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Description
The middle course of the Berounka River and the lower course of the Rakovnický Brook in the central part of the Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area have a distinct basin character. The basin character of both valleys in this locality negatively influences the dispersion conditions in the valley villages for a large part of the year, especially in the absence of wind and during inversion of the atmosphere. Heating with solid fuels in local heating plants is still the primary source of heat here. Pollution from local heating plants causes aerosol particle concentrations to reach long-term elevated values compared to the municipalities above the valley. The project aims to use a sensor network of dust and meteorological units to map the concentrations of aerosol particles of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 fractions and to compare the concentrations of these pollutants in the valley municipalities compared to the municipalities above the valleys. The project involves 6 municipalities - Zbečno as the applicant and Křivoklát, Roztoky, Městečko, Pustověty and Karlova Ves as partners. A total of 12 dust measuring optical sensor units and 2 meteorological units will be installed in these municipalities to cover most of the defined area of the municipalities concerned. The data obtained from the measurements will be primarily informative and educational, and will be supplemented by explanations of what causes any increase in aerosol particle concentrations, how to prevent it and what corrective measures people can implement (heating with dry wood, replacing boilers, limiting heating in poor dispersion conditions, etc.).
Summary of project results
The middle course of the Berounka and the lower course of the Rakovnické creek in the central part of the Křivoklátsko PLA has a distinct basin character. The basin shock of both valleys in this locality for a large part of the year, especially when there is no wind and during inverse stratification of the atmosphere, negatively affects the dispersion conditions in the valley municipalities. Heating with solid fuels in local heating plants is still the primary source of heat here. Pollution from local heating plants causes the concentration of aerosol particles to reach higher values in the long term compared to the municipalities located above the valley. The project aimed to use a sensor network of dust measuring and meteorological units to map the concentrations of aerosol particles in the fractions PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 and to compare the concentrations of these substances in the valley municipalities compared to the municipalities located above these valleys. 6 municipalities enter the project - Zbečno as applicant and Křivoklát, Roztoky, Městečko, Pustověty and Karlova Ves as partners. A total of 12 dust measuring optical sensor units and 2 meteorological units were 2 installed in these municipalities so that most of the defined territory of the affected municipalities was covered. The data obtained from the measurements are primarily informative and educational in nature, they will be supplemented by an explanation of what causes a possible increase in the concentration of aerosol particles, how to prevent it and what corrective measures people can implement (heating with dry wood, replacing boilers, limiting heating under deteriorated scattering conditions, etc.).
The main goals was:
- by measuring at 10 stations in Berounka and Rakovnický potok valleys and at 2 stations above valley to determine differences in aerosol particle concentrations in winter part of the year
- to define the worst periods in terms of pollution due to local heating and, on basis of this data, to inform the population about the need to modify their heating habits - to define the areas with the worst aerosol particle concentrations and to focus subsequent awareness-raising activities on these areas.
The course of daily concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 particles indicates the influence of local heating in the monitored locations. In the vast majority of locations, a gradual increase was noticeable from late affternoon to evening hours, which is typical for locations with a more pronounced effect of heating. In all measured locations, the connection of air temperature to the concentration of PM particles was clearly visible. In general, the lower the air temperature, the higher the concentrations. The coldest days of the evaluated period were the second week of January, across the entire Czech Republic. In this period, an increase and increased concentration of PM particles in the air was evident in all monitored localities. The highest concentrations were measured in the locality Městečko - municipal office, then Pustověty - municipal office and Zbečno - municipal office. It is due to the valley character with the limitation of dispersion in the horizontal direction and with older buildings. On the contrary, very low concentrations of PM particles were measured on December 21, 2023, when it was raining and blowing profusely in this area and it was relatively warm (temperatures on daily average around 8°C) and thus there were extremely favorable dispersion and meteorological conditions for low concentrations of pollutants.
The air quality monitoring project, focused on monitoring PM10 and PM2.5, has provided key insights into the impact of meteorological conditions and human activities, particularly heating, on air quality. The analysis showed that the annual average concentrations of both types of particulate matter remain below the established immission limits, which is positive news for public health. Maximum concentrations were recorded during evening heating and morning peak hours, indicating the need to control emissions during these key periods. The project also highlighted how much weather affects the dispersion of pollutants. During windless weather, pollutants accumulate, which can lead to localised 4 deterioration of air quality. These findings can help in developing strategies for emergency situations caused by extreme weather conditions. The long-term benefit of the project will be a better understanding of air pollution dynamics, allowing for more targeted and effective regulation to protect public health and the environment. The data from this project provide a valuable basis for policies and actions that could contribute to a more sustainable and healthier environment in the future. The data from the project will also enable the relevant staff of the Regional Authority to update the Air Quality Improvement Plan.