Air Quality in the Slovak Republic - Monitoring of air pollution and audit of Quality System (SLK 021 02)

Lubor Kozakovic

Informations

• Publié par: Sheaz
• Nombre de lectures: 17
• Langue: English

Extrait

Air Quality in the Slovak Republic - Monitoring of air pollution and audit of Quality

System (SLK/021/02)

Minutes of the meeting in VMM and VITO, Belgium, 12-16/05/03

Within the framework of project „Co-operation programme between Flanders and candidate

member states in the central and eastern Europe”. Experts of Air Quality Department (SHMI)

were participated in training course and networking at Flemish Environment Agency VMM

and in Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) on May 12. – 16, 2003, was

training was focused on education in passive sampling monitoring technique, EU AQ

legislation and QA/QC (ISO 17025).

Introduction

The VITO monitors the air quality in Flanders according to the EU Directives. The Flemish

promoters have the competency, experience and qualifications to sample and analyze the

pollutants sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, ozone, fine dust,

heavy metals, polyaromatic compounds, dioxins. This organization was put in as reference

laboratory for environmental analysis (research projects, European research programs,

analytical service, support to air pollution networks, proficiency testing).

The Vito performed several studies in order to compare different sampling techniques for the

measurement of air pollutants. The Vito have a lot of experience with the development of

monitoring programs, which comprise the assessment of the air quality and in particular, the

screening of strongly polluted areas. Throughout Flanders about 50 automatic stations are in

operation. Additionally, the Flemish partners are experienced in screening air pollutants by

use of passive samplers. These samplers are small, accurate and inexpensive, which make

them suitable for the extensive monitoring of the air quality. Passive sampling included in the

European Directives, can monitor nitrogen dioxide and benzene, sulphur dioxide (Council

Directive 96/62/EC on ambient air quality and management).

Accession countries have to comply with the environmental EU standards for air quality. The

scope of this project is to enable the transfer of the Flemish knowledge regarding the

measurement and monitoring of air quality to the Slovak partner.

The Flemish experts have the know-how to:

-

analyse the pollutants sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and benzene by a cost-efficient

method,

-

to develop a monitoring program in order to evaluate the air quality.

Activities / sessions

12/05/03

Natacha Claeys

Heavy metals

VMM network design and regulations (local, EU and WHO) One part of VMM Air Quality

Network is measuring of concentration of heavy metals in ambient air and deposition. The

aims are to measure and the report air quality in Flanders according the established limit

values and thresholds designed to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects on human health

and the environment.

Heavy metal network is based on measurement of concentration of particulate matter and

deposition

Sampling and Measurement

Heavy Metals in ambient air

- measured from particulate matter network- TSP (Pourbaix

stations) and PM 10 samples ( Leckel – Partisol combination).

Heavy metals in deposition

- bulk /wet + dry/ deposition and Hg (vapor) on gold absorbers.

In ambient air samples are measurement metals/metalloids: Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, As, Cd, and

Cr.

In deposition samples are measurement Pb, Ni, As and Cd on industrial sites and Pb, Zn,

Cu, Mn, Ni, As, Cd, Cr, Fe and Hg on background sites.

Concentration of heavy metals is on VMM measured nondestructive wavelength x-ray

fluorescence and in deposition flame and graphite furnace AAS with Zeemann correction. Hg

in deposition is measured hydride generation technique and external. Vaporous Hg is

measured atomic fluorescence spectrometry and external analyses.

Other related programs: Biomonitoring

Air Quality Data Reporting – short review of Quality Data in Flanders

Validation of data, archive the individual data in database and reporting. Calculation the

annual mean values and simple statistics and trends.

Uncertainty of the method

Paul Bruyndonckx

AM Sampling and QC proceeding

There are 7 TSM- Poubaix samplers, 11 PM10-Leckel samplers and 2PM10 –Partisol

samplers on industrial, urban and rural sites in Flanders

Pourbaix Sampling -

advantages – easy to use, solid construction

-disadvantages – only TS /total suspended particles/,max 8 filters

PM10 sampling: KFG; Leckel and Partisol samplers- filter material

Leckel – advantages – 14 filters, solid construction, easy to use

disadvantage – small company produced this equipment

Partisol Plus 2025 – advantages -16 filters, big company, EPA- approval

-disadvantage - complicated

Other sampling methods: TSP and PM2.5 sampling

The filters which they use: glass-fiber, quartz- fiber and membranes: cellullosenitrate,

cellulloseacetate and teflon

Next step was visit sampling site 00HB23; sampling station nearby nonferrous plant.

