1 National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch, Atmospheric Sounding Station “El Arenosillo”, Crta. Huelva-Matalascañas km 34, 21130, Mazagón – Huelva, Spain
2 Department of Applied Physics, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
3 Andalusian Center for Environmental Research (CEAMA), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
4 Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, Seville, Spain
Cite this article: Adame, J.A., Hernández-Ceballos, M.Á., Sorribas, M., Lozano, A. and Morena, B.A.D.l. (2014). Weekend-Weekday Effect Assessment for O3, NOx, CO and PM10 in Andalusia, Spain (2003–2008).
Aerosol Air Qual. Res.
14: 1862-1874. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2014.02.0026
HIGHLIGHTS
Weekend effect was assessed for O3, NOx, CO and PM10 in the south of Spain.
Hourly values of 43 stations (five typologies) over 6 years (2003–2008) were used.
To assess the weekend effect, three different metrics were applied.
Using daily parameters, NOx, CO and PM10 exhibited reductions on weekends (25 to 85%).
Reductions in NOx, CO and PM10 occur mainly during rush hours and at urban-influenced sites.
ABSTRACT
Day-of-week variations in O3, NOx, CO and PM10 were analysed in the southwestern region of Europe (specifically Andalusia, Spain) using hourly concentrations collected at 43 stations (representing five typologies) over 6 years (2003–2008). This area has air pollution problems, and the study of the weekend effect is used as a tool to plan future strategies for emissions reductions. Maximum daily 8 h averages for O3, daily 90th percentiles for NO, NO2 and PM10 and mean daily values for CO were calculated and used to assess the weekend effect by applying three different metrics: weekly evolution, weekend-weekday differences and average daily difference between weekends minus workdays. Based on daily parameters and weekend-weekday differences, all the measured air pollutants exhibited clearly reduced concentrations (oscillating between 25 to 85%) on weekends, mainly at urban and suburban stations, with the exception of O3 (less than 10 µg/m3). This decrease on weekend days was mostly observed for NO, NO2 and PM10 at urban stations, while differences at industrial and rural stations were low or null. CO showed a low reduction. Using the daily cycle of differences (weekend minus workdays) as a reference, positive deviations were observed at night and negative differences were observed during the daytime for NO, NO2 and PM10 at urban traffic, urban background and suburban background sites. A reduction in morning rush hour traffic during the weekends was reflected in the data from urban stations, which showed a decrease of up to 50, 15 and 12 µg/m3 for NO, NO2 and PM10, respectively. An opposite daily behaviour was found for ozone, which showed an increase at urban area sites of up to 15 µg/m3 in the early morning.
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