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

Maciej CIEPIELA; Wiktoria SOBCZYK

doi:10.29227/IM-2021-01-17

Maciej CIEPIELA Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30- 059 Kraków, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0362-8461
Wiktoria SOBCZYK Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30- 059 Kraków, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2082-9644

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29227/IM-2021-01-17

Keywords: particulate matter, air quality, pollution, Kraków

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 concentrations 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 measurements 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.