Assessment Of Atmospheric Pollution Research Articles

Mapping and hazard assessment of atmospheric pollution in a medium sized urban area using the Rasch model and geostatistics techniques

Researchers or decision-makers frequently need information about atmospheric pollution patterns in urbanized areas. The preparation of this type of information is a complex task, due to the influence of several individual pollutants, with different units, on the global air pollution (e.g. nitrogen dioxide concentrations, ppm, and noise, dB). In this work, a new methodology based on the formulation of the Rasch model is proposed to obtain a measure of the atmospheric pollution. Two main results were obtained after applying this method: (1) A classification of all locations according to the pollution level, which was the value of the Rasch measure; (2) The influence on the environmental deterioration of each individual pollutant (particularly, in this work, NO 2, NO, CO 2, CO and noise). Finally, pollution at locations where no measurements were available was estimated with the optimum interpolation technique, kriging. Kriged estimates were subsequently used to map atmospheric pollution. To illustrate the application of this two-step method (Rasch model plus interpolation), which is useful to generate hazard assessment maps based on the spatial distribution of atmospheric pollution, an example is shown.

Applicability of In Situ or Transplanted Lichens for Assessment of Atmospheric Pollution in Patagonia, Argentina

This study is part of a project, in which the ultimate aim is to evaluate the applicability of lichens to assess atmospheric pollution in urban and in agricultural areas in northern Patagonia (Argentina). Two cities with different characteristics were selected for the evaluation: San Carlos de Bariloche, a touristic city, and Villa Regina, a city surrounded by agricultural areas, both located in Rio Negro Province. Different methods were considered, with comparative purposes, and aiming to detect the most suitable to evaluate atmospheric pollution in the area of relevance for the present project. The Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) was calculated; IAP values were mapped and lines of iso-contamination were drawn for both cities. Furthermore, they were compared with data of multi-elemental composition of lichen thalli analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The results indicate that the IAP is an accurate method to detect and evaluate atmospheric pollution in Bariloche, a result that can be extended to other cities with similar characteristics within the lake area of Patagonia. Instead, the index showed to be not appropriate for use in fruticulture areas, even when bio-accumulation of pesticides in transplanted thalli was detected, in the preliminary tests that have been done. As an alternative method, detection of algal layer vital signs, by red neutral staining of algae of in situ lichens and by electrical conductivity were also evaluated in preliminary tests; the results obtained could be related with the fumigation intensities.

Application of Lichens for Assessment of Atmospheric Pollution by Tritium

ABSTRACTIt is known that lichens are used for assessment of atmosphere pollution by heavy metals, radioniclides, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, etc. However there were published in scientific literature only limited data on usage of lichens as bio-indicators of tritium1,2. There are presented in the paper the results of lichen application study for assessment of atmospheric pollution by tritium. Both tritium in tissue free water (TFWT) and organically bound tritium (OBT) were measured in lichen. Lichen species Hypogimnia physodes was used as a basic bioindicator. Pieces of lichen were sampled within the distance of 30 km of emission source. Established sampling sites were rectangular in shape with linear dimensions 100*100 m. Lichen samples were sampled from various trees: birch tree, aspen tree, pine tree and linden tree at the level of 1.5 m above the ground. Thermal vacuum desorption technique was used to extract TFWT from lichen samples. Pyrolitic oxidation of dried lichen samples by vanadium oxide was used to extract tritium from OBT. Air monitoring stations equipped with active and passive samplers were used to sample HT and HTO from the atmosphere. Liquid scintillation counting was used to measure tritium content in water samples.It was determined that tritium content in lichen samples (both in TFWT and OBT) in vicinity of an emission source is higher than that of tritium content in lichen at distant sampling sites. Variation of tritium activity of TFWT was about 10 times, variation of tritium activity in OBT was about 70 times. It was supposed that tritium content in TFWT was in equilibrium with tritium content in atmosphere at the minute of sampling, while tritium content in OBT was determined by tritium content in atmosphere over longer period of time.

The Assessment of Atmospheric Pollution using Satellite Remote Sensing Technology in Large Cities in the Vicinity of Airports

This paper investigates the potential of usingsatellite remotely sensed imagery for assessing atmosphericpollution. A novel approach, which comprised radiativetransfer calculations and pseudo-invariant targets fordetermining aerosol optical thickness has been developed.The key parameter for assessing atmospheric pollution inphotochemical air pollution studies is the aerosol opticalthickness. The need for identifying suitable pseudo-invariantobjects in satellite images of urban areas is of great interest for increasing the potential of earthobservation for monitoring air pollution in such areas. Theidentification of large water bodies and concrete apronsthat can serve as suitable dark and bright targetsrespectively in different geographical areas wasdemonstrated in this study. This study added evidence onthe correlation found between the visibility valuesmeasured at Heathrow Airport area during satellite overpassand aerosol optical thickness derived from Landsat-5 TMband 1 images.

Methodologies for atmospheric pollution assessment and the procedures for environmental permits in large combustion plants in Europe

The procedures followed by the European electricity companies for securing operation licenses and obtaining environmental permits, as well as the content of the environmental permits and authorisation documents, have been reviewed. The review aims to identify different and common elements of the procedures, since most of the companies recognise that the interaction between environmental procedures and the approval process is very complicated. In addition, the regulatory dispersion models used by these companies for environmental impact assessment studies are considered. The work is mainly based on information collected from electricity companies and environmental agencies in England, France, Italy, Germany and Greece. The results of these intercomparisons help to obtain a consensus view about the environmental issue for large combustion plants across Europe.

Assessment of atmospheric pollution from toxic heavy metals in two cities in India

Atmospheric concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn have been measured at different locations in Bombay. The concentration levels of these metals in blood and teeth of Bombay residents were also measured to assess the current and integrated exposure. Higher atmospheric concentrations were observed in higher vehicular traffic zones in Bombay. Environmental monitoring of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn was also carried out at Moradabad, the largest production and exporting centre of brass wares in India. Surface soil concentrations of these metals were also measured in Moradabad and Bombay. The analysis of samples was carried out by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The study indicates that automobile exhaust is the dominant source for heavy metals in the environment of Bombay whereas the brass industry is responsible for enhanced concentrations of these metals in Moradabad.