Elke Adriaenssens, Jacqueline Van Den Eede

Heavy metals measurements and gravimetry visit of labs.

On VMM used WD-XRF method for measurement heavy metals in suspended dust.

On Vito developed for VMM special method for preparation of standards filter with dry

aerosols what is necessary for WD- XRF measurement.

First are standards filters measured with WD- XRF and next are destructed with microwave

system. After destruction are solutions analyzed with GF- AAS and F-AAS. Measured

concentration is used in XRF software for standard concentration.

XRF method is not reference method due low sensitivity. EU legislation- problems for Cd, Ni

and As. Solution is to use longer sampling times of other measurement techchniques /GTA-

AAS, ICP, ICP-MS/.

Measurement of heavy metals in deposition samples on VMM is as follows:

Sampling in NILU deposition bottles, determination of the weight, acidification to 1%,

subsample of 250 ml, destruction with MW system and analysis with AAS.

Determination of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb with GF-AAS. Multi element

technique, As with cap tube- higher sensitivity

QA/QC procedure- control standard measurement, duplo measurement, reference

material and proficiency tests

Gravimetric: weighting PM10, PM2.5, TSP dust samples

After presentation we visited AAS lab, XRF lab and lab for gravimetric measurements.

Lector Peter

Wermaercke

Introduction to ISO 17025

This meeting was opened representative VMM Peter

Wermaercke, he explains scope,

normative references, management requirements, technical requirements, term and

definitions.

The discussion was aimed at technical requirements of ISO / IEC 17025 measurement

traceability, sampling, assuring the quality of test and calibration results.

13/05/03

Philip Van Avermaet and Dominique Meremans

Meeting with about monitoring of wet and dry acid deposition

Definition the joint effects air pollutants (SO

2

, NO

x

and NH

3

) that are transported through the

atmosphere and from which acids can be built (nitric and

acid) Wet + dry (+occult)= total

deposition.

- Mina policy plan – the policy on acidification must be such that ecosystems are protected,

- Target: reduce by 2010 the area of sensitive ecosystems with exceeding of CL in 1990

(without reducing the area of ecosystems themselves,

- As part of the Mina – 2 policy plan was made a new network measured total deposition in

accordance with existing international standards ISO 5667-8, VDI 3870,

- Resulting is 10 sampling sites and new equipment: wet-only collectors, standard rain gauges,

passive samplers (dry deposition),

- Sitting criteria ISO 5667-8,

- There are 12 operational sites in Flanders,

- Wet deposition- wet-only collectors (NSA 181 Eigenbrodt) for collecting precipitation

samples, standard rain gauge for measuring exact amount of precipitation, data logging and

remote control, 2 extra units for QA, QC purposes,

- Dry deposition- ammonia studies determining best method, passive sampling for gasses and

small aerosols, surrogate surfaces for large aerosols,

- NH

3

screening in Flanders using passive samplers, active annular denuder URG and R&P,

Radiello: SO

2

and NO

x

,

- Weather condition co-determines amount of acid deposition, 10 sites are enough for

monitoring wet deposition, but not for dry deposition.

After meeting we discussed about monitoring network for wet and dry deposition in Slovakia

and about measurement of dry deposition with passive samplers-in Slovakia usage of filters-

advantages and disadvantages

Philip Van Avermaet

Visit Kapellen site - working station for wet and dry deposition

Monitoring networks of VMM have telemetric networks (41 sites: continuous on-line

information, smog alarms, SO

2

, NO

x

, O

3

, PM 10, VOC, CO, meteo, black smoke), local

network (12 sites), mobile lab, network heavy metals, network organic compounds,

measurements of dioxines, monitoring network acid deposition.

