Air pollution with particulate matter

Indicators Years

2011

2009

2008

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Air pollutants

PM in ambient air

Definition

The indicator shows the number of days per year when the 24-hour limit concentration 50 µg/m³ and the annual limit value 40 µg/m³ were exceeded in the selected Slovenian urban areas that are most affected by pollution.

“Particulate matter” means a combination of finely divided solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, of various physical and chemical compositions.

A portion of airborne particles is formed as a consequence of direct emissions (primary particles), others are formed as products of various processes in the atmosphere (secondary particles).

Particle size distribution is usually described in terms of trimodal size distribution. Particles ranging between 0.01 and 0.1 µm belong in the so-called nucleation area, particles ranging between 0.1 and 1 µm belong in the accumulation area, and particles larger than 1 µm are known as coarse particles.

Charts

Figure ZR08-1: Number of days with exceeded 24-hour limit concentration PM10 50 µg/m³, which may not be exceeded more than 35 times per calendar year

Sources:

National authomatic measurement air quality network database, Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, 2008

Show data

		1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Urban background	number of days								68	48	38
- Ljubljana Bežigrad	number of days	np	np	np	np	36	64	71	70	47	46
- Ljubljana BF*	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np
- Celje	number of days	np	43	34	41	58	100	62	97	59	48
- Koper	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	40	19
- Nova Gorica	number of days	np	np	np	np	24	18	33	37	47	40
Suburban background	number of days								65	43	35
- Trbovlje*	number of days	58	80	77	40	52	88	48	157	86	81
- Pesje	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	17	11	23	24	14
- Škale	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	4	8	15	19	11
Urban-traffic type	number of days								122	102	95
- Maribor center*	number of days	np	np	np	np	66	129	102	101	108	91
- Zagorje*	number of days	np	np	np	np	48	79	82	143	106	99
Rural/Agricultural type	number of days								40	36	28
- Vnajnarje*	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	20	10
- Prapretno	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	19	15	33	36
- Murska Sobota - Rakičan	number of days	np	np	np	np	33	58	19	65	54	37
Rural/Industrial type	number of days										17
- Morsko*	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	18
- Gorenje Polje*	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	16
Rural type/natural background	number of days								5	5	0
- Iskrba*	number of days	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	5	5	0
		2008	2009	2010
Urban background	number of days	29	25	35
- Ljubljana Bežigrad	number of days	36	30	43
- Ljubljana BF*	number of days	np	25	32
- Celje	number of days	37	42	58
- Koper	number of days	11	2	15
- Nova Gorica	number of days	33	24	25
Suburban background	number of days	31	24	29
- Trbovlje*	number of days	72	48	64
- Pesje	number of days	9	12	10
- Škale	number of days	12	13	12
Urban-traffic type	number of days	82	46	58
- Maribor center*	number of days	54	35	47
- Zagorje*	number of days	109	56	68
Rural/Agricultural type	number of days	34	19	28
- Vnajnarje*	number of days	np	7	2
- Prapretno	number of days	25	20	29
- Murska Sobota - Rakičan	number of days	42	30	52
Rural/Industrial type	number of days	20	15	9
- Morsko*	number of days	16	14	5
- Gorenje Polje*	number of days	24	16	13
Rural type/natural background	number of days	0	5	5
- Iskrba*	number of days	0	5	5

Figure ZR08-2: Average annual concentration (annual limit value is 40 µg/m³)

Sources:

National authomatic measurement air quality network database, Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, 2008

