Air Pollution Sources' Contribution to PM2.5 Concentration in the Northeastern Part of the Czech Republic
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
atmosphere Article Air Pollution Sources’ Contribution to PM2.5 Concentration in the Northeastern Part of the Czech Republic Radim Seibert * , Irina Nikolova, Vladimíra Volná , Blanka Krejˇcí and Daniel Hladký Ambient Air Quality Department, Czech Hydrometeorology Institute, 708 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; [email protected] (I.N.); [email protected] (V.V.); [email protected] (B.K.); [email protected] (D.H.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 30 March 2020; Accepted: 15 May 2020; Published: 19 May 2020 Abstract: This article focuses on the source apportionment of air pollution in a specific northeastern part of the Czech Republic. The research area, located around the city of Tˇrinec,is significantly affected by a complex spectrum of air pollution sources, including local residential heating (coal and wood burning), heavy industry (mainly iron and steel production), road traffic, and regional and long-range air pollution transport from the nearby cities, Poland, and other countries. The main pollution sources contributing to the total concentration of fine suspended particles (PM2.5) were evaluated on the basis of the measurements at three sites and on subsequent positive matrix factorization modeling. The six major air pollution factors were identified, and their relative and absolute contributions were quantified. The result of the study is that the most important current task of air protection is to reduce the residential emissions from solid fuels, which are responsible for approximately 50–60% of PM2.5 concentration, followed by the regional primary and secondary aerosol sources (up to 40% of the total PM2.5 aerosol mass). Lower contributions have been identified in the case of resuspended mineral and biogenic particles (15–20%), long-range (trans-European) air pollution transport (up to 10%), and heavy industry (up to 10% in the most affected location). A detailed discussion has been provided considering specific regional EC (elemental carbon)–OC (organic carbon) relations in the region with traditional coal-burning for household heating which complicate the interpretation of the PMF (Positive Matrix Factorization) results, especially due to the interference between the traffic, residential heating, and biogenic aerosol factors. Keywords: source apportionment; PMF (Positive Matrix Factorization); air pollution; PM2.5 1. Introduction In the past decades, in the post-socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, persistent concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 [1,2] performing the role of carriers of toxicologically significant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) [3] have been a prominent problem for air quality from the point of view of reaching the limits of pollution and the relevant associated health hazards. The pollution situation regarding these substances has been changing only very slowly, whereas the horizon of reaching air polution limits in some regions has been impossible to estimate [4,5] (p. 62). One such outstandingly polluted area is the Silesian region, most of which is located in the territory of Poland, but which extends in part into the adjacent northeastern part of the Czech Republic. This is an area with a complex composition of air pollution sources. It has traditionally been a coal-mining region with heavy industry and high area urbanization with relevant vigorous motor vehicle traffic. In the Czech part of the region, there are two areas with different relations between emissions and air pollution. These are Atmosphere 2020, 11, 522; doi:10.3390/atmos11050522 www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere AtmosphereAtmosphere2020 2020, 11, 03, 522 2 2of of 30 28 44 Třinecko, of which the rugged terrain topography (the Beskydy foothills) leads to varied 45 Ostravsko,meteorological resembling relations in [6]. its orography the Polish basin part of Silesia, and Tˇrinecko,of which the 46 ruggedThe terrain cause topography of this serious (the Beskydy air pollution foothills) is th leadse especially to varied high meteorological anthropogenic relations emissions [6]. of 47 pollutantsThe cause [7]. In of order this seriousto decrease air pollutionthem, it is isnecessary the especially to intensify high measures anthropogenic aimed emissionsat the main of 48 pollutantspollution [sources.7]. In order Although to decrease air quality them, and it ispollut necessaryion cause to intensifyevaluations measures have been aimed carried at the out main for 49 pollutionapproximately sources. 