Assessment of Spatial and Temporal Variation in NO2 Levels over Tourist Reception Areas in Poland

Abstract

Air quality in tourist reception areas can be a significant health concern. It also plays an increasingly important role when it comes to choosing tourist destinations. NO2 is a harmful gas that can cause an increased number of cancer or respiratory diseases. The development of satellite remote sensing techniques now enables a much broader spectrum of air quality analysis than mere point measurements at environment monitoring stations. In the study, the spatial diversity of nitrogen dioxide air pollution over tourist reception areas in Poland was assessed. The lowest pollution was found in national parks and tourist regions. The most polluted air was found in tourist reception areas located near industrial regions and large urban agglomerations. Temporal variation—annual and monthly—and spatial variation were determined (for the period 2019–2021). The highest concentrations, exceeding the WHO recommended value (40 μmol/m2), occurred in the winter and autumn. Low pollution was found in most reception areas in the summer (except cities). In 2020, due to restrictions related to the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, the NO2 pollution decreased (10–20%). In the cold half of the year (October–April), NO2 concentrations greater than 40 μmol/m2 occurred for about 20% of national parks, 50% of health resorts, 30% of tourist regions, and 100% of provincial capitals.