Show data

		1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Urban background	µg/m3								38	33	32
- Ljubljana Bežigrad	µg/m3	np	np	np	43	42	46	41	37	33	32
- Ljubljana BF*	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np
- Celje	µg/m3	42	47	46	45	46	53	41	43	35	32
- Koper	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	31	29
- Nova Gorica	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	39	37	35	34	32	33
Suburban background	µg/m3								35	31	27
- Trbovlje*	µg/m3	52	59	61	50	47	52	40	55	40	37
- Pesje	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	31	25	27	28	21
- Škale	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	27	23	23	26	24
Urban-traffic type	µg/m3								47	45	41
- Maribor center*	µg/m3	np	np	np	48	50	58	48	43	43	40
- Zagorje*	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	47	51	44	52	46	41
- EIS Celje	µg/m3	62	53	64	np	np	51	40	45	np	np
Rural/Agricultural type	µg/m3								33	31	28
- Vnajnarje*	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	26	22
- Prapretno	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	30	28	34	33
- Murska Sobota-Rakičan	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	40	43	32	37	34	30
Rural/Industrial type	µg/m3										24
- Morsko*	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	23
- Gorenje Polje*	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	24
Rural type/natural background	µg/m3								16	16	15
- Iskrba*	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	np	np	np	16	16	15
		2008	2009	2010
Urban background	µg/m3	29	27	29
- Ljubljana Bežigrad	µg/m3	30	29	30
- Ljubljana BF*	µg/m3	np	26	27
- Celje	µg/m3	30	31	32
- Koper	µg/m3	25	23	25
- Nova Gorica	µg/m3	31	28	29
Suburban background	µg/m3	27	26	26
- Trbovlje*	µg/m3	38	33	34
- Pesje	µg/m3	20	22	22
- Škale	µg/m3	22	24	23
Urban-traffic type	µg/m3	39	33	35
- Maribor center*	µg/m3	34	30	33
- Zagorje*	µg/m3	44	36	36
- EIS Celje	µg/m3	np	np	np
Rural/Agricultural type	µg/m3	30	28	26
- Vnajnarje*	µg/m3	np	23	20
- Prapretno	µg/m3	29	31	29
- Murska Sobota-Rakičan	µg/m3	30	29	30
Rural/Industrial type	µg/m3	24	22	20
- Morsko*	µg/m3	22	20	19
- Gorenje Polje*	µg/m3	26	23	20
Rural type/natural background	µg/m3	16	16	19
- Iskrba*	µg/m3	16	16	19

Figure ZR08-3: Gibanje povprečne letne koncentracije PM_2.5 (letna mejna vrednost je 25 µg/m³)

Sources:

Zbirka podatkov avtomatskih meritev državne mreže za spremljanje kakovosti zraka (DMKZ), Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje, 2009

Show data

		2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Urban background
- Ljubljana Bežigrad	µg/m3	28	29	25	24	np	np
- Ljubljana BF	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	18	22
- Maribor Vrbanski plato	µg/m3	np	np	np	np	20	22
Urban-traffic type
- Maribor center	µg/m3	28	31	27	23	22	24
Rural background
- Iskrba	µg/m3	15	13	10	11	12	12

Goals

In the Decree on Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Particulate Matter and Lead in Ambient Air (OJ RS No 52/02), Slovenian domestic legislation was brought in line with the provisions of the EU Directive (1999/30/EC), which determines the 24-hour limit concentration value at 50 µg/m³, which is not to be exceeded more than 35 times per calendar year, and annual limit value at 40 µg/m³.

Comment

Measurements of particlulate matter (PM10) concentration levels in several urban areas came into practice with the introduction of a new air quality monitoring network (i.e. PHARE monitoring network) in March 2001. As is clearly evident from Figure ZR8-1, particulate matter poses a serious problem not only in Slovenian urban areas but also throughout Europe. In 2002, 24-hour limit values were exceeded more than 35 times per calendar year at five monitoring sites. Since the latter are mainly placed in heavy traffic locations, emissions from traffic bear a significant influence on particulate matter concentration levels in ambient air.

Methodology

The data for Slovenia are taken from the Automatic Air Quality Measurement Database (ANAS) managed by the Monitoring Office (Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia). The database is updated monthly; the data are available in their entirety upon the completion of final annual review.

Following the Guidance to member states on PM10 monitoring and intercomparisons with reference method (14 September 2004) the PM10 concentration values for 2002 include factor 1.3.