Acid deposition involve the joint effects of air pollutants (SO

2

, NO

x

, and NH

3

that are

transported trough the atmosphere and from witch acid can be built (nitric acid and sulfuric

acid). Acid deposition strategy includes dray and wet deposition. Direct dry deposition (large

aerosols), indirect (international method, combining meteo and concentration measurements

for gasses and small aerosols, passive sampling, active denuder). Wet deposition is chemical

analysis of colleted sample measuring rain quantity (wet – only collector, standard rain

gauge).

14/05/03

Visit to VITO (Mol):

Before noon: introduction activities of VITO, tour aroun VITO, visit to the labs

VITO

- meeting, introduction, discussion of the

planning

- tour around

reference lab Vito

Nicole De Brucker

Introduction of passive sampling of analytical method, principle and

explanation

Wendy Swaans

Determination of nitrite, nitrate, sulfite and sulfate in desorption liquid of Radiello.

NO

2

- SO

2

passive samplers by ion chromatography was interpreted by Wendy Swans,

representative VITO. Principe: nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide are chemiadsorbed onto

trietanolamine (TEA) coated cartridge and analysed by ion chromatography as nitrite, nitrate

sulfite and sulfate ions.(Rupprecht

Patashnik Model 3310)

Nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide are linearly sampled in concentration range of 3 ,000 to

5 ,000,000 ppb.min.

The sampling rate

for NO

2

and SO

2

is independent of relative humidity

in the range of

15 to 90 %. We have to use the blue diffusive barrier for sampling gas- phase

NO

2

- SO

2

, the cartridge

and

outdoor shelter for outdoor sampling.

Analytical method contains:

- Transport and keeping

- Ion chromatographic parameters

- Analysis

- Validation of sampler to EN 1358

In reference lab was demonstrate ion chromatograph. Dionex system DX 120 is equipped

analytical column AS 14, guard column AG 14, suppressor ASRS.

15/05/03

Preparation of standards, stock eluent, calibration curve, independent standard In lab was

prepared designated stock eluent, triethanolamine-solution, 10 calibration standard. The

measuring range for the four compounds is 0,1mg/l - 30 mg/l.

Following the analyses of real samplers from the VMM- network acidification by IC.

16/05/03

Handling of data, desorption of loaded test and blanks, storage shelf live, registration of data,

calculation, quality control.

During training course we obtained 13 samplers to analyze nitrite, nitrate sulfite and sulfate

ions by ion chromatography dionex system DX 600, with autosampler AS50. Samples were

analyzed 10. 8- 6. 9 2003 and then sent to VITO.

Conclusions and recommendations

1. Quality manager in Slovak laboratories must be competed handbook for the expansive

declaration of quality control and quality assurance within the ISO 17025 us general

requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

2. Results of the loaded tubes provided by VITO were discussed. Spikes tubes with BETEX

were analysed in Slovak laboratories by thermal desorption and GC/FID method. This

results referred about problems with thermal desorption.

3. Slovak experts must be considered eventuality of application for measurement of benzene

concentrations in diffusive samplers followed by solvent desorption and GC/MSD

method.

4. Slovak experts had been possibility for saw of demonstration of liquid spiking technique

and gaining practical experience with solvent desorption after starting of a gas phase

loading to test chamber of passive sampling.

5. Slovak experts discussed with Flemish experts about revalue of budget of project because

Slovak experts attained new information’s about air monitoring products for calibration

technique of analytical system and prepared of test’s and control (visitation) samplers,

thermal and solvent desorption (microbalance, calibration solution loading RIG,

pneumatic control accessory, tube conditioner, standard material, Hamilton syringes, etc.).

6. Flemish experts demonstrated practical experience of passive sampling, field

measurement (blanks, field blanc, shelters).

7. The visit of VMM and Vito was very useful. After study all materials there is possibility

to utilize experiences in designing network for heavy metals and wet and dry deposition in

Slovakia.

8. Flemish experts will help to Slovak experts with SOP for the determination of benzene in

ambient air with diffusive samplers and with expansive validation of analytical method.

List of participants

Belgium experts

Claeys Natacha

Bruyndonckx Paul

Adrianssens Elke

Swaans Wendy

Wauters Eric

Bormans Robert

Maes Frederik

Poelmans David

Slovak experts

Szabóová Jaroslava

Šrenkelová Silvia

Barcziová Terézia

Brežná Magdaléna