S.M. Almeida*
1, J. Lage1, M.C. Freitas1, A.I. Pedro1, T. Ribeiro1, A.V. Silva1, N. Canha1, M. Almeida-Silva1, T. Sitoe1, I. Dionisio1, S.M. Garcia2, G. Domingues2, J. Perim de Faria3, B.G.
Fernández3, D. Ciaparra4
1
ITN-IST, Portugal; 2 Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Portugal; 3 Global R&D – ArcelorMittal, Spain; 4 Tata Steel Research, UK
Corresponding Author: *smarta@itn.pt
In this study, instrumental and biomonitoring techniques were integrated with three main objectives: (i) to analyze temporal patterns of PM10 concentrations in order to apportion emissions sources; (ii) to investigate spatial patterns of lichen conductivity to identify the impact of the studied industrial area in the air quality and (iii) to establish relationships between lichen conductivity and some site-specific characteristics.
Samples of the epiphytic lichen Parmelia sulcata were transplanted in a grid of 18 km per 20 km, having the industrial area in the center. Lichens were exposed for a 5 month period, starting in April 2010. After exposure, lichen samples were soaked in 18 MΩ water aiming the determination of the water electrical conductivity and, consequently, the lichen vitality and cell damage. A marked decreasing gradient of the lichens conductivity relative to the distance from the emitting sources was observed. Transplants from a sampling site close to the industrial area reached values 10 times higher than the ones far from it. This fact showed that the lichens reacted in the polluted industrial area by a physiological response increasing their conductivity accordantly to the contamination level.
The analysis of lichen conductivity indicated the existence of high levels in the surroundings of the industrial area when compared with the reference values revealing the existence of a physiological response to environmental stress. Transplants worked as an environmental sensor as physiological damage coincides with the most polluted areas. The results obtained showed that kriging is a robust technique for identifying areas affected by emission sources, allowing the identification of the focal points of emissions. A marked decreasing gradient of the lichens conductivity relative to the distance from the emitting sources was observed.
The integration of temporal PM10 measurements and the analysis of wind direction corroborate the importance of this industrialized area for the air quality and identify the relevance of traffic for the studied urban area, located in the north of Spain. Maritime air mass transport has a significant role on particulate air quality in this region. Maritime transport scenarios were very frequent and promoted the decrease of particle concentrations.
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Impact of Maritime Air Mass Trajectories on the Western European Coast Urban
Aerosol
S.M. Almeida*1; A.I. Silva1;M.C. Freitas1; H.M. Dzung1; A. Caseiro2; C.A. Pio2
1
ITN-IST, Portugal; 2 CESAM-UA, Portugal Corresponding Author: *smarta@itn.pt
Lisbon is the largest urban area in the Western European coast. Due to this geographical position, the Atlantic Ocean is an important source of particles and plays an important role in many atmospheric processes. The main objectives of this work were 1) to perform a chemical characterization of PM2.5 sampled in Lisbon, 2) to identify the main sources of particles and to determine their contribution to this urban area and 3) to assess the impact of maritime air mass trajectories on the concentration and composition of respirable particles sampled in Lisbon. During 2007, PM2.5 was collected on a daily basis in the centre of Lisbon with a Partisol sampler. The exposed teflon filters were measured by gravimetry and were cut into two parts: one was analysed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and the other by Ion Chromatography. Principal Component Analysis and Multilinear Regression Analysis were used to identify possible sources of PM2.5 and to determine their mass contribution. Five main groups of sources were identified: secondary aerosols, traffic, a source of calcium, soil and sea. Four days backward trajectories, ending in Lisbon, at the starting sampling time were calculated with the Hysplit Model. Results showed that maritime transport scenarios were very frequent. These episodes were characterized by a significant decrease of anthropogenic aerosol concentrations and had a significant role on the air quality from this urban area.
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Impact of Air Pollution on Cardiorespiratory Diseases in Setúbal, Portugal
A.V. Silva*1, S.M. Almeida1, S.M. Sarmento2, A. Cruz1, T. Verburg2, A. Miranda3
1
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal, 2 Delft University of Technology; Nertherlands, 3 University of Aveiro, CESAM, Portugal
Corresponding Author: *alexandra.silva@itn.pt
Several epidemiological studies have shown associations between air pollution and adverse effects on human health. Specific–cause effects were found for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases including an aggravation of asthma, acute reductions in lung function, myocardial infarction, heart failure, low birth weight in newborns and death.
