A Study of PM 10, PM 2.5 Concentrations in the Atmospheric Air in Kraków, Poland

Abstract

The air in Kraków is one of the most polluted in Europe. Polish standards for notification and alert levels for PM10 particulate matter are one of the the highest in Europe and exceed the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) for safe daily con - centrations by several times. The article presents the results of airborne dust measurements in three districts of Kraków. The study has shown that the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter exceeded the annual average permissible levels. Empirical mea - surements of PM2.5 show significantly higher air pollution values than the data notified by stationary monitoring stations installed in two locations. The high value of Pearson linear correlation coefficient confirms that weather conditions have a significant impact on air quality in Kraków. Wind speed in the autumn and winter seasons has by far the greatest influence on air quality in al. Krasińskiego, in the Ruczaj and Kurdwanów districts. A strong negative correlation was displayed. Manual measurements should be used to verify data obtained from air monitoring stations. It is to be expected that, in Kraków, air purity will improve due to the implementation of an anti-smog resolution and subsidies for the replacement of obsolete heating systems with more environmentally friendly solutions.