engleski

Air Quality, ozone and climate change/variation in the Rijeka area, Croatia

Air pollution is strongly influenced by weather conditions, and subsequently very sensitive to climate change. The interrelationship between climate and air quality is highly dynamic. Generally, change in climate affect air quality by perturbing ventilation rates ( wind speed, mixing depth, convection, frontal passage), precipitation scavenging, dry deposition, chemical production and loss rates, natural emissions ( methane, VOC) and background concentrations. On the other hand, change in atmospheric chemistry affects air quality (ozone and PM) and climate (ozone, PM, methane), while change in climate affects natural emissions (biosphere, dust, fires, lightning) with implication to air quality ( Jacob and Winner, 2009). Two pollutants with greatest concern for human health are ozone and PM. For example, higher temperature and altered precursor levels can increase ozone formation in some locations, and higher ozone formation can be viewed as climate forcer (Costa, 2011). The impact of climate change to PM concentrations is less clear, dependent on PM component. Thus, sulphate concentrations will increase with temperature due to faster SO2 oxidation, while nitrate and semi-volatile organic compounds will decrease in the same time due to their volatility. Precipitations will tend to decrease the PM and to a less extent ozone concentrations (Jacob and Winner 2009). Altered atmospheric chemistry/composition (PM, NOx, ozone) and warmer climate, in combination with the prolonged seasonal presence of allergenic pollens is likely to further increase allergic respiratory diseases and bronchial asthma among urban population (d' Amato et al. 2010).

Air Quality; ozone; climate change; climate variation; Rijeka; Croatia

nije evidentirano