Particulate matter in the rural settlement during winter time

Department of Thermal Engineering and Industrial Facilities, Opole University of Technology, Mikołajczyka 5, 45-271 Opole, Poland

^⁎ Corresponding author: t.olszowski@po.opole.pl

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyzed the variability of the ambient particulates mass concentration in an area occupied by rural development. The analysis applied daily and hourly PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ levels. Data were derived on the basis of measurement results with the application of stationary gravimetric samplers and optical dust meter. The obtained data were compared with the results from the urban air quality monitoring network in Opole. Principal Component Analysis was used for data analysis. Research hypotheses were checked using U Mann-Whitney. It was indicated that during the smog episodes, the ratio of the inhalable dust fraction in the rural aerosol is greater than for the case of the urban aerosol. It was established that the principal meteorological factors affecting the local air quality. Air temperature, atmospheric pressure, movement of air masses and occurrence of precipitation are the most important. It was demonstrated that the during the temperature inversion phenomenon, the values of the hourly and daily mass concentration of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ are very improper. The decrease of the PM's concentration to a safe level is principally relative to the occurrence of wind and precipitation.