Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Predicting photochemical pollution in an industrial area

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to confront pollution events concerning the city of Elefsis, in the environmentally aggravated area of Thriassion Plain, an effort is undertaken to create a model forecasting maximal daily concentrations of NO x (NO2+NO), NO2 and O3. The data analyzed were obtained from the Bureau of Pollution Control and Environments Quality based in Elefsis. The model in question uses hourly values of the pollutants as well as meteorological data recorded at the center of the city of Elefsis from 1993 to 1999. Three fitting methods are utilized, namely ordinary least squares, piecewise, and quantile regression. The verification and reliability of the forecasting models are based on the measurements of the year 2000. The results are considered to be satisfactory, with the forecasted values following the general tendencies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abatzoglou, G., Chaloulakou, A., Assimacopoulos, D., & Lekkas, T. (1998). Prediction of air pollution episodes: Extreme value theory applied in Athens. Environmental Technology, 17, 349–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bierens, H. J. (2005). EasyReg International. University Park, PA: Department of Economics, Pennsylvania State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cade, B., & Noon, B. (2003). A gentle introduction to Quantile Regression for ecologists. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 1, 412–420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaloulakou, A., Asimakopoulos, D., & Lekkas, T. (1999). Forecasting daily maximum ozone concentrations in the Athens basin. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 56, 97–112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Commission of the European Communities (1999). Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 relating to limit values for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air. Official Journal of the EC, L 163/41.

  • Commission of the European Communities (2001). Commission Directive of 17 October 2001 amending Annex V to Council Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air. Official Journal of the EC, L 278/35.

  • Commission of the European Communities (2002). Directive 2002/3/EC of the European Parliament and of Council of 12 February 2002 relating to ozone in ambient air. Official Journal of the EC, L 67/14.

  • GERPPE – Development Association of Thriassion Plain (2006). Press Release of air pollution measurements for the years 1985–2005. Retrieved 20 June 2006 from http://www.thriasiopedio.gr/airpoll.htm.

  • Hargreaves, P. R., Smith, J. U., Young, S., & Goulding, K. W. T. (2005). Development of an empirical model to predict nitrogen dioxide concentrations from weather variables for sites across the UK. Atmospheric Environment, 39(3), 409–417.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kassomenos, P., & Koletsis, I. (2005). Seasonal variation of the temperature inversions over Athens, Greece. International Journal of Climatology, 25(12), 1651–1663.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kassomenos, P., Sindosi, O., Lolis, C., & Chaloulakou, A. (2003). On the relation between seasonal synoptic circulation types and spatial air quality characteristics in Athens, Greece. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 53, 309–324.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klemm, O., & Ziomas, I. (1998). Urban emissions measured with aircraft. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 48, 16–25.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lalas, D. P., Asimakopoulos, D. N., Deligiorgi, D. G., & Helmis, C. G. (1983). Sea breeze circulation and photochemical pollution in Athens, Greece. Atmospheric Environment, 17(9), 1621–1632.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mavrakis, A., Theoharatos, G., & Pitsitakis, N. (2002). Contribution in the study of the climatic character of the Thriassion plain area according to E. de Marton, Pinna, Kerner and Johanson. Paper presented at the 5th Hellenic National Environmental Conference, Rhodes, in Greek.

  • Mavrakis, A., Theoharatos, G., Pitsitakis, N., Christides, A., & Makrigiannis, G. (2004). Meteorological conditions during the occurrence of severe air pollution episodes in the Thriassion Plain. Paper presented in the 7th National Conference on Geography, Mytilini, in Greek.

  • Ministry of Environment (1989). Air pollution in Athens area. Volumes I-IV: Pollution sources, Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, Athens (in Greek).

  • NARSTO (2006). Compendium of Measurement methods, Retrieved 20 June 2006 from http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/programs/NARSTO/compendium.htm

  • Paschalidou, A., & Kassomenos, P. (2004). Comparison of air pollutant concentrations between weekdays and weekends in Athens, Greece for various meteorological conditions. Environmental Technology, 25(11), 1241–1255.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ping Shi, J., & Harrison, R. M. (1997). Regression modeling of hourly NO x and NO2 concentrations in urban air in London. Atmospheric Environment, 31(24), 4081–4094.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prezerakos, N. G. (1986). Characteristics of the sea breeze in Attica, Greece. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 36, 245–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saisana, M., Dubois, G., Chaloulakou, A., Kassomenos, P., & Spyrellis, N. (2003). Streamlining environmental monitoring networks: Application to nitrogen dioxide in North Italy. Systems Analysis, Modelling, Simulation, 43(2), 241–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slini, Th., Karatzas, K., & Papadopoulos, A. (2002). Regression analysis and urban air quality forecasting: An application for the city of Athens. Global Nest: The International Journal, 4(2–3), 153–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stamatiadis, D. (2001). Update on the status of industrial and other professional activities in the Thriassion Plain, Technical report, GERPPE, (in Greek).

  • Triantafyllou, A., & Kassomenos, P. (2002). Aspects of atmospheric flow and dispersion of air pollutants in a mountainous basin. The Science of the Total Environment, 297, 85–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ziomas, I. C., Melas, D., Zerefos, C. S., Vais, A., & Paliatsos, A. G. (1995). Forecasting peak pollutant levels from meteorological variables. Atmospheric Environment, 29(24), 3703–3711.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, I. Metaxa and V. Pavlou, 152 36, Palaia Pendeli, Athens, Greece

    Spyridon Lykoudis

  2. Systems of Energy and Environmental Management Co., Maiandrou 22, 192 00, Elefsis, Greece

    Nikolaos Psounis

  3. Department of Economic and Regional Development, Panteion University, 136 Syngrou Av., 176 71, Athens, Greece

    Anastasios Mavrakis

  4. Bureau of Pollution Control and Environmental Quality of the Development Association of Thriassion Plain, 50 Nikolaidou str., 192 00, Elefsis, Greece

    Anastasios Christides

Authors
  1. Spyridon Lykoudis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nikolaos Psounis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anastasios Mavrakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anastasios Christides
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Spyridon Lykoudis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lykoudis, S., Psounis, N., Mavrakis, A. et al. Predicting photochemical pollution in an industrial area. Environ Monit Assess 142, 279–288 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9925-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9925-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation