AIR POLLUTION – MONITORING MODELLING AND HEALTH

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Air Pollution – Monitoring, Modelling and Health
certain areas. City regulations banning usage of less efficient, poor-quality lignite for heating
purposes was inadequate. Fig.5 presents the first results of the measurements as annual
average SO 2 and TSP concentrations in the city. As can be seen in the figure, both SO 2 and
TSP levels were much higher than the air quality standards and WHO guidelines.
Fig. 5. Annual mean values of daily SO 2 and TSP concentrations in Istanbul for the polluted
period 1985-1994.
Incecik (1996) extensively examined the air quality levels and atmospheric conditions
leading to air pollution episodes in winter months of 1985-1991 periods. Incecik (1996)
showed that anticyclonic pressure patterns and lower surface wind speeds lead to
unfavorable conditions for air pollution potential over the city. Poor quality fuel used in the
city was the major reason of the dramatic levels of SO 2 and TSP in the winter months.
Furthermore, he examined the ratios of January/July SO 2 and TSP concentrations during the
1985-1994 periods. The ratios for SO 2 an TSP presented and increase from 1.4 to 13.6 and 2.3
to 8.8, respectively in the study period. Besides, it is shown that the higher pollutant
concentrations in cool seasons might also be related to the generally stable atmosphere,
which limits the volume of air into which emissions from the local emissions are dispersed.