Analysis of the Trend and Seasonal Cycle of Carbon Monoxide Concentrations in an Urban Area (4 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Air quality is an field of major concern in large cities. This problem has led administrations to introduce plans and regulations to reduce pollutant emissions. The analysis of variations in the concentration of pollutants is useful when evaluating the effectiveness of these plans. However, such an analysis cannot be undertaken using standard statistical techniques, due to the fact that concentrations of atmospheric pollutants often exhibit a lack of normality and are autocorrelated. On the other hand, if long-term trends of any pollutant’s emissions are to be detected, meteorological effects must be removed from the time series analysed, due to their strong masking effects. Materials and Methods The application of statistical methods to analyse temporal variations is illustrated using monthly carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations observed at an urban site. The sampling site is located at a street intersection in central Valencia (Spain) with a high traffic density. Valencia is the third largest city in Spain. It is a typical Mediterranean city in terms of its urban structure and climatology. The sampling site started operation in January 1994 and monitored CO ground level concentrations until February 2002. Its geographic coordinates are W0°22′52″ N39°28′05″ and its altitude is 11 m. Two nonparametric trend tests are applied. One of these is robust against serial correlation with regards to the false rejection rate, when observations have a strong persistence or when the sample size per month is small. A nonparametric analysis of the homogeneity of trends between seasons is also discussed. A multiple linear regression model is used with the transformed data, including the effect of meteorological variables. The method of generalized least squares is applied to estimate the model parameters to take into account the serial dependence of the residuals of this model. This study also assesses temporal changes using the Kolmogorov-Zurbenko (KZ) filter. The KZ filter has been shown to be an effective way to remove the influence of meteorological conditions on O₃ and PM to examine underlying trends. Results The nonparametric tests indicate a decreasing, significant trend in the sampled site. The application of the linear model yields a significant decrease every twelve months of 15.8% for the average monthly CO concentration. The 95% confidence interval for the trend ranges from 13.9% to 17.7%. The seasonal cycle also provides significant results. There are no differences in trends throughout the months. The percentage of CO variance explained by the linear model is 90.3%. The KZ filter separates out long, short-term and seasonal variations in the CO series. The estimated, significant, long-term trend every year results in 10.3% with this method. The 95% confidence interval ranges from 8.8% to 11.9%. This approach explains 89.9% of the CO temporal variations. Discussion The differences between the linear model and KZ filter trend estimations are due to the fact that the KZ filter performs the analysis on the smoothed data rather than the original data. In the KZ filter trend estimation, the effect of meteorological conditions has been removed. The CO short-term componentis attributable to weather and short-term fluctuations in emissions. There is a significant seasonal cycle. This component is a result of changes in the traffic, the yearly meteorological cycle and the interactions between these two factors. There are peaks during the autumn and winter months, which have more traffic density in the sampled site. There is a minimum during the month of August, reflecting the very low level of vehicle emissions which is a direct consequence of the holiday period. Conclusions The significant, decreasing trend implies to a certain extent that the urban environment in the area is improving. This trend results from changes in overall emissions, pollutant transport, climate, policy and economics. It is also due to the effect of introducing reformulated gasoline. The additives enable vehicles to burn fuel with a higher air/fuel ratio, thereby lowering the emission of CO. The KZ filter has been the most effective method to separate the CO series components and to obtain an estimate of the long-term trend due to changes in emissions, removing the effect of meteorological conditions. Recommendations and Perspectives Air quality managers and policy-makers must understand the link between climate and pollutants to select optimal pollutant reduction strategies and avoid exceeding emission directives. This paper analyses eight years of ambient CO data at a site with a high traffic density, and provides results that are useful for decision-making. The assessment of long-term changes in air pollutants to evaluate reduction strategies has to be done while taking into account meteorological variability     

Trends in snowpack chemistry and comparison to National Atmospheric Deposition Program results for the Rocky Mountains, US, 1993–2004

