Abstract
Based on an analysis of related core papers and reports, this review presents a historical perspective on ambient air pollution and ambient air quality development in the modern-day Czech Republic (CR) over the past seven decades, i.e., from the 1950s to the present. It offers insights into major air pollution problems, reveals the main hot spots and problematic regions and indicates the principal air pollutants in the CR. Air pollution is not presented as a stand-alone problem, but in the wider context of air pollution impacts both on human health and the environment in the CR. The review is arranged into three main parts: (1) the time period until the Velvet Revolution of 1989, (2) the transition period of the 1990s and (3) the modern period after 2000. Obviously, a major improvement in ambient air quality has been achieved since the 1970s and 1980s, when air pollution in the former Czechoslovakia culminated. Nevertheless, new challenges including fine aerosol, benzo[a]pyrene and ground-level ozone, of which the limit values are still vastly exceeded, have emerged. Furthermore, in spite of a significant reduction in overall emissions, the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, in particular, remains high in some regions.
Highlights
The modern-day Czech Republic (CR), one of the two succession countries of the formerCzechoslovakia post 1993, is a Central European country with an infamous environmental pollution history, including heavy air pollution with serious impacts in the past
A comprehensive Teplice programme aimed at a thorough study of the impacts on human health health caused by ambient air pollution, including aerosol, genotoxic organic compounds and toxic caused by ambient air pollution, including aerosol, genotoxic organic compounds and toxic trace trace elements in one of most heavily impacted districts of North Bohemia [45]
This review presents the ambient air quality development over the last 70 years in the territory of the modern-day Czech Republic
Summary
The modern-day Czech Republic (CR), one of the two succession countries of the former. Czechoslovakia post 1993, is a Central European country with an infamous environmental pollution history, including heavy air pollution with serious impacts in the past. These were mostly due to emissions from burning poor-quality lignite of local provenience with very high contents of sulphur used both for coal-powered thermal power plants and local, domestic heating systems. 1989, the introduction of new legislation, application of effective countermeasures in emission reduction and modernisation of energy production and industry, alongside extensive gasification of local heating systems, the overall situation in ambient air quality has improved substantially. New challenges have emerged in air pollution, such as fine aerosol particles, ground-level ozone, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), pollutants of which the ambient air concentration currently extensively exceeds the legal limit values, affecting.
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