Comparison of tropospheric ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentration levels in Ecuador and other latitudes

Abstract

In recent decades, problems related to anthropogenic activity have generated concern due to the accumulation of pollutants in the air, resulting in changes in the concentrations of greenhouse gases and particulate matter. In Ecuador and the rest of the world, air pollution represents a risk and a threat to health and the environment. To carry out an analysis on this subject, it is necessary to develop a dynamic process, followed by a permanent effort that allows improving the quality of the information. The studies developed in Ecuador on pollutant emissions are carried out since 2010; however, there are no comparisons made on this issue in the global context, which leads to the inability to make a real assessment of the air quality situation in the country, as well as the consequences that may result from not doing it. Thus, the main objective of this project is to analyze the concentration levels of NO2 and O3 tropospheric in Ecuador and make a direct comparison with different cities around the world. Resulting that concentration of study gases varies with the number of the population of a sector in addition to the pollution that it produces. In order to develop this research, the information collected comes from the World Meteorological Organization, belonging to WHO WDCGG DATA SUMMARY (World Meteorological Organization World Data Center for Greenhouse Gases) of the year 2015, while the data of the study cities of Ecuador (Ibarra and Quito) were provided by the municipality of Ibarra and by the Municipality of the Metropolitan District of Quito respectively.