50 Althoughyears, as aira result quality of andthe grad pollutionual development cause evaluations and complexity have been of carriedthe relations out for 50 approximatelybetween emissions 50 years, and as air a resultpollution of the no gradual professional development consensus and regarding complexity the of question the relations at what between rate 51 emissionsthe individual and air air pollution pollution no source professional types influence consensus th regardinge air quality the here question has been at what agreed rate thus the individualfar; or let 52 airus pollution just say that source the typesanswer influence to the question the air qualitydiffers depending here has been on the agreed various thus time far; orperiods. let us justThe sayaim thatof 53 thethe answer research to thehas questionbeen to provide differs dependingthe source apportionment on the various of time the periods. PM2.5 ambient The aim air of concentration the research hasin 54 beenTřinecko to provide using the current source apportionmentprocedures of receptor of the PMmodeling2.5 ambient and thus air concentrationprovide the basis in Tˇrineckousingfor the correct 55 thedirection current of procedures future measures of receptor to improve modeling air quality. and thus Identification provide the of basis the formain the factor correct contributions direction of 56 futureinfluencing measures the toPM improve2.5 concentration air quality. has Identification been the primary of the main goal. factor Part of contributions the research influencing has been to the 57 PMcompare2.5 concentration the analytical has beenmethods the primaryICP-MS goal.(mass Part spec oftrometry the research with hasinductively been to comparecoupled plasma) the analytical and 58 methodsED XRF ICP-MS (energy-dispersive (mass spectrometry X-ray fluorescence with inductively spectrometry) coupled from plasma) the andpoint ED of XRFview (energy-dispersive of their usability 59 X-rayfor source fluorescence apportionment spectrometry) by means from of the receptor point ofmo viewdeling. of theirThe goal usability of comparing for source these apportionment datasets was by 60 meansto find of whether receptor the modeling. results would The goal differ of comparingin terms of the these types datasets of sources was to and find their whether contribution the results to 61 PM2.5 concentration. would differ in terms of the types of sources and their contribution to PM2.5 concentration. 62 TheThe methodology methodology ofof thethe worksworks carriedcarried out was based on on project project activities activities by by the the Czech Czech 63 HydrometeorologicalHydrometeorological InstituteInstitute inin cooperationcooperation with an American environmental environmental protection protection agency agency 64 (U.S.(U.S. EPA, EPA, United United States States Environmental Environmental ProtectionProtection Agency)Agency) in 2012 [8,9]. [8,9]. It It was was a a pilot pilot air air pollution pollution 65 sourcesource apportionment apportionment in in the the Czech Czech part part of the of Moravian-Silesianthe Moravian-Silesian Region. Region. The realizationThe realization of the of project the 66 provedproject that proved the methodology that the methodol approachogy approach with the positive with the matrix positive factorization matrix factorization model (PMF) model used (PMF) brings 67 used brings credible results even for an area affected by a complex emission mixture. credible results even for an area affected by a complex emission mixture. 68 The research area is located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian The research area is located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian 69 Region, in the vicinity of the international border with Poland (Figure 1a,b). The area of interest Region, in the vicinity of the international border with Poland (Figure1a,b). The area of interest includes 70 includes the town of Třinec and its surroundings up to a distance of tens of kilometers. In order to the town of Tˇrinecand its surroundings up to a distance of tens of kilometers. In order to identify the 71 identify the sources by means of PMF, dust aerosol sampling has been carried out at three sites in the sources by means of PMF, dust aerosol sampling has been carried out at three sites in the town of 72 town of Třinec and its surrounding areas. These were the local areas of Kosmos, Ropice, and Vrchy Tˇrinecand its surrounding areas. These were the local areas of Kosmos, Ropice, and Vrchy (Figure1c). 73 (Figure 1c). 74 (a) (b) (c) 75 FigureFigure 1. 1.The The location location of of thethe researchresearch area:area: (a) Position within Central Central Europe; Europe; ( (bb) )The The position position of of the the 76 towntown of of Tˇrinec;( Třinec; c()c) Sampling Sampling site site locations. locations. TopographyTopography base: http://air.discomap.eea.europa.eu.http://air.discomap.eea.europa.eu . 77 TheThe research research area area is is a affectedffected byby emissionsemissions from a number of of various various