PL EN
PM10 Concentration Levels in the Żywiec Basin vs. Variable Air Temperatures and Thermal Inversion
 
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Institute of Environmental Protection and Engineering, University of Technology and Humanities in Bielsko-Biała, ul. Willowa 2, 43-300 Bielsko-Biała, Poland
 
 
Autor do korespondencji
Monika Wierzbińska   

Institute of Environmental Protection and Engineering, University of Technology and Humanities in Bielsko-Biała, ul. Willowa 2, 43-300 Bielsko-Biała, Poland
 
 
J. Ecol. Eng. 2023; 24(3):47-54
 
SŁOWA KLUCZOWE
DZIEDZINY
 
STRESZCZENIE
A number of cities in Poland have been coping with the problem of air pollution levels exceeding the allowable limits, with PM10 airborne particulate considered one of the most hazardous factors for human health. Poland ranks high among European countries with some of the highest levels of airborne particulate pollution, and the Polish cities regularly place high in the EU ranking of those with the highest PM levels (and benzo(a)pyrene, a toxic airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs). Airborne PM10 concentration levels greatly depend on the prevailing atmospheric and topographic conditions. Temperature inversion represents one of the unfavorable weather conditions and this article attempts to study the effect of thermal conditions prevailing in the Żywiec Basin on airborne PM10 particulate concentrations in immissions. 2016 – 2021 winter (heating) seasons have been analyzed for pollution emissions, especially those related to heating by the municipal sector and classified as “low emissions”, i.e. emissions from sources not higher than 40 meters. An analysis of the 2016 - 2021 heating seasons showed the air temperature exerted a significant effect on combustion processes (low emissions) within the Żywiec Basin. The difference between airborne PM10 particulate levels in immissions at temperatures both above and below zero ranged from 86 µg/m3 in the 2016-2017 heating season to 25 µg/m3 in the same period in 2020-2021. Average airborne PM10 particulate concentrations throughout the entire period analyzed stood at 41.3 µg/m3 for the typical temperature distribution in the elevation profile whereas inversion almost doubled it (72.2 µg/m3).
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