Abstract
The harmful health effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) pollutants are well-known. However, the spatial coverage of automated air quality observation stations of Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC) is sparse. Therefore the capability for PM concentration detection was examined by using the low-cost optical PM sensor to improve the spatial resolution of environmental data. The aim of the study was to perform 24h/7d measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations during a period of one year and to identify air quality in Esplanāde housing estate, Daugavpils city. For data obtaining on the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 particles measurements have been performed by optical sensor Nova SDS011; meteorological data were obtained using the database of LEGMC; for processing, analysis and visualization of obtained data statistical methods were applied. Evaluation of PM2.5 and PM10 daily average concentration variability in 2020 indicates that air quality in the urban environment could be assessed as good. A well-expressed statistical correlation between meteorological factors (t°C, relative humidity) and the average concentration of PM particles was not found. It highlights the necessity of further research.
Highlights
Air pollution is a complex process that brings various physical, chemical, organic and other pollutants into the atmosphere that in result negatively affect living organisms including humans, and the natural environment [1]
The measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by the sensor Nova SDS011 have been performed for one full year, obtaining 527 040 records
The results indicate that for both PM2.5 and PM10 hourly max. concentrations air quality threshold limits were quite often exceeded
Summary
Air pollution is a complex process that brings various physical, chemical, organic and other pollutants into the atmosphere that in result negatively affect living organisms including humans, and the natural environment [1] Among these pollutants fine particulate matter (PM) entails harm to human health even at relatively low concentrations; the concerns on issues dealing with public health are straightforward. Particles have been divided into two size categories as either (1) coarse particulate matter (PM10) with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or (2) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm [3] Because of their small size, PM remains suspended in the air for a long time due to turbulence of the atmosphere and, as a result of a transfer by wind, can be transported far from their original sources – for hundreds or even thousands of km [4]
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