Air Pollution Monitoring and Standards

Air Pollution: Air Quality & Monitoring

• Air quality is a complex, dynamic environmental phenomenon with large temporal and spatial variations.
• Variations in air quality are caused by pollutant source emission rates and changes in meteorology and topography.
• These variations affect chemical reactions of pollutants and their control/removal.

Clean Air Act (CAA)

• The EPA defines ambient air as the portion of the atmosphere outside buildings accessible to the public.
• The CAA regulates pollution entering the outside air (point and area source emissions).
• Mobile and fugitive emissions released directly into the atmosphere are also regulated.
• The CAA does not regulate indoor air pollution confined to private property.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

• The EPA establishes NAAQS for each criterion pollutant.
• Six criteria pollutants are: ozone, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and lead.
• Ozone is formed through the interaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight.
• Standard values depend on the averaging time period of the measurements.

Types of NAAQS

• Primary standards: Health-based standards to protect human and environmental health (children, elderly, and asthma sufferers).
• Secondary standards: Protect general public welfare and prevent damage to public property (animals, plants, and property).
• Both primary and secondary standards specify maximum pollutant concentrations in ambient air.

NAAQS (Primary & Secondary) Details

• Specific pollutant standards and their respective averaging times are detailed.

Air Monitoring

• Air quality monitoring is complex, requiring data on spatial and temporal variations.
• Ambient air quality monitoring systematically assesses long-term pollutant levels in communities.
• Monitoring is often done near urban areas or point sources of pollution near sensitive areas.
• Accuracy and representative data are crucial for evaluating existing conditions, dispersion models and future pollution levels.

Stationary Monitoring

• A stationary monitoring network provides specific information: background concentrations, highest concentrations (in high-density areas), local/remote source impacts and the relative impact of natural/anthropogenic sources.
• Detailed spatial scales, from microscale (1-100m) to regional (hundreds of km), are included for representative data.

Mobile Monitoring

• Mobile monitoring, using platforms like aircraft or vehicles, is used to monitor air quality.
• Chemical transformation processes and atmospheric transport between the source and receptor are key factors in assessing air quality.
• Mobile monitoring can identify hot spots or areas with high pollutant concentrations, and unfavorable receptors due to meteorology.

Air Quality in Jordan

• Air quality in Jordan is an issue in low-lying areas with high traffic density.
• Vehicles, industries, and residential activities are major emission sources.
• Specific data and percentages regarding pollutant emissions by source (road transport, diesel, industry, electricity) are provided from a table.
• Old vehicle fleets (before 1990) contribute significantly to emissions, especially in Amman and South Amman areas.
• Industrial emissions (cement plants, power plants, mining activities, etc) are also a large contributor to overall pollutant emissions.

Additional Details (Tables)

• Detailed tables are provided for specific information, including pollutant data, maximum limits, monitoring frequency, location, and emission sources. These include specific localities, industrial sources and average emission times or frequencies.