Title of Example
  PM10 Real-time data information for the Veneto reregion urban areas

Example
   

Introduction

Following the Agreement Protocol signature between the Councillors of the seven Veneto provincial capital cities (Belluno, Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Venice, Verona, Vicenza) to control PM10 daily exceedances, (the so-called “Padua Charter”, see Example 5P1.6.1), the Regional Agency for the Protection of the Environment (ARPAV) has implemented a specific information system on PM10, structured in a series of services, usable through its web site: http://www.arpa.veneto.it/. This service answers almost completely what has been prescribed by the EU Directives in terms of public information on air quality.

PM10 information services

In the Veneto region territory, PM10 levels are constantly measured by ARPAV monitoring stations.

Their concentrations are surveyed through automatic and manual devices on a daily basis (according to the National Decree n. 60/2002 and in conformity to EC Daughter Directives). Most of PM10 monitoring devices are manual instruments; in those cases PM10 measurements are based on the gravimetric reference method. This method foresees a weighing operation of filters where the PM10 size fraction has previously accumulated. The PM10 concentration value is derived by change in mass of the exposed filter. Filters need to be maintained at controlled temperature and humidity conditions before sampling (20 ± 1°C and 50 ± 3% for 48 hours) and again immediately before the weighing operations: these operations imply that data are obtained with a delay of some days. As alternative to this manual method, automatic methods with equivalence certificate can be used.

During 2004, automatic samplers/analysers for PM10 have entered into functioning in the seven provincial capital cities of the Veneto region. They have been bought by ARPAV, thanks to EC financial support (the DOCUP Programme ”Monitoring, Information and Environmental education”). They are based on the beta attenuation method (OPSIS and Environnement instruments).

In the map below, see PM10 manual monitors (in green colour) and automatic monitors (in red colour). The activation state of automatic monitors and positioning of manual monitor is under updating; in the map the situation is referred to the beginning of the year 2004 (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Manual (green) and Automatic (red) PM10 monitors in the Veneto Region urban areas (update January 2004).

Real time data refer to automatic stations, for which the last data reported (24 h average) has not validated yet.

In case of Venezia – Mestre urban area, data are available not only from a daily automatic analyser, but also every 2 hours (see Figures 2 and 3).

Provincial graphs (Figure 2) show, in detail, what is the trend in the last 10 days.

Figure 2 – Venice PM10 real-time 24h data

Figure 3 – Venice PM10 real-time 2h data

The legenda (see Figure 4) include three quality assessment classes:

- Good: PM10 < 50 µg/m3

- Poor : 50 < PM10 < 100 µg/m3

- Bad: PM10 > 100 µg/m3

Figure 4 – PM10 real time data legenda

Validated data referred to automatic and manual devices can be seen in the scheme: “Air Quality- Recapitulation of PM10 exceedances” (see Figure 6), where the warning on increasing number of daily limit value exceedances is given (reference: 35 exceedances of 24h limit value 50 µg/m3).

Figure 5 – Venice validated air quality data

Figure 6 – Summary on PM10 24h limit value exceedances in the 7 capital cities of the Veneto region

The regional graph (see Figure 7) shows the last updating of PM10 levels in the seven capital cities.

Lacking data refer to cities where automatic stations are under testing and activation; it is possible to visualize the last validated value in “Air Quality – Validated Data”.

In cities where two PM10 monitoring stations are active, both values are reported (A and B).

Figure 7 – Regional PM10 graph

(BL = Belluno, PD = Padua, RO = Rovigo, TV = Treviso, VE = Venice, VR = Verona, VI = Vicenza)

Information provided by ARPAV, through its web site, concern also other relevant air pollutants: NO2, SO2, CO, O3, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene.

For some of them (NO2, CO, O3 and PM10, as mentioned before) a real-time information is given: see the link http://www.arpa.veneto.it/, “Aria”, “Qualitą dell’aria” and “Inquinanti in Diretta”).

For all of them a summary on the information requested by EU Directives (exceedence of Limit Values) is also made available to the public (see “Aria” then “Qualitą dell’aria”, then “Dati validati”).

Acknowledgments

This text has been kindly made available from ARPAV web site http://www.arpa.veneto.it/.

Last Updated

 

25th January 2005
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