Seasonal snowpack chemistry data from the Rocky Mountain region of the US was examined to identify long-term trends in concentration and chemical deposition in snow and in snow-water equivalent. For the period 1993–2004, comparisons of trends were made between 54 Rocky Mountain Snowpack sites and 16 National Atmospheric Deposition Program wetfall sites located nearby in the region. The region was divided into three subregions: Northern, Central, and Southern. A non-parametric correlation method known as the Regional Kendall Test was used. This technique collectively computed the slope, direction, and probability of trend for several sites at once in each of the Northern, Central, and Southern Rockies subregions. Seasonal Kendall tests were used to evaluate trends at individual sites.Significant trends occurred during the period in wetfall and snowpack concentrations and deposition, and in precipitation. For the comparison, trends in concentrations of ammonium, nitrate, and sulfate for the two networks were in fair agreement. In several cases, increases in ammonium and nitrate concentrations, and decreases in sulfate concentrations for both wetfall and snowpack were consistent in the three subregions. However, deposition patterns between wetfall and snowpack more often were opposite, particularly for ammonium and nitrate. Decreases in ammonium and nitrate deposition in wetfall in the central and southern rockies subregions mostly were moderately significant (p<0.11) in constrast to highly significant increases in snowpack (p<0.02). These opposite trends likely are explained by different rates of declining precipitation during the recent drought (1999–2004) and increasing concentration. Furthermore, dry deposition was an important factor in total deposition of nitrogen in the region. Sulfate deposition decreased with moderate to high significance in all three subregions in both wetfall and snowpack. Precipitation trends consistently were downward and significant for wetfall, snowpack, and snow-telemetry data for the central and southern rockies subregions (p<0.03), while no trends were noted for the Northern Rockies subregion.     

Long term changes in atmospheric N and S throughfall deposition and effects on soil solution chemistry in a Scots pine forest in the Netherlands

In a Scots pine forest the throughfall deposition and the chemical composition of the soil solution was monitored since 1984. (Inter)national legislation measures led to a reduction of the deposition of nitrogen and sulphur. The deposition of sulphur has decreased by approximately 65%. The total mineral-nitrogen deposition has decreased by ca. 25%, which is mainly due to a reduction in ammonium-N deposition (−40%), since nitrate-N deposition has increased (+50%). The nitrogen concentration in the upper mineral soil solution at 10 cm depth has decreased, leading to an improved nutritional balance, which may result in improved tree vitality. In the drainage water at 90 cm depth the fluxes of NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻ have decreased, resulting in a reduced leeching of accompanying base cations, thus preserving nutrients in the ecosystem. It may take still several years, however, before this will meet the prerequisite of a sustainable ecosystem.     

镇江市大气环境承载力研究

根据前人对大气环境容量和环境承载力计算的对比分析,计算2012年镇江市的大气环境容量和大气环境承载力指数,通过对该市的气象条件和地理位置的分析,选取SO_2、NO_x和PM_(10)这3种主要大气污染物,并分析其环境承载状况。结果表明:句容市、丹阳市、杨中市处于高承载的状态,临界超载、严重超载和超载的3个区分别是润州区、京口区和镇江新区,针对这3个区提出相应改进措施。     

2011年春季辽宁一次沙尘天气过程及其对不同粒径颗粒物和空气质量的影响

利用2011年5月11—12日辽宁沙尘天气过程的相关资料,分析了沙尘天气对不同粒径颗粒物及空气质量的影响及此次沙尘过程的天气成因.结果表明:沙尘天气发生前后可吸入颗粒物PM₁₀、PM_2.5和PM₁的浓度变化很大,沈阳、鞍山、本溪和丹东4城市PM₁₀、PM_2.5的小时浓度最大值都增大了1.5~20倍;粗粒子PM_(2.5~10)的数量浓度分别增加了30~41倍,质量浓度分别增加了27~30倍;细粒子PM_(1~2.5)的质量浓度分别增加了30~35倍,数量浓度分别增加了15~30倍;微粒子的数量浓度和质量浓度各城市表现不同,沈阳微粒子的数量浓度和质量浓度最大值增大了3倍和5倍,而鞍山PM₁的数量浓度和质量浓度分别减少了50%和10%.受蒙古气旋的影响内蒙古地区产生大风降温天气,大风将内蒙古地区的沙尘带到高空并随西风带向东移动进入辽宁,由于辽宁地区风速比较小,造成了辽宁大部分地区的浮尘天气,并对辽宁各地空气质量造成了严重影响,除丹东外辽宁其他13个城市空气质量都达到了轻微污染到重度污染的级别,铁岭、阜新、沈阳和抚顺的污染指数分别超过了300,达到了重度污染的级别.     

FY2 号气象卫星估算地面太阳辐射研究

综合考虑太阳因素、地形因素、地表积雪覆盖情况、云量以及非均质大气对太阳辐射的影响,基于FY2 号静止卫星构建晴空太阳总辐射计算模型,并利用山西省3 个辐射观测站2011 年逐时、逐日、逐月太阳总辐射观测资料对其估算结果进行检验。研究结果显示：逐时误差在±1 MJ·m^-2之间,逐日误差在±5 MJ·m^-2之间,表明模型计算的太阳辐射误差较小,稳定性较好;逐月误差结果显示,三个站模拟值都大于实测值,且误差趋势一致,均表现为冬季误差高于夏季;进一步对模拟值和实测值进行相关性分析,三站线性拟合度均在0.86～0.92 之间,且相关系数均达到显著相关水平,表明模型计算的太阳辐射准确性和精度较高,且在数值拟合上较好地反映了实际的太阳总辐射量,证实该模型应用于FY2 号气象卫星的可行性。     

