Assessment of the Variability of Air Pollutant Concentrations at Industrial, Traffic and Urban Background Stations in Krakow (Poland) Using Statistical Methods

Robert Oleniacz and Tomasz Gorzelnik
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Robert Oleniacz: Department of Environmental Management and Protection, Faculty of Mining Surveying and Environmental Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Tomasz Gorzelnik: Department of Environmental Management and Protection, Faculty of Mining Surveying and Environmental Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Krakow, Poland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: In cities with an extensive air quality monitoring (AQM) system, the results of pollutant concentration measurements obtained in this system can be used not only for current assessments of air pollution, but also for analyzes aimed at better identification of factors influencing the air quality and for tracking trends in changes taking place in this regard. This can be achieved with the use of statistical methods that allow for the assessment of the variability of measurement data observed at stations of various types and for the determination of possible interdependencies between these data. In this article, an analysis of this type was carried out for traffic, urban background and industrial AQM stations in Krakow (Southern Poland) operating in the years 2017–2018 with the use of, i.a., cluster analyzes, as well as dependent samples t -test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, taking into account the concentrations of air pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM 10 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), benzene (C 6 H 6 ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). On the basis of the conducted analyzes, similarities and differences were shown between the data observed at individual types of stations, and the possibilities of using them to identify the causes of the observed changes and the effects of remedial actions to improve air quality undertaken recently and planned in the future were indicated. It was found that the air concentrations of some substances measured at these stations can be used to assess the emission abatement effects in road transport (NO 2 , PM 10 or C 6 H 6 ), residential heating (PM 10 or SO 2 ), and selective industrial plants (SO 2 , NO 2 or C 6 H 6 ).

Keywords: air pollution; air quality monitoring; different type of stations; concentration ratios; PM 10; NO 2; SO 2; C 6 H 6; cluster analysis; statistical analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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