A comprehensive overview of PM10 levels in İstanbul: annual and seasonal spatio-temporal variations and the long-distance transport

Year 2018, Volume: 19 Issue: 1, 219 - 234, 31.03.2018

Meral Demirtaş

https://doi.org/10.18038/aubtda.336852

Cited By: 1

Abstract

This
study provides a comprehensive overview of the particulate matter
with aerodynamic diameters 10 µm (PM10) levels in the megacity
İstanbul. PM10 concentrations of ten ambient air quality monitoring
stations in İstanbul were studied for the period of 2007-2015. The
study focuses on: (i) similarities and differences among urban areas,
(ii) on spatial and temporal variations of PM10, (iii) emission
sources within İstanbul, (iv) long-distance PM10 transport. PM10
concentrations in İstanbul show significant variations across the
megacity, with high PM10 levels at heavy traffic points and
industrial zones. Results indicate that the number of exceedences
allowed by the EU standards is violated daily and annually at all
monitoring sites which indicate serious air quality problem in
İstanbul. The seasonal variation is characterized by high
concentrations in the winter, and autumn, and low concentrations in
the summer. Studies on high PM10 episodes shed light on key
atmospheric driving mechanisms which transport air parcels from the
Atlantic, Europe and North Africa.

Keywords

PM10, high PM10 episodes, long distance transport, backward trajectory, İstanbul-Turkey

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