Ambient levels of volatile organic compounds and criteria pollutants in the most industrialized area of central Iberian Peninsula: intercomparison with an urban site.
This work presents observations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including carbonyls, particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) (included in the most recent ambient air quality standards because of its harmful effect on health), PM10 and other important pollutants, CO, SO2, NOx and ozone, over the most industrialized area in the central Iberian Peninsula. Nearly two years of data obtained through a mobile laboratory are used for this purpose. Different concentration ratios and correlations were calculated to assess the effect of the anthropogenic or biogenic processes on the observed VOC levels. The diurnal profile for SO2 is different in Puertollano and it does not coincide with the maxima of the other primary pollutants such as benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX), CO and NO. This behaviour could be attributed to the fact that SO2 mainly comes from industrial activities. However, an impact of the industry on air quality was detected not only by the results obtained for SO2, but also by the toluene/benzene, T/B, ratio (7.5). Finally, correlations between meteorological conditions and pollution distribution have been considered; also, the analysis of the back trajectories together with Spearman correlation coefficients have been carried out to understand the origin and pathway in some events with unusual high pollutant values.
a Atmospheric Pollution Laboratory, Research Institute for Combustion and Atmospheric Pollution , University of Castilla La Mancha , Ciudad Real , Spain.|b Castilla La Mancha Science and Technology Park , Albacete , Spain.
Florentina
F
Villanueva
c Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Chemical Science and Technologies , University of Castilla La Mancha , Ciudad Real , Spain.
Alberto
A
Notario
c Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Chemical Science and Technologies , University of Castilla La Mancha , Ciudad Real , Spain.
Araceli
A
Tapia
c Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Chemical Science and Technologies , University of Castilla La Mancha , Ciudad Real , Spain.
José
J
Albaladejo
a Atmospheric Pollution Laboratory, Research Institute for Combustion and Atmospheric Pollution , University of Castilla La Mancha , Ciudad Real , Spain.
Beatriz
B
Cabañas
a Atmospheric Pollution Laboratory, Research Institute for Combustion and Atmospheric Pollution , University of Castilla La Mancha , Ciudad Real , Spain.
Ernesto
E
Martínez
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D000067896:Industrial Development; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D013030:Spain; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D052638:Particulate Matter; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide
NO2; PM2.5; VOCs; air monitoring; carbonyls; mobile laboratory; ozone