Abstract
Modern European cities are characterized by high particulate matter (PM) concentrations. Unfortunately, the number of stations monitoring air pollution, especially PM, is never sufficient for the overall representation of the problem. In the present work, an inexpensive outdoor passive sampler (based on an indoor passive sampler) was developed and assembled in an effort to provide the means to extend current PM monitoring networks. The uncertainty of the sampler was tested in vitro and in vivo. Twenty such outdoor passive samplers were assembled and installed at specific locations in the Greater Thessaloniki Area and measurements of PM were carried out. The results were in good agreement with the official monitoring stations. In addition, they revealed the aggravated air quality in the center of the city and in the west suburbs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AirBase (2009). AirBase—The European Air quality database. European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change, EIONET, European Environment Agency. Retrieved 2009, from http://air-climate.eionet.europa.eu/databases/airbase/.
Assael, M. J., Delaki, M., & Kakosimos, K. (2007). Local scale vehicles pollution study in the absence of sufficient data: The case of the city of Thessaloniki. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 101, 137–146.
Assael, M. J., Delaki, M., & Kakosimos, K. E. (2008). Applying the OSPM model to the calculation of PM10 concentration levels in the historical centre of the city of Thessaloniki. Atmospheric Environment, 42, 65–77.
Berkowicz, R., Palmgren, F., Hertel, O., & Vignati, E. (1996). Using measurements of air pollution in streets for evaluation of urban air quality—Meteorological analysis and model calculations. Science of the Total Environment, 190, 259–265.
Brown, R. C., Hemingway, M. A., Wake, D., & Thompson, J. (1995). Field trials of an electret-based passive dust sampler in metal-processing industries. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 39(5), 603–622.
Dockery, D. W., Schwartz, J., & Spengler, J. D. (1992). Air pollution and daily mortality: Associations with particulates and acid aerosols. Environmental Research, 59(2), 362–373.
EC. (2008). Council Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe. Official Journal of the European Communities, L(152), 1–44.
Hellas Weather. (2009). Network of Greek private meteorological stations. Retrieved 2009, from http://www.meteorologia.gr/.
de Leeuw, F. (2005). PM10 measurement methods and correction factors in AIRBASE 2004 status report. ETC/ACC Technical Paper 2005/6. European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change.
Leith, D., Sommerlatt, D., & Boundy, M. G. (2007). Passive sampler for PM10–2.5 aerosol. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 57(3), 332–336.
Manoli, E., Voutsa, D., & Samara, C. (2002). Chemical characterization and source identification/apportionment of fine and coarse air particles in Thessaloniki, Greece. Atmospheric Environment, 36(6), 949–961.
Markakis, K., Poupkou, A., Melas, D., & Zerefos, C. (2009). Compilation of a spatially and temporally disaggregated anthropogenic PM10 emission inventory for Greece. Environmental Science and Policy, in press.
Moussiopoulos, N., Vlachokostas, C., Tsilingiridis, G., Douros, I., Hourdakis, E., Naneris, C., et al. (2009). Air quality status in greater Thessaloniki area and the emission reductions needed for attaining the EU air quality legislation. Science of the Total Environment, 407(4), 1268–1285.
NARSTO. (2006). Measurement methods compendium: Particulate matter methods. NARSTO U.S. DOE/ORNL. Retrieved 2009, from http://narsto.ornl.gov/Compendium/methods/pm.shtml.
Pope, C. A. (2007). Mortality effects of longer term exposures to fine particulate air pollution: Review of recent epidemiological evidence. Inhalation Toxicology, 19(1 supp 1), 33–38.
Samara, C. (2005). Chemical mass balance source apportionment of TSP in a lignite-burning area of Western Macedonia, Greece. Atmospheric Environment, 39(34), 6430–6443.
Schneider, T., Bohgard, M., & Gudmundsson, A. (1994). A semiempirical model for particle deposition onto facial skin and eyes. Role of air currents and electric fields. Journal of Aerosol Science, 25(3), 583–593.
Sichletidis, L., Tsiotsios, I., Gavriilidis, A., Chloros, D., Kottakis, I., Daskalopoulou, E., et al. (2005). Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and rhinitis in northern Greece. Respiration, 72(3), 270–277.
Slini, T., Kaprara, A., Karatzas, K., & Moussiopoulos, N. (2006). PM10 forecasting for Thessaloniki, Greece. Environmental Modelling & Software, 21(4), 559–565.
Thorpe, A., Hemingway, M. A., & Brown, R. C. (1999). Monitoring of urban particulate using an electret-based passive sampler. Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 14(11), 750–758.
Vinzents, P. S. (1996). A passive personal dust monitor. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 40(3), 261–280.
Wagner, J., & Leith, D. (2001a). Field tests of a passive aerosol sampler. Journal of Aerosol Science, 32(1), 33–48.
Wagner, J., & Leith, D. (2001b). Passive aerosol sampler. Part I: Principle of operation. Aerosol Science and Technology, 34(2), 186–192.
Wood, N. (1981). A simple method for the calculation of turbulent deposition to smooth and rough surfaces. Journal of Aerosol Science, 12(3), 275–290.
Yamamoto, N. (2006). Microscopic method for airborne coarse particles: Application to a passive sampler. Tokyo: The University of Tokyo.
Yamamoto, N., Matsuki, H., & Yanagisawa, Y. (2007). Application of the personal aeroallergen sampler to assess personal exposures to Japanese cedar and cypress pollens. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, 17(7), 637–643.
Acknowledgements
Part of present work was funded (contract A11B/S2/09) by the Technical Chamber of Greece, Department of Central Macedonia. The work was carried out under the auspices of the Committee for the Environment of the Technical Chamber of Greece, and we are indebted to Dr. P. Samaras and Dr. S. Famelos for their valuable discussions and constant support, and the Work Group members, Dr. K. Karatzas and Dr. Ch. Achilias. In this work, ten municipalities participated. We would like thus to extend our thanks to these municipalities (Municipalities of Thessaloniki, Efkarpia, Stavroupoli, Evosmos, Eleftherio-Kordelio, Menemeni, Neapoli, Ehedoros, Thermi, and Kalamaria) for their help and the permission to install and operate the outdoor passive samplers.
We would like to extend our thanks to Mr. A. Vavatzanidis of the Prefecture of Central Macedonia for providing the necessary data (Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works) and his valuable assistance. We would like also to thank Mr. A. Kelesis from the Municipality of Thessaloniki for giving us access to the limited but important part of their data.
Finally, we would like to express our deep appreciation to all those that worked in this project, Mr. V. Goutsios, Mr. V. Petousis, Mr. P. Tsirogiannis, and Mr. G. Chatzifotis.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Assael, M.J., Melas, D. & Kakosimos, K.E. Monitoring Particulate Matter Concentrations with Passive Samplers: Application to the Greater Thessaloniki Area. Water Air Soil Pollut 211, 395–408 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0308-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0308-1