Temporal changes in concentration of PM10 dust in Poznań, middle-west Poland as dependent on meteorological conditions

Abstract

The present analysis is based on hourly data of suspended dust PM10 and meteorological conditions. The aim of the study was to determine the time structure of PM10 concentration and its dependence on meteorological conditions. Hourly data from 2005-2016 were collected from the State Monitoring of Environment situated in Poznań, middle-west Poland. Analysis of the relationship between weather and concentration of PM10 was conducted using the correlation analysis and multiple regression. Time course of PM10 concentration and meteorological elements was characterized not only in the entire 2005-2016 time period but also in its successive years – in daily, monthly and seasonal time steps. In the years 2005-2016, the daily concentration of PM10 significantly depended on meteorological conditions, the strictest dependence being found for wind speed and air temperature. The most frequently recorded, 33% overall, hourly concentration of PM10 was from within the ranges 10-15 and 15-20 μg m-3. A large, > 90 μg m-3, pollution of the atmosphere in the three seasons of the year: winter, spring and autumn was registered mostly between 20 and 4 h. In winter, the large > 90 μg m-3, hourly concentrations of suspended PM10 dust, were accompanied by below average values of air temperature, above average relative air humidity, below average wind speeds, from E direction mainly, and above average atmospheric pressure.