PM10 Mass Concentration and Long-Range Potential Source Contributions at the Eastern Black Sea Atmosphere during the Summer Season

Gündem S., Genç Tokgöz D. D., Demirarslan K. O., Öztürk F.

Eleventh International Conference on Environmental Management, Engineering, Planning and Economics (CEMEPE 2024) and SECOTOX Conference, Levkas, Greece, 16 - 20 June 2024, pp.1

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • City: Levkas
  • Country: Greece
  • Page Numbers: pp.1
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In the present study, daily PM10 samples were collected in Artvin city which is located on the eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey. A high-volume sampler with a mass flow controller and quartz filters were used for sampling. During April 2023 and September 2023, 77 PM10 samples were collected. The average concentration of PM10 was 54.5 ± 32.0 µg/m3. Among them, 35 days exceeded the daily PM10 limit value of 50 µg/m3. The number of days exceeding the daily limit value in April, May, June, July, August, and September were 8, 11, 7, 6, and 3, respectively. Five days back, hourly backward trajectories arriving at three different heights (i.e., 500, 1500, and 3000 m) were simulated using the GDAS1 meteorological archive and vertical velocity by the TrajStat Trajectory model in Meteoinfo software. Cluster analysis was applied to determine the general transport pattern in the region. Average PM10 concentration was calculated for each cluster center and episode days in each cluster center were identified. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) was conducted to determine the potential source regions affecting the eastern Black Sea of Turkey during summer months. The following were revealed by the findings: (1) Air pollution in the Eastern Black Sea region was severe for summer season of 2023, and the seasonal average PM10 concentration was higher than Turkey's air quality annual standard (40 µg/m3). (2) Five-year air masses from 2019 to 2023 shared similar trajectory pathways for 500 and 1500 m trajectories (i.e. slow-air movements from north and south directions), but different trajectory pathways were determined for 3000 m (i.e. fast-moving air movements from south-westerly direction). (3) Potential source contribution function (PSCF) values were in line with cluster analysis (CA) results and indicated north and south regions for 500 and 1500 m; and Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea as the major source regions for 3000 m.