杭州灰霾天气超细颗粒浓度分布特征

利用快速迁移率粒径谱仪(FMPS)对杭州2013年12月6～11日连续灰霾天气和灰霾消退过程超细颗粒进行监测,分析颗粒物浓度变化和粒径谱分布特征及其与气象的相关性.结果表明,颗粒物日变化特征为夜晚数浓度较高,凌晨数浓度开始降低,08:00和18:00上下班高峰期出现一个小峰值,体现出明显的交通源峰值,表明交通排放对大气污染影响较大.灰霾天气下颗粒物最高数浓度达到8.0×104cm-3.粒径谱呈双峰分布,峰值粒径分别为15 nm和100 nm,粒径在100 nm附近的粒子占大多数,粒子以爱根核模态和积聚模态为主,平均数量中位径CMD(count medium diameter)为85.89 nm.而在灰霾消退过程,颗粒物数浓度降低,峰值粒径向小粒径演变,粒径在100 nm附近的粒子逐渐减少,核模态粒子增多,大于积聚模态,平均CMD为58.64 nm.气象因素中能见度和风力与数浓度主要呈负相关,相关系数R分别为-0.225和-0.229,相对湿度与数浓度正相关,相关系数R为0.271,冬季大气比较稳定,水平温度与数浓度的相关性较小.研究灰霾天气数浓度分布和气象因素的综合影响对其形成机制及控制有重要意义.     

Which compounds contribute most to elevated airborne exposure and corresponding health risks in the Western Balkans?

A majority of ongoing monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is currently focused on chemicals emphasized in the Stockholm Convention. Quantitative detection of other substances (especially those with numerous anthropogenic sources such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) is, however, also needed since their concentrations are usually several orders of magnitude higher. A goal of this study was to determine how various groups of compounds contribute to total human health risks at the variety of sampling sites in the region of Western Balkan. Distribution of the risks between the gas and particulate phases was also addressed. Results showed that inhalation exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) does not represent a significant risk to humans, while polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) re-volatilized to the atmosphere from contaminated soils and buildings can pose a problem. PCB evaporation from primary sources (currently used PCB-filled transformers or non-adequate storage facilities) generally resulted in much higher atmospheric concentrations than evaporation from the secondary sources (soils at the sites of war destructions). A majority of the human health risks at the urban sites were associated with PAHs. Between 83 and 94% of the cumulative risk at such sites was assigned to chemicals sorbed to particles, and out of it, PAHs were responsible for 99%.     

Wet weather impact on trihalomethane formation potential in tributaries to drinking water reservoirs

During rain storm events, land surface runoff and resuspension of bottom sediments cause an increase in Trihalomethane (THM) precursors in rivers. These precursors, when chlorinated at water treatment facilities will lead to the formation of THMs and hence impact drinking water resources. In order to evaluate the wet weather impact on the potential formation of THMs, river samples were collected before, during and after three rain storms ranging from 15.2 to 24.9 mm precipitation. The samples were tested for THM formation potential and other indicators including UV254 absorbance, turbidity and volatile suspended solid (VSS). Average levels of THMs increased from 61 μg/l during dry weather to 131 μg/l during wet weather, and then went back to 81 μg/l after rain ended. Wet weather values of THM are well above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) 80 μg/l, set by EPA for drinking water. THM indicators also exhibited similar trends. Average levels increased from 0.6 to 1.8 abs; 2.6 to 6 ntu; and 7.5 to 15 mg/l respectively for UV254, turbidity and VSS. A positive correlation was observed between THM formation and THM indicators. The t-test of significance (p-value) was less than 0.05 for all indicators, and R values ranged from 0.85 to 0.92 between THMs and the indicators, and 0.72 to 0.9 among indicators themselves.     

Forest Die-Back Modified Plankton Recovery from Acidic Stress

We examined long-term data on water chemistry of Lake Rachelsee (Germany) following the changes in acidic depositions in central Europe since 1980s. Despite gradual chemical recovery of Rachelsee, its biological recovery was delayed. In 1999, lake recovery was abruptly reversed by a coincident forest die-back, which resulted in elevated terrestrial export of nitrate and ionic aluminum lasting ~5 years. This re-acidification episode provided unique opportunity to study plankton recovery in the rapidly recovering lake water after the abrupt decline in nitrate leaching from the catchment. There were sudden changes both in lake water chemistry and in plankton biomass structure, such as decreased bacterial filaments, increased phytoplankton biomass, and rotifer abundance. The shift from dominance of heterotrophic to autotrophic organisms suggested their substantial release from severe phosphorus stress. Such a rapid change in plankton structure in a lake recovering from acidity has, to the best of our knowledge, not been previously documented.