The aim of this study was to find a relationship between air pollution (with special focus onto PM10, PM2.5, and O3) and hospital admissions in Setúbal region, Portugal. Setúbal is a Portuguese
city where heavy industrial activities coexist with an urban area that has 125.293 inhabitants and with an environmentally sensible region (Sado Estuary and Arrábida Natural Park).
A database with air quality and hospital admission data was built for 5 years (2005-2009). Hourly air quality concentration values were obtained from 4 measuring stations located in Setúbal region (Setúbal and Palmela municipality’s). Regarding hospital admissions, health data was obtained from the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS). Daily counts of Setúbal hospital admissions were assessed for all circulatory-related causes and all respiratory related causes, according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD- 9). Condition breakdown was as follows: (1) All circulatory conditions (ICD-9; 390–459), and distributed by cardiac diseases (ICD-9; 390–429), ischemic heart disease (ICD-9; 410–414), and stroke (ICD-9; 430–438); (2) All respiratory conditions (ICD-9; 470–519), and distributed by asthma (ICD-9; 493) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ICD-9; 490–492, 495, 496). All data were split into the following age interals: 0–14, 15–64, >64 years old.
A longitudinal time-series study was conducted, with risks being quantified by means of multiple linear regression models considering as dependent variable the weekly hospital admissions registered in Setúbal and as independent variable the weekly mean PM10, PM2.5 and O3
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Determination of fugitive emissions during harbour operations
A.V. Silva*1, S.M. Almeida 1, M.C. Freitas1, A.M. Marques1,2, A.I. Silva1, C.A. Ramos1,2, T. Pinheiro1, S.L. Almeida2, A. Lopes2, S.M. Garcia3,G. Domingues3, A.I. Miranda 4
1
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal, 2 Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Portugal, 3 Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Portugal,
4
University of Aveiro, CESAM, Portugal Corresponding Author: *alexandra.silva@itn.pt
Fugitive emissions pose problems both for general air quality management as well as for the operational management of the facilities. Managing local particles concentrations can be a frustrating affair because the weight of fugitive sources could be very high comparing with the local anthropogenic stationary sources.
In harbours, activities such loading, unloading and transport of dusty materials are important sources of particles fugitive emissions. Therefore, there is a growing concern about air quality in harbours as a result of the high impact of the operations on human health and environment. In addition, these activities may have an impact on the levels of Air Particulate Matter (APM) at nearby urban areas, depending on the materials, the type of operation and the meteorological scenarios.
The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of harbour activities on APM levels and composition. This work was based on experimental campaigns carried out in a Portuguese harbour when four types of bulk materials – sugar, fertilizer, phosphorite from Syria and phosphorite from Morocco - were handled. High time resolution monitors were installed close to the unloaded area and recorded APM concentrations and meteorological variables.
PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 were also collected during unloading operations, in polycarbonate filters by
Gent samplers. A complete chemical characterization of collected samples was made by the techniques Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Particle Induced X-Ray Emission. Results showed that manipulation of materials during harbour operations resulted in high emissions of particles, principally from the coarse fraction. These emissions were very affected by the granulometry of the handled materials and by the meteorological conditions
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Geospatial distribution of trace element air pollution in the North of Spain using
biomonitors
J. Lage*1; S.M. Almeida1; M. Pacheco2;M.C. Freitas1; T. Ribeiro1; S.M. Garcia3; J.P. Faria4; B.G. Fernández4; H.Th. Wolterbeek5
1
ITN-IST, Portugal; 2 Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Portugal;
3
Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Portugal; 4 Global R&D – ArcelorMittal, Spain;
5
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands Corresponding Author: *joanalage@itn.pt
Monitoring of elemental atmospheric pollution is essential due to its impact on both ecosystem performance and human health. Source apportionment is regarded as an important parallel result in order to establish air pollution control programmes. Biomonitoring techniques can be advantageously used to indicate geographical related variances in trace element air pollution and to identify emission sources, with a reduced infra-structure and manpower costs associated with the survey of large areas.
