Patterns related to the pollutant concentration data in the Metropolitan Area of Belo Horizonte, Brasil

Abstract

Air pollution from human and industrial activities has been a major concern in recent years. Among the various pollutants found in the atmosphere, particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3) show significant occurrences, with high concentrations in several urban centers frequently associated with environmental and public health problems. Therefore, this study uses the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique and Tukey's test to investigate the patterns related to the variability of maximum daily concentrations of O3 and mean daily concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter inferior to 10 μm (PM10), registered between 2007 and 2012 through six sites in the Metropolitan Area of Belo Horizonte (MABH), Brazil. To this end, the data were analyzed using ANOVA arranged in a factorial scheme (6 x 4 x 2) with four repetitions per treatment, followed by Tukey’s test. In the ANOVA and Tukey's test, the first factor (A) represents the six air quality monitoring stations, the second (B) represents the seasons, and the third (C) the measurements carried out during working days and weekends. Seasonal variability patterns show higher concentrations of O3 in the Spring and PM10 in the Winter. The mean values for working days and weekends showed different patterns for the two pollutants. For PM10, the concentrations were higher during the working days when compared to the weekends. For O3, the weekend effect was found only in one of the stations. The profiles of vehicular and industrial emissions have been identified as a potential factor that led to these results.