Title: Statistical analysis of urban air-pollution data in the Athens basin area, Greece

Authors: Basil D. Katsoulis, John D. Pnevmatikos

Addresses: Laboratory of Meteorology, Section of Astrogeophysics, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece. ' Laboratory of Meteorology, Section of Astrogeophysics, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece

Abstract: Air pollutant concentrations recorded in the Athens basin area by a network of stations are analysed and examined to estimate the typical behaviour of the air pollutants, especially with regard to daily, weekly and annual periodicities and meteorological dependencies. Also, an attempt is made to predict daily and monthly concentrations by utilising a statistically based model, that is, a multiple linear regression model. The results obtained show the presence of a very significant weekly periodicity for all the analysed air pollutants (e.g. SO₂, O₃, CO, NO and NO₂). It also appears to be present a yearly periodicity for the primary (e.g. SO₂, CO, NO and NO₂) air pollutants analysed and studied. The statistical prediction by using the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) stochastic model in combination with the Theil index, shows good predicting capabilities (one day ahead) for sulphur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO and NO₂). The significance of the forecasting is controlled by the Theil index.

Keywords: air pollutant concentration; meteorological dependencies; ARIMA; autoregressive integrated moving average model; air pollution; air quality; Greece; sulphur dioxide; carbon monoxide; ozone; nitrogen oxides.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2009.021815

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2009 Vol.36 No.1/2/3, pp.30 - 43

Published online: 05 Dec 2008 *

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