Ellermann, T., Kemp, K., Brandt, J., Christensen, J., Ketzel, M. & Jensen, S.S. 2010: The Danish Air Quality Monitoring Programme. Annual Summary for 2008. National Environmental Research nstitute, Aarhus University. 54 pp. -NERI Technical Report No. 752.
This report presents results from the Danish Air Quality Monitoring Programme (LMP) for the year 2008. The monitoring programme is carried out by the National Environmental Research Institute (NERI) at University of Aarhus. It is based on measurements on 11 monitoring stations situated in the four largest cities in Denmark and in background areas in combination with use of model calculations using NERI’s air quality models.
The aim of the monitoring program is to fulfil the Danish obligations for monitoring in relation to the air quality directives from EU. In accordance to this the program includes measurements of the concentrations and long term trends for SO2, NOx/NO2, PM10, lead, benzene, CO, ozone, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The measurements and model calculations are used to evaluate the Danish air quality in relation to limit values and to determine sources to the different compounds. Moreover, the program serves as basis for evaluation of the effect of future regulations of emissions and as basis for various research projects related to air quality.
The concentrations were in 2008 almost the same as in 2007. Changes may mainly be due to meteorological conditions.
The limit value + the margin of tolerance for the annual average of NO2 (44 µg/m3 in 2008) was exceeded at both the two street stations in Copenhagen. The limit value (to be complied with in 2010) of the annual average of NO2, was in 2008 exceeded at three out of four street stations. The NO2 concentrations seem to have been almost constant during the last ten years. Model calculations at selected streets in Copenhagen and Aalborg indicated that the limit value + margin of tolerance were exceeded on several streets in central Copenhagen and Aalborg.
The limit value for the 35th highest daily average value for PM10 (50 µg/m3) was exceeded at one station in 2008. Emissions in other European countries contribute significantly to the PM10 levels in Denmark. PM2.5 was lower than the future limit value (25 µg/m3) that is valid from 2015.
The ozone level was in 2008 almost the same as in 2007 at all rural and urban background stations and no clear trend is observed. The information threshold at 180 µg/m3 was not exceeded. The target values for ozone were not exceeded, but the long-term objectives for both the max 8 hours concentration on 120 µg/m3 and the AOT40 on 6000 (µg/m3)·h were exceeded at almost all non-traffic stations. The O3 pollution in Denmark is to a large extent caused by long distance transport of pollutants from other European countries.
The SO2 and lead levels have been decreasing for more than two decades and are far below the limit values. The limit values for benzene and CO are not exceeded and the levels have been decreasing for the last decade.
Measurements of the concentrations of particle bound PAH were performed at H.C. Andersens Boulevard, Copenhagen. The average concentration of benzo[a]pyrene was 0,40 ng/m3. The target value for benzo[a] pyrene (1 ng/m3) was not exceeded in 2008.
Actual data, quarterly reports, annual and multi-annual summaries are available at the website of NERI (http://www.dmu.dk/International/Air/).
Full report in pdf (3,54 MB)
