Title: Enhancing source apportionment with receptor models to foster the air quality directive implementation

Authors: Federico Karagulian; Claudio A. Belis

Addresses: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via E. Fermi 2749, I-21027 Ispra, Italy ' European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via E. Fermi 2749, I-21027 Ispra, Italy

Abstract: Receptor models (RMs) identify pollution sources by solving a mass balance equation using measured chemical composition of samples either in combination with known source profiles or not. This approach has been extensively used in North America and South-Eastern Asia mainly on particulate matter (PM). Also, in Europe RMs found wide acceptance and contributed to the identification of sources in support of remediation measures development. With the aim of harmonising the activity on receptor modelling in Europe and supporting the implementation of Directive 2008/50/EC, a survey on the use of this methodology was carried out. In this study we discuss the sources of uncertainty in the input data, and the uncertainty contribution deriving from critical steps. We describe a methodology to assess RMs performance in intercomparison exercises developed and evaluated by the JRC within the framework of the forum for air quality modelling (FAIRMODE).

Keywords: source apportionment; intercomparison; particulate matter; mass balance; remediation measures; harmonisation; Europe; uncertainty; EU directives; Air Quality Directive; AQD; environmental pollution; receptor models; air quality; air pollution; atmospheric dispersion modelling; FAIRMODE model.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2012.051192

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2012 Vol.50 No.1/2/3/4, pp.190 - 199

Published online: 19 Nov 2014 *

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