Characterisation of extreme air pollution episodes in an urban valley in the Balkan Peninsula

Anttila, Pia; Stefanovska, Aneta; Nestorovska-Krsteska, Aleksandra; Grozdanovski, Ljupco; Atanasov, Igor; Golubov, Nikola; Ristevski, Pece; Toceva, Martina; Lappi, Sari; Waldén, Jari

doi:10.1007/s11869-015-0326-7

Cited by 26 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In 2012, the ChArMEx/TRAQUA (TRansport and Air QuAlity) experiment allowed the characterization of a very intense dust transport event measured at the end of June over the western Mediterranean (Nabat et al, 2015). In addition, several large fires were reported during the summer of 2012, more particularly in the Balkans (Anttila et al, 2015) and in Spain in July (Gómez-Amo et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Source contributions to 2012 summertime aerosols in the Euro-Mediterranean region

et al. 2015

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Abstract. In the Mediterranean area, aerosols may originate from anthropogenic or natural emissions (biogenic, mineral dust, fire and sea salt) before undergoing complex chemistry. In case of a huge pollution event, it is important to know whether European pollution limits are exceeded and, if so, whether the pollution is due to anthropogenic or natural sources. In this study, the relative contribution of emissions to surface PM 10 , surface PM 2.5 and total aerosol optical depth (AOD) is quantified. For Europe and the Mediterranean regions and during the summer of 2012, the WRF and CHIMERE models are used to perform a sensitivity analysis on a 50 km resolution domain (from −10 • W to 40 • E and from 30 • N to 55 • N): one simulation with all sources (reference) and all others with one source removed. The reference simulation is compared to data from the AirBase network and two ChArMEx stations, and from the AERONET network and the MODIS satellite instrument, to quantify the ability of the model to reproduce the observations. It is shown that the correlation ranges from 0.19 to 0.57 for surface particulate matter and from 0.35 to 0.75 for AOD. For the summer of 2012, the model shows that the region is mainly influenced by aerosols due to mineral dust and anthropogenic emissions (62 and 19 %, respectively, of total surface PM 10 and 17 and 52 % of total surface PM 2.5 ). The western part of the Mediterranean is strongly influenced by mineral dust emissions (86 % for surface PM 10 and 44 % for PM 2.5 ), while anthropogenic emissions dominate in the northern Mediterranean basin (up to 75 % for PM 2.5 ). Fire emissions are more sporadic but may represent 20 % of surface PM 2.5 , on average, during the period near local sources. Sea salt mainly contributes for coastal sites (up to 29 %) and biogenic emissions mainly in central Europe (up to 20 %).The same analysis was undertaken for the number of daily exceedances of the European Union limit of 50 µg m −3 for PM 10 (over the stations), and for the number of daily exceedances of the WHO recommendation for PM 2.5 (25 µg m −3 ), over the western part of Europe and the central north. This number is generally overestimated by the model, particularly in the northern part of the domain, but exceedances are captured at the right time. Optimized contributions are computed with the observations, by subtracting the background bias at each station and the specific peak biases from the considered sources. These optimized contributions show that if natural sources such as mineral dust and fire events are particularly difficult to estimate, they were responsible exclusively for 35.9 and 0.7 %, respectively, of the exceedances for PM 10 during the summer of 2012. The PM 25 recommendation of 25 µg m −3 is exceeded in 21.1 % of the cases because of anthropogenic sources exclusively and in 0.02 % because of fires. The other exceedances are induced by a mixed contribution between mainly mineral dust (49.5-67 % for PM 10 exceedance contributions, 4.4-13.8 % for PM 2.5 ), anthropogenic so...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Source contributions to 2012 summertime aerosols in the Euro-Mediterranean region

et al. 2015

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“…While pollution levels have decreased since the 1990s, air pollution has reached health threatening levels in most urban locations across North Macedonia, particularly during winter months (FMI and MEPP 2017). Continuous monitoring in selected North Macedonia's cities found PM2.5 hourly concentrations of up 800 μg/m 3 , that is, more than 30 times higher than the 24-hour mean set by the WHO guidelines to protect human health (Anttila et al 2016). In 2016, annual average PM2.5 concentration in Tetovo reached six times the WHO healthbased guidelines, while PM10 levels were almost five times the WHO guidelines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent global health research center, air pollution is the leading environmental risk factor that drives most deaths and disability combined in North Macedonia (Figure 1.2). In the capital city, Skopje, hourly average concentrations of 800 μg/m 3 and 500 μg/m 3 have been measured for particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10) and PM2.5, respectively (Anttila et al 2016). Ambient concentrations of PM are significantly higher during winter months due to increased emissions, particularly from burning of solid fuels for heating in homes and other buildings coupled with adverse meteorological conditions limiting atmospheric dispersion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air Pollution Management in North Macedonia

2019

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“…In this mountainous region, a spatial variability in concentration due to topography is likely. The rugged terrain was, however, found to be conducive to the accumulation of ozone (Anttila et al 2016). Kunming largely suffered from a surge in pollution far exceeding limits.…”

Section: Regional Ozone Outbreaks In Springmentioning

confidence: 99%

Springtime warming and biomass burning causing ozone episodes in South and Southwest China

Lee

Chan

Wenig

2019

Air Qual Atmos Health

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A detailed analysis of springtime ozone outbreaks in South/Southwest China is presented in this paper, providing an insight into a regional photochemical and climate problem. A major ozone episode in 2013 was the first ever in April and the worst in Hong Kong up to 2018, measuring a peak ozone concentration of 293 μg m −3. This multi-day, ozone pollution was evidenced by similar conditions in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), and an even more severe episode in Kunming (Yunnan) in Southwest China. Concurrently, widespread air temperature composite anomalies of up to about + 4°K were observed in the region, particularly during 6Z (14:00 local time). The global annual geopotential height anomaly implied increased atmospheric stability and inhibited dispersion-consistent with global warming impacts for the region. Backward trajectories, satellite observations, and transport model simulations characterized the biomass burning sources. Results indicated that activities in Indochina, South and Southwest China, and Africa were the main sources in South China while those in Burma dominated Southwest China. The close succession of outbreaks from west to east (Kunming, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong) suggests an eastward transport of ozone and precursors.

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Characterisation of extreme air pollution episodes in an urban valley in the Balkan Peninsula

Cited by 26 publications

References 17 publications

Source contributions to 2012 summertime aerosols in the Euro-Mediterranean region

Source contributions to 2012 summertime aerosols in the Euro-Mediterranean region

Air Pollution Management in North Macedonia

Springtime warming and biomass burning causing ozone episodes in South and Southwest China

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