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Spatial variation of ground level ozone and the relation between ozone and NO2/NOx in two Swedish cities

Annika, Hagenbjörk-Gustafsson ; Kristoffer, Mattisson LU orcid ; Ebba, Malmqvist LU orcid ; Emilie, Stroh LU orcid ; Lars, Rylander LU orcid ; Håkan, Tinnerberg ; Bertil, Forsberg and Lars, Modig (2013)
Abstract
Background Ozone is a pollutant known to cause adverse effects on human health. It is formed by reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons under the influence of sunlight. In urban areas ozone is consumed oxidating nitrogen oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Despite the potential to cause adverse health effects, the local spatial distribution of ozone and the relationship between ozone, NO2 and NOx in different environments is poorly studied.

Aims Our aim was to study the concentrations and spatial distribution of ozone in two cities, Malmö in the south of Sweden and Umeå in the north of Sweden, since the contribution of ozone from other parts of Europe decreases with higher latitude. We also wanted to investigate... (More)
Background Ozone is a pollutant known to cause adverse effects on human health. It is formed by reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons under the influence of sunlight. In urban areas ozone is consumed oxidating nitrogen oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Despite the potential to cause adverse health effects, the local spatial distribution of ozone and the relationship between ozone, NO2 and NOx in different environments is poorly studied.

Aims Our aim was to study the concentrations and spatial distribution of ozone in two cities, Malmö in the south of Sweden and Umeå in the north of Sweden, since the contribution of ozone from other parts of Europe decreases with higher latitude. We also wanted to investigate differences in the ozone/NO2 and the ozone/NOx ratios between the cities and between different environments.

Methods Ozone, NO2 and NOx concentrations were measured with Ogawa diffusive samplers during three one-week campaigns in April, May/June and in August 2012. Measurements were conducted simultaneously at 20 sites in each city outside preschools, distributed at traffic sites, urban background sites and regional background (rural) sites. Results The average concentration of ozone in Malmö and Umeå were 67,5 µg/m3 and 50,6 µg/m3, respectively. The mean ozone/NOx ratio was of equal magnitude in Malmö and in Umeå, and in both cities the ratio was highest at rural sites and lowest at traffic sites. In Umeå there was a clear trend with highest ozone concentrations at rural sites and lowest concentrations at traffic sites, a trend that was not as obvious in Malmö. In Umeå the ozone/NO2 ratio at rural sites was about three times larger compared to Malmö.

Conclusions There is a clear local variation of ozone, with stronger gradients in northern (Umeå) Sweden in comparison to southern Sweden (Malmö). This can partly be explained by less long-range transport of ozone and larger impact of local NO emissions that reduce ozone in northern Sweden. (Less)
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Contribution to conference
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published
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DOI
10.1289/isee.2013.P-1-01-33
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
doi: 10.1289/isee.2013.P-1-01-33
id
4ff3f76a-d6a3-47cd-aa9a-402a17120189
date added to LUP
2024-08-28 12:26:15
date last changed
2024-08-29 13:59:20
@misc{4ff3f76a-d6a3-47cd-aa9a-402a17120189,
  abstract     = {{Background Ozone is a pollutant known to cause adverse effects on human health. It is formed by reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons under the influence of sunlight. In urban areas ozone is consumed oxidating nitrogen oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Despite the potential to cause adverse health effects, the local spatial distribution of ozone and the relationship between ozone, NO2 and NOx in different environments is poorly studied.<br/><br/>Aims Our aim was to study the concentrations and spatial distribution of ozone in two cities, Malmö in the south of Sweden and Umeå in the north of Sweden, since the contribution of ozone from other parts of Europe decreases with higher latitude. We also wanted to investigate differences in the ozone/NO2 and the ozone/NOx ratios between the cities and between different environments.<br/><br/>Methods Ozone, NO2 and NOx concentrations were measured with Ogawa diffusive samplers during three one-week campaigns in April, May/June and in August 2012. Measurements were conducted simultaneously at 20 sites in each city outside preschools, distributed at traffic sites, urban background sites and regional background (rural) sites. Results The average concentration of ozone in Malmö and Umeå were 67,5 µg/m3 and 50,6 µg/m3, respectively. The mean ozone/NOx ratio was of equal magnitude in Malmö and in Umeå, and in both cities the ratio was highest at rural sites and lowest at traffic sites. In Umeå there was a clear trend with highest ozone concentrations at rural sites and lowest concentrations at traffic sites, a trend that was not as obvious in Malmö. In Umeå the ozone/NO2 ratio at rural sites was about three times larger compared to Malmö.<br/><br/>Conclusions There is a clear local variation of ozone, with stronger gradients in northern (Umeå) Sweden in comparison to southern Sweden (Malmö). This can partly be explained by less long-range transport of ozone and larger impact of local NO emissions that reduce ozone in northern Sweden.}},
  author       = {{Annika, Hagenbjörk-Gustafsson and Kristoffer, Mattisson and Ebba, Malmqvist and Emilie, Stroh and Lars, Rylander and Håkan, Tinnerberg and Bertil, Forsberg and Lars, Modig}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  title        = {{Spatial variation of ground level ozone and the relation between ozone and NO2/NOx in two Swedish cities}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/isee.2013.P-1-01-33}},
  doi          = {{10.1289/isee.2013.P-1-01-33}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}