Aarhus University Seal

Topic Center for air

The Ministry of the Environment's Topic Center for air quality (FDC-air) is organized at DCE - National Center for Environment and Energy, Aarhus University. FDC-air's tasks are mainly to monitor air quality in Denmark. The Department of Environmental Science is in the same house and delivers research-based advice and knowledge about nature and the environment to authorities and businesses through the center.

FDC air is obliged to follow the applicable air quality monitoring agreements at any time. The agreements are stated in the National Monitoring Program for the Aquatic Environment and Nature (NOVANA). This includes annual calculations of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and sulfur.

FDC air is the national air quality reference center for the European Environment Agency. They are also responsible for providing air quality monitoring data in the context of the International Monitoring Programs (EMEP), Monitoring at the Oslo Paris Commission (OSPAR), Monitoring under the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)).

National Reference Laboratory for Air Quality

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency's National Reference Laboratory for Air Quality in Outdoor Air is organizationally located under DCE and is responsible for ensuring that the official Danish measurements of air quality comply with the international requirements in connection with EU air quality directives. The National Reference Laboratory also participates in quality assurance programs within the EU, including participation in international inter-calibrations. In addition, the laboratory participates continuously in the exchange of knowledge and validation of measurement methods through networks of air reference laboratories in the EU and the Nordic countries.

The National Reference Laboratory is accredited in accordance with ISO17025 version 2017. The principles for final quality assurance of sample collection, measurements and analyzes are described here (in Danish only)