Estimating the impact of Saharan dust on the year 2001 PM10 record of Rome,Italy |
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| Institution: | 1. Center for Birth Cohort Studies, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan;2. Meteorological Research Institute, 1-1 Nagamine, Tsukuba 305-0052, Japan;3. Center for Translational Research, The Institute of Medical Science Hospital, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku 108-8639, Japan;4. Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan;5. Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 86 Nishi-cho, Yonago 683-8503, Japan;6. International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan;7. Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan;8. Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan;1. Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan;2. Department of Health Care Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, No. 89, Nei Chiang St., Taipei 10845, Taiwan;3. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Health Behavior Research, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Suite 6700, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA |
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| Abstract: | This paper evaluates the role of Saharan dust advection in the exceeding of the PM10 thresholds in the city of Rome, Italy. To this purpose, a series of observations and model forecasts recorded in the year 2001 are analysed and discussed. Lidar profiles collected over 168 days of the year are employed to both assess the presence and magnitude of Saharan dust layers over the city and to evaluate the depth of the planetary boundary layer. Backtrajectories are used to verify the Saharan origin of the lidar-sounded air masses. Model predictions of the presence of Saharan dust over the area are employed to fill the time gaps between lidar observations. PM10 and carbon monoxide records of both a city background (Villa Ada) and a heavy traffic station (Magna Grecia) are cross-analysed with the dust events record and meteorological data. The analysis shows that: (1) Saharan dust was advected over Rome on about 30% of the days of 2001; (2) mean contribution of Saharan dust transport events to daily PM10 levels was of the order of 20 μg m−3; (3) at the urban background station of Villa Ada, the Saharan contribution caused the surpassing of the maximum number of days in excess of 50 μg m−3 fixed by the current legislation (35 per year). Conversely, at the heavy traffic station of Magna Grecia the Saharan contribution was not determinant at causing the observed large exceeding of that limit, as well as of the maximum yearly average of 40 μg m−3; (4) 25% of the Saharan advection days (of the order of 100/year at Rome) led to a PM10 increase >30 μg m−3, 4% caused an increase >50 μg m−3, thus leading on their own to surpassing the 50 μg m−3 daily limit. |
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