Title: An ambient air quality monitoring network for Buenos Aires city

Authors: Laura E. Venegas, Nicolas A. Mazzeo

Addresses: National Scientific and Technological Research Council (CONICET), Avellaneda Regional Faculty, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Technological University, Av. Mitre 750, 1870-Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina. ' National Scientific and Technological Research Council (CONICET), Avellaneda Regional Faculty, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Technological University, Av. Mitre 750, 1870-Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract: This paper proposes an objective methodology for designing a multi-pollutant urban air-quality monitoring network to detect concentrations greater than reference concentration levels (C_L). The network design includes both air quality simulation and an objective analysis based on monitoring tasks. The proposed methodology is applied to the city of Buenos Aires. Pollutants of concern are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and PM₁₀. Considering C_L as 50% of the Air Quality Standards, the design methodology determines six monitoring sites where to measure different pollutants at the same place. |Spatial representativeness| of detected exceedances is evaluated analysing air quality simulations of cases with C > C_L at any monitoring site and obtaining the areas in the city where concentrations are expected to exceed C_L with 70%, 80% and 90% of probability.

Keywords: urban air quality; air quality management; air quality monitoring networks; spatial representativeness; Buenos Aires; Argentina; carbon monoxide; nitrogen oxides; particulate matter; air pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2010.030921

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2010 Vol.40 No.1/2/3, pp.184 - 194

Published online: 12 Jan 2010 *

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