D. Houthuijs et al., PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in Central and Eastern Europe: results from the Cesar study, ATMOS ENVIR, 35(15), 2001, pp. 2757-2771
Between November 1995 and October 1996, particulate matter concentrations (
PM10 and PM2.5) were measured in 25 study areas in six Central and Eastern
European countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and
Slovak Republic. To assess annual mean concentration levels, 24-h averaged
concentrations were measured every sixth day on a fixed urban background si
te using Harvard impactors with a 2.5 and 10 mum cut-point. The concentrati
on of the coarse fraction of PM10 (PM10-2.5) was calculated as the differen
ce between the PM10, and the PM2.5 concentration. Spatial variation within
study areas was assessed by additional sampling on one or two urban backgro
und sites within each study area for two periods of 1 month. QA/QC procedur
es were implemented to ensure comparability of results between study areas.
A two to threefold concentration range was found between study areas, rang
ing from an annual mean of 41 to 98 mug m(-3) For PM10, from 29 to 68 mug m
(-3) for PM2.5 and from 12 to 40 mug m(-3) for PM10-2.5. The lowest concent
rations were found in the Slovak Republic, the highest concentrations in Bu
lgaria and Poland. The variation in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations between s
tudy areas was about 4 times greater than the spatial variation within stud
y areas suggesting that measurements at a single sampling site sufficiently
characterise the exposure of the population in the study areas. PM10 conce
ntrations increased considerably during the heating season, ranging from an
average increase of 18 mu gm(-3) in the Slovak Republic to 45 mu gm(-3) in
Poland. The increase of PM10 was mainly driven by increases in PM2.5; PM10
-2.5 concentrations changed only marginally or even decreased. Overall, the
results indicate high levels of particulate air pollution in Central and E
astern Europe with large changes between seasons, likely caused by local he
ating. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.