Influence of particulate matter on the air quality situation in a mediterranean island

The objective of this study was to describe the ambient levels of particulate matter (PM) and its influence to air quality situation on the dry Mediterranean island of Cyprus. From October 2002 to August 2003 PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 samples were collected at 31 different sampling sites in Cyprus. In addition, continuous measurements of PM₁₀ were carried out from 2003 to 2007 at a traffic and a rural site. It can be recognised that at all traffic and at some residential and urban background sites, the actual EU limit values have been exceeded. Special events e.g. long-range transport of Sahara dust storms were recorded over urban as well as rural areas in the order of 6–8 events per year, with a major frequency in summer and spring periods. The comparison of the PM₁₀ concentrations in Cyprus cities with values of other European cities demonstrates the PM₁₀ problem in Cyprus, especially in the dry summer season, when no rain is cleaning the air and the dry surfaces. This underlines the necessity of PM abatement strategies.     

Extending the EU Renewable Energy Directive sustainability criteria to solid bioenergy from forests

Solid bioenergy from forests plays — and is expected to continue to play — a key role to fulfil the renewable energy targets at the European Union level. When the Renewable Energy Directive was enacted, sustainability criteria were incorporated solely for biofuels and bioliquids. Sustainability criteria for solid bioenergy are also needed in order to prevent wood and primary forest residues from posing additional environmental risks to ecosystems. Acknowledging this, the European Commission has been working on extending the biofuels and bioliquids provisions to solid biomass. An internal draft was circulated in August 2013 which addressed the ways to both balance and mitigate the risks in three main topics: biodiversity; sustainable forest management; and greenhouse gases. This paper presents a set of criteria and indicators, developed during workshops with experts from Governments, scientific institutions, businesses and NGOs, that may be considered by the EU to assure that solid biomass from forests is obtained in an environmentally sustainable way.     

Identification of PM10 Sources in a Mediterranean Island

Due to the dry Mediterranean climate in Cyprus, particulate matter is resuspended from soils and other surfaces. From November 2002 to August 2003, gravimetric PM₁₀ measurements were carried out at three characteristic sites (traffic, residential and rural). A significant seasonal trend with high winter concentrations was observed at the traffic site. Special events, e.g. long-range transport of Sahara dust storms, were recorded over traffic, residential and rural areas in the order of six to eight events per year, with a major frequency in summer and spring periods. This contributes to the increase of 24-h EU limit value exceedances for PM₁₀ at the three investigated sites. The origin of the PM₁₀ load was determined by enrichment factors based on analyses of the local soil deposition at the investigated sites. Furthermore, positive matrix factorisation modelling was applied to find the sources of PM₁₀. Results indicate that the major emission sources affecting the PM₁₀ load were mineral soil, sea salt, road dust, oil combustion, secondary pollutants and gasoline vehicles. The natural contribution (local mineral soil and sea salt) at the three sites was in the range of 7–9 μg m^?3 in PM₁₀. Besides the Sahara dust storms and natural background concentrations, the vehicular pollution was found as the largest contributor (12–14 μg m^?3) to PM₁₀ load at the traffic site.