Seasonal variation of air pollution is associated with variety of seasons and specificity of particular months which form the so-called summer and winter season also known as the “heating” season. The occurrence of higher values of air pollution in different months of a year is associated with the type of climate, and accordingly with different atmospheric conditions in particular months, changing state of weather on a given day, and anthropogenic activity. The appearance of these conditions results in different levels of air pollution characteristic for a given period. The study uses data collected during a seven-year period (2009–2015) in the automatic measuring station of immissions located in Eastern Wielkopolska. The analysis concerns the average and maximum values of air pollution (i.e., particulate matter PM10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone) from the perspective of their occurrence in particular seasons and months or in relation to meteorological actors such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed.

The inhabitants of cities, towns, and villages are exposed to different levels of air pollution, which also vary throughout the day. Information regarding episodes of poor and good air quality enables planning to mitigate the risks and maximize the benefits of spending time outdoors. In this work, an analysis was made of the state of air quality 2012–2016, using data gathered from automatic measuring stations located in five cities (> 50,000 inhabitants), five towns (5000–50,000 inhabitants), and five villages (< 5000 inhabitants) in five neighboring provinces in central Poland, in Central Europe. The monitoring stations were designated as “city background”, “town background”, and “rural background”. More than 3 million pieces of data were collected from 15 monitoring stations. This allowed the average daily changes in the concentration of air pollutants (NO 2 and NO x , O 3 , SO 2 , CO, PM 10 , PM 2.5 , C 6 H 6 ) to be determined, depending on the type of station and the size of the settlement unit in both winter periods and summer periods. As a result, the most and least favorable hours in terms of levels of air pollution were identified. This information could help to inform air quality management in modern cities, towns, and villages and to improve the quality of life, particularly among those most susceptible to the negative effects of air pollution, such as the elderly and children. Graphical Abstract

The quality of atmospheric air and the level of its pollution is inextricably linked with the development of humanity. Its prevalence and the lack of any natural protective barriers causes that it becomes a recipient of increasingly large amounts of different types of pollutants. This is particularly dangerous in the areas where both meteorological conditions and type of building prevent the spread of pollution. By using a portable gas micro-chromatograph it is possible to observe and analyze a seasonal impact of building density on carbon dioxide concentration and the effect of atmospheric conditions on CO2 level in the air in a specified area.

The concentrations of suspended particulate matter PM10 in two-month winter period, i.e. December–January in years 2009–2015, were analyzed in relation to the values of wind speed in that time. It was possible to analyze results of air pollution measurements performed in the measuring station from the perspective of their higher levels in winter seasons (so-called smog episodes). Results from 3 stations of the Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Poznań (WIOŚ Poznań) served for better presentation of smog episodes in the region (black smog) and aimed at verification of correctness of the measurements of pollution immission in the monitoring station in Piotrkowice which is situated in vicinity of large combustion plant. The analysis confirmed that with low speeds of wind higher values of particulate matter PM10 were observed. The results of the analysis also show the displacement of pollutants according to the current wind direction or their local persistence for a longer time over one area.

Abstract:The condition and quality of atmospheric air plays a very important role in the life of every living organism, including man. Every day we breathe atmospheric air containing CO2 whose level changes depending both on many external factors and physicochemical processes. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the air changes, among other things, due to the influence of communication routes which may adversely affect the environment. For this reason it is necessary to analyze changes in CO2 concentrations and try to determine their impact on the functioning of users of the area (so, one can observe and analyze seasonal impact of communication routes on separate sub-areas of research).

Abstract:Carbon dioxide can affect on human mood and working conditions in closed area. Knowledge about the level of air pollutants concentration in the room, should be a guideline to design a properly working ventilation system. For years carbon dioxide, appearing during human breathing, was not taken into consideration as a factor determining the process of ventilation systems design. At present the assessment of air quality in closed rooms is performed on the basis of measurement of concentration of carbon dioxide metabolically produced by humans that can be referred to the so-called hygienic minimum, eg the upper limit of CO2 concentration equal to 1000 ppm (0.1%).

In many regions of the world, the winter period is a time of poor air quality, due primarily to the increased use of individual and district heating systems. As a consequence, the atmospheric air contains increased concentrations of both particulate matter and gaseous pollutants (as a result of “low” emissions at altitudes of up to 40 m and “high” emissions more than 40 m above ground level). In winter, the increased pollution is very often exacerbated by meteorological conditions, including air temperature, pressure, air speed, wind direction, and thermal inversion. Here, we analyze the concentrations of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0) and gaseous pollutants (H2S, SO2, and VOC) in the immediate vicinity of a large solid fuel-fired heat and power plant located in an urban agglomeration. Two locations were selected for analysis. The first was close to an air quality measurement station in the center of a multi-family housing estate. The second was the intersection of two main communication routes. To determine the impact of “low” and “high” emissions on air quality, the selected pollutants were measured at heights of between 2 and 50 m using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The results were compared with permissible standards for the concentration of pollutants. Temperature inversion was found to have a strong influence on the level of pollutants at various heights, with higher concentrations of particulate matter registered at altitudes above 40 m. The source of PM, H2S, and SO2 pollutants was confirmed to be “low emission” from local transport, industrial plant areas, and the housing estate comprising detached houses located in the vicinity of the measuring points. “High emission” was found to be responsible for the high concentrations of VOC at altitudes of more than 40 m above the intersection and in the area of the housing estate.

Analysis of the distribution of CO2 concentrations was performed for a water-and-steam boiler plant located in a detached building supplying thermal energy to a hospital. The boiler plant was equipped with two low-temperature boilers and one high-temperature steam boiler. The maximum thermal energy demand of the hospital was 4280, 3500 kW of which came from the hot-water boilers and the remaining 780 kW from the steam boiler. Due to the operating system there were no permanent job positions in the boiler plant. Servicing consisted only in the supervision, periodic adjustment and maintenance of the equipment. These kinds of working conditions release the employer from the necessity to perform tests and measurements of working conditions in such a building. On the other hand, continuous measurements are made because of the installation safety and emissions of pollutants into the environment. The article presents results of the measurements and analysis of the distribution of CO2 concentrations inside and outside a small boiler plant, due to which it was found that the level of carbon dioxide concentration did not depend on the ambient air temperature. The resulting values are similar regardless of whether the measurements were taken in December 2012 or April 2013. However, there is an evident impact of seasons on the concentrations in the indoor air associated primarily with the demand for heat during the given period, the stay of people in the workplace and the number of working devices.