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An air quality balance index estimating the total amount of air pollutants at ground level

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Abstract

A new index named Air Quality Balance Index (AQBI), which is able to characterise the amount of pollution level in a selected area, is proposed. This index is a function of the ratios between pollutant concentration values and their standards; it aims at identifying all situations in which there is a possible environmental risk even when several pollutants are below their limit values but air quality is reduced. AQBI is evaluated by using a high-resolution three-dimensional dispersion model: the air concentration for each substance is computed starting from detailed emissions sources: point, line and area emissions hourly modulated. This model is driven with accurate meteorological data from ground stations and remote sensing systems providing vertical profiles of temperature and wind; these data are integrated with wind and temperature profiles at higher altitudes obtained by a Local Area Model. The outputs of the dispersion model are compared with pollutant concentrations provided by measuring stations, in order to recalibrate emission data. A three-dimensional high resolution grid of AQBI data is evaluated for an industrial area close to Alessandria (Northern Italy), assessing air quality and environmental conditions. Performance of AQBI is compared with the Air Quality Index (AQI) developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. AQBI, computed taking into account all pollutants, is able to point out situations not evidenced by AQI, based on a preset limited number of substances; therefore, AQBI is a good tool for evaluating the air quality either in urban and in industrial areas. The AQBI values at ground level, in selected points, are in agreement with in situ observations.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by “Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Alessandria” in the framework of “Ricerca e innovazione per Alessandria” financing scheme—year 2008 and by European Commission in the framework of the EU-funded “LINFA” project (“LIFE—Environment Intervention for Fraschetta Area”—Ref. LIFE04 ENV/IT/000442). Traffic data of provincial road network have been supplied by the Provincial Council of Alessandria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente e della Vita, Università del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, Viale Teresa Michel 11, 15121, Alessandria, Italy

    Paolo Trivero, Walter Biamino, Maria Borasi, Marco Cavagnero, Maya Musa, Caterina Rinaudo & Veronica Sesia

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  1. Paolo Trivero
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  2. Walter Biamino
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  3. Maria Borasi
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  4. Marco Cavagnero
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  5. Maya Musa
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  6. Caterina Rinaudo
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  7. Veronica Sesia
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Correspondence to Paolo Trivero.

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Trivero, P., Biamino, W., Borasi, M. et al. An air quality balance index estimating the total amount of air pollutants at ground level. Environ Monit Assess 184, 4461–4472 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2278-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2278-1

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