Differentiation of the Athens Fine PM Profile during Economic Recession (March of 2008 Versus March of 2013): Impact of Changes in Anthropogenic Emissions and the Associated Health Effect
Open Access
- 19 October 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in Atmosphere
- Vol. 11 (10), 1121
- https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11101121
Abstract
Despite the various reduction policies that have been implemented across Europe in the past few years, Particulate Matter (PM) exceedances continue to be recorded. Therefore, with the principal aim to clarify the complex association between emissions and fine particles levels, this work evaluates the impact of the anthropogenic contribution to the fine PM chemical profile. The fieldwork was conducted during March in 2008 and 2013 and covers the periods before and during the economic recession. The experimental data were analyzed in parallel with the emissions from the Flexible Emission Inventory for Greece and the Greater Athens Area (FEI-GREGAA). The differentiation of the mass closure results’ and the aerosols’ character is also discussed in combination with the calculated PM2.5-Air Quality Indexes. The peak in the PM load and the Particulate Organic Matter (POM) component was recorded in 2013, corresponding to the enhancement of the anthropogenic input. Although the monitoring location is traffic-impacted, the sector of heating, from both wood burning and fossil fuel, proved to be the driving force for the configuration of the obtained PM picture. Especially in 2013, its contribution was two times that of traffic. Finally, the low wind speed values led to the deterioration of the air quality, especially for the sensitive groups.Keywords
This publication has 43 references indexed in Scilit:
- Regional transport in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its changes during 2014–2017: The impacts of meteorology and emission reductionScience of The Total Environment, 2020
- Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PM2.5 and its relationship with urbanization in North China from 2000 to 2017Science of The Total Environment, 2020
- Meteorological influences on PM2.5 and O3 trends and associated health burden since China's clean air actionsScience of The Total Environment, 2020
- Characteristics of urban air pollution in different regions of China between 2015 and 2019Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020
- The impact of biomass burning and aqueous-phase processing on air quality: a multi-year source apportionment study in the Po Valley, ItalyAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2020
- Long-term trend of ambient air PM10, PM2.5, and O3 and their health effects in Tabriz city, Iran, during 2006–2017Sustainable Cities and Society, 2019
- PM events and changes in the chemical composition of urban aerosols: A case study in the western MediterraneanChemosphere, 2019
- Factors, origin and sources affecting PM 1 concentrations and composition at an urban background siteAtmospheric Research, 2016
- Seasonal and interannual trends in PM levels and associated inorganic ions in southeastern SpainMicrochemical Journal, 2013
- A mass closure and PMF source apportionment study on the sub-micron sized aerosol fraction at urban sites in ItalyAtmospheric Environment, 2008