements of oxidized nitrogen compounds have been undertaken at a remote station, (Rörvik) at the Swedish west coast. The mesurements comprise NO and NO2, monitored continuously with a chemiluminiscent instrument; particle -borne nitrate on Fluoropore filters; and gaseous nitrates (HNO3) with a method based on adsorption on impregnated filters. The NO2 values obtained with the chemiluminiscent monitor will include other gaseous nitrogen compounds as well, such as PAN and HNO3. Unless otherwise specified, the NO2 value in the presentation includes these substances. Nitrogen oxide were monitored between 1976 and 1978 and gaseous nitrates mainly between June 1977 and June 1978. Partculate intrates have been monitored occasionally only during this period; most of the data on particulate nitrates are from measurements prior to 197

Kväveoxider i atmosfären.

I rapporten sammanfattas kväveoxidproblemet vad avser utsläpp till luft, omvandlingsreaktioner i atmosfären och NOX roll vad avser bildningen av nitroorganiska ämnen. Speciell vikt läggs vid kväveoxidernas icke fotokemiska omvandlingsprocesser. Vidare ges en sammanställning över mätmetoder för olika oxiderade kväveföreningar. Slutligen innehåller rapporten en översikt av pågående forskning inom NOX-området vid några institutioner i framför allt USA.I rapporten sammanfattas kväveoxidproblemet vad avser utsläpp till luft, omvandlingsreaktioner i atmosfären och NOX roll vad avser bildningen av nitroorganiska ämnen. Speciell vikt läggs vid kväveoxidernas icke fotokemiska omvandlingsprocesser. Vidare ges en sammanställning över mätmetoder för olika oxiderade kväveföreningar. Slutligen innehåller rapporten en översikt av pågående forskning inom NOX-området vid några institutioner i framför allt USA

Svaveldioxid, kvävedioxid och sot i svensk tätortsluft 1986-1987

I samarbete med 38 svenska kommuner har Institutet för Vatten- och Luftvårdsforskning (IVL) genomfört mätningar av svaveldioxid, kvävedioxid och sot i svenska tätorter. Resultaten visar att 99,4%-ilen av svaveldioxidhalterna och sothalterna i tätorterna underskrider såväl gällande som föreslagna riktvärden för luftkvalitet. För kvävedioxidhalterna i tätorter gäller att överskridande av föreslagna riktvärden skett i en av täorterna och tangerats i en. Mätresultaten visar också att för SO2 och sot bestäms haltnivåerna inne i tätorterna i södra och västra Sverige till stor del av de regionala bakgrundshalterna. För kvävedioxid är de lokala bidragen helt dominerande. I tätorterna i södra Sverige är halterna oberoende av temperatur och vindhastighet. I de flesta mellansvenska och norrländska tätorterna finns en samvariation mellan svaveldioxidhalterna och temperaturen samt mellan kvävedioxidhalterna och vindhastigheterna. Ju längre norrut desto mer uttalad är samvariationen, sannolikt beroende på att frekvensen markinversioner (och därmed sammanhängande dåliga spridningsbetingelser) är högre i norr. Mätdata visar också att belastningen av svaveldioxid och sot avtar från söder mot norr. Temperaturkorrigerar man vinterhalvårsmedelvärdena av svaveldioxid i alla tätorterna till en medeltemperatur på 0 C, framgår den storskaliga svaveldioxidtransportens betydelse för tätorternas svaveldioxidbelastning ännu klarare. Något samband mellan en tätorts lokala svaveldioxidutsläpp och svaveldioxidbelastningen i tätorten har ej kunnat observeras.I samarbete med 38 svenska kommuner har Institutet för Vatten- och Luftvårdsforskning (IVL) genomfört mätningar av svaveldioxid, kvävedioxid och sot i svenska tätorter. Resultaten visar att 99,4%-ilen av svaveldioxidhalterna och sothalterna i tätorterna underskrider såväl gällande som föreslagna riktvärden för luftkvalitet. För kvävedioxidhalterna i tätorter gäller att överskridande av föreslagna riktvärden skett i en av täorterna och tangerats i en. Mätresultaten visar också att för SO2 och sot bestäms haltnivåerna inne i tätorterna i södra och västra Sverige till stor del av de regionala bakgrundshalterna. För kvävedioxid är de lokala bidragen helt dominerande. I tätorterna i södra Sverige är halterna oberoende av temperatur och vindhastighet. I de flesta mellansvenska och norrländska tätorterna finns en samvariation mellan svaveldioxidhalterna och temperaturen samt mellan kvävedioxidhalterna och vindhastigheterna. Ju längre norrut desto mer uttalad är samvariationen, sannolikt beroende på att frekvensen markinversioner (och därmed sammanhängande dåliga spridningsbetingelser) är högre i norr. Mätdata visar också att belastningen av svaveldioxid och sot avtar från söder mot norr. Temperaturkorrigerar man vinterhalvårsmedelvärdena av svaveldioxid i alla tätorterna till en medeltemperatur på 0 C, framgår den storskaliga svaveldioxidtransportens betydelse för tätorternas svaveldioxidbelastning ännu klarare. Något samband mellan en tätorts lokala svaveldioxidutsläpp och svaveldioxidbelastningen i tätorten har ej kunnat observeras