title: Sophisticated Clean Air Strategies Required to Mitigate Against Particulate Organic Pollution.
abstract: Since the 1980's, measures mitigating the impact of transboundary air pollution have been implemented successfully as evidenced in the 1980-2014 record of atmospheric sulphur pollution over the NE-Atlantic, a key region for monitoring background northern-hemisphere pollution levels. The record reveals a 72-79% reduction in annual-average airborne sulphur pollution (SO4and SO2, respectively) over the 35-year period. The NE-Atlantic, as observed from the Mace Head research station on the Irish coast, can be considered clean for 64% of the time during which sulphate dominates PM1levels, contributing 42% of the mass, and for the remainder of the time, under polluted conditions, a carbonaceous (organic matter and Black Carbon) aerosol prevails, contributing 60% to 90% of the PM1mass and exhibiting a trend whereby its contribution increases with increasing pollution levels. The carbonaceous aerosol is known to be diverse in source and nature and requires sophisticated air pollution policies underpinned by sophisticated characterisation and source apportionment capabilities to inform selective emissions-reduction strategies. Inauspiciously, however, this carbonaceous concoction is not measured in regulatory Air Quality networks.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grigas
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ovadnevaite
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ceburnis
authors.affiliation: Met Éireann Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 Y921, Ireland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Environmental Protection Agency, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, D14 YR62, Ireland.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: McGovern
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Dowd