Atmospheric Particulate Matter and Ozone in Belgrade Urban Area
Slavica F. Rajšić1, Mirjana D. Tasić1, Dragan M. Marković1, Velibor T. Novaković1, Dragan A. Marković2, and Milica N. Tomašević1
1 Institute of Physics, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
2 Faculty of Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Corresponding author: Slavica Rajšić
Institute of Physics
Pregrevica 118
11080 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Telephone: +381 11 3160260
Fax number: +381 11 3162190
E-mail: rajsic@phy.bg.ac.yu
CEJOEM 2004, Vol.10. No.1.: 25–29
Key words:
PM10, PM2.5, ozone, urban air quality
Abstract:
A number of epidemiological studies have demonstrated that several acute and chronic health
effects are related to the urban exposure to inhalable particulate matter of aerodynamic
diameter <10 mm (PM10). High concentration of
O3 at the ground level is also known to have harmful effects on human health and
vegetation being therefore a major environmental problem in many urban and industrial regions. In
this study, concentrations of particulate matter and O3 were measured at three very
urban sites of Belgrade, during 2002, and were analysed to show their temporal and spatial
distribution. The influence of meteorological factors, such as temperature, relative humidity,
wind speed and direction on mass and ozone concentrations, was also analysed focusing on local
and regional emissions as well as on their mutual correlation. In summer episodes of exceptionally
high pollution, intense photochemical reactions occurred resulting in high concentrations of fine
(< 2.5 mm) particles (PM2.5) and ozone. As for the
health aspects, this result is of high relevance, since the fine particles have the highest
negative impact and they have the longest residence time in the atmosphere.
Received: 15 August 2003
Accepted: 30 September 2003
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