The aim of this study was to combine biomonitoring techniques with geographic information systems (GIS) in order to assess the impact of an industrial area from the North of Spain onto the air quality.
Samples of the epiphytic lichen Parmelia sulcata were collected from olive trees in an unpolluted Portuguese rural area (Montargil, Portugal) and transplanted to the north of Spain, in a grid of 18 km per 20 km, having an industrial area at its centre. In addition, a higher density of lichens was exposed near the three main sources of air pollution in the studied area – a cement mill, a power plant and a steelwork. Lichens were exposed during 5 months, starting in April and ending in September 2010. After exposure the technique Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis, using the k0 methodology, was used to determine the concentrations of the
elements Al, Fe, Sc, La, Sm, Na, Cl, I, Br, V, Sb, As, Zn, Cu, Ca and U.
The spatial distribution pattern of the elements concentrations was modelled using the programme ArcGIS 10. Based on samples results, continuous surfaces of elements distributions estimations were obtained using an inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique. The GIS provided the framework for geospatial integration of elements concentrations distribution, land topography, land use and existing roads, making it possible to evaluate the spatial correlation between them.
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patterns were identified indicating the existence of three principal types of sources: the soil identified by the elements Al, Fe, Sc, La and Sm; the sea identified by Na, Cl, I, Br and the anthropogenic sources associated with Sb, V, As, Zn and Cu. For the anthropogenic elements, an exponential decrease in the concentrations with increasing distance from the industrial area was observed. The spatial integration of these data (topography and element concentration) emphasised the importance of the topography in the pollutant dispersion.
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Impact of Sahara dust transport on Cape Verde atmospheric element particles
M. Almeida-Silva*1,2, S.M. Almeida1, C.A. Pio3, T. Nunes3, J. Cardoso3,4
1
Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Av. D. João II 4.69.01, 1990-096 Lisboa, Portugal;
2
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavém, Portugal;
3 Aveiro University, CESAM, P-3810193 Aveiro, Portugal; 4
Cape Verde University, Campus do Palmarejo, Praia, Cape Verde Corresponding Author: *marina.silva@estesl.ipl.pt
Sahara desert is the most important source of mineral dust, contributing as much as 1900 million tons per year. Due to its localization, Cape Verde is ideal to quantify and to characterize the dust transported from Sahara desert. Cape Verde is an archipelago composed by 10 islands, localized in Atlantic Ocean, near African coast. Santiago’s island is the biggest island of Cape Verde, with an area of 991 km2 and was the selected to perform this study. This work was developed within the project Atmospheric aerosol in Cape Verde region: seasonal evaluation of composition, sources and transport (CV-Dust) - that aims to assess the transport of dust from Sahara by using an integration of measuring and modelling tools.
Complementary tools were used to identify the likely Air Particulate Matter (APM) provenance, such as back trajectory-based method, satellite images and APM chemical analysis. PM10 was
collected in Praia city (14º94’N; 23º49’W) with a Tecora® sampler in order to characterize the element chemical composition. The collected filters were weighted by gravimetry using a Mettler® Toledo balance with 0.1 µg readability, placed in a controlled clean room (class 10,000). All samples were irradiated at the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI-ITN; nominal power: 1MW) during 5 h, and measured for 5-7 h after 2-5 days and 4 weeks of decay, in high-purity and high- resolution germanium detectors. A comparator – Al-0.1% Au alloy disk – was also irradiated and measured for application of the k0-INAA methodology.
Results showed that during the dust events PM10 concentrations increased significantly. The
maximum concentration of 494µg/m3 was reached in an event that occurred in February 2011. k0-INAA showed to be very well suited to assess the Sahara dust contribution because this
technique can determine with accuracy the concentration of some crustal elements. The measured crustal elements Fe, La, Sc and Sm presented significantly higher concentrations in Cape Verde comparing with other studies performed in Lisbon by our research groups. These elements reached the highest concentrations during air mass transport provided from Sahara Desert.
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