Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

The guideline is an application aid to everyone involved in the planning, performance or evaluation of ambient air quality measurements. The guideline can be used by clients and contractors alike as a reference, for example, for formulating requirement and performance specifications for the investigation of air quality.

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

When applying the guideline and carrying out the measurement-planning tasks, basic knowledge in the following fields is useful:- assessment of air pollution and its effects- chemistry of air- measurement techniques in the field of trace

analysis- meteorology- statistics- quality assurance

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

• Content of the task descriptionA specific task description is required in order to plan the

measurements. For the purposes of the guideline, the task is considered to be described with sufficient clarity if it allows stipulations to be made concerning the following points:

- air pollutants to be investigated,- assessment standards to be applied,- measurement techniques, including sampling,- measurement area and density of measuring sites or

measurement locations,- duration of an individual measurement, frequency and period of

measurement,- quality assurance,- evaluation and report.

If necessary, these points shall be discussed with the client to define further details.

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

• Ambient air quality measurements in accordance with EU directives

•  Investigation of the initial load

•  Investigation of traffic-related air pollution in residential areas

•  Investigations of air pollution to verify whether harmful effects on objects to be protected are anticipated  

• Investigation of the temporal distribution of air quality characteristics at stipulated measurement locations

•  Investigation of the spatial distribution of air quality characteristics in urban areas

•  Investigation of the spatial distribution of air quality characteristics in areas remote from the source

•  Investigation of air quality characteristics in cases of complaints

•  Investigation of the proportions from a significant source in the spatial distribution of air quality characteristics within a given area

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Problem analysis1.1Content of the task description1.2Analysis of background information1.3Assessment of the results of the measurements1.4Measurement parameters, measurement area and

measurement period1.5Requirements on the results

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Organization2.1Project management2.2Personnel planning2.3Scheduling2.4Subcontracts

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Measurement techniques3.1Time resolution of the measurements3.2Performance characteristics3.3Standardization of the measuring procedure3.4Infrastructure for using measurement techniques3.5Data recording and documentation of the measurements

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Measurement strategy4.1Measurement locations4.2Measurement times4.3Sampling period4.4Duration of the measurement program4.5Supplementary measurements

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Evaluation5.1Producing measured values5.2Evaluation algorithms5.3Measurement uncertainty5.4Uncertainty of the result

Quality assurance

Reports

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

The guideline is based on a catalogue of questions which have to be answered in the corresponding sections of measurement plans.The catalogue of questions can be used as a basis for the set up and structure of measurement plans.

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Problem analysis• What objective is to be achieved? • What background knowledge of the problem

is available?• How are the results of the measurements to

be assessed?• Which measurands are to be considered in

which measurement area and during which measurement period?

• What requirements are placed on the results?

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

 Organization • Who is the project leader and who is his/her

deputy?• What personnel (qualification) will be

assigned to which tasks in the course of the project?

• What is the schedule for the project performance?

• What quality assurance measures are planned for subcontracts in the course of the project?

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Measurement techniques•  Will the required temporal resolution be

achieved with the measurement procedure?• Are the performance characteristics met with

regard to the task description?• Is a standardized measurement procedure

required for the measurement task?• Can the infrastructure for the measurements be

provided?• How will the measurement data be recorded

and documented?

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

Measurement strategy • How will the measurement locations be

spatially distributed?• How will the measuring times be distributed?• Which sampling periods will be applied to

which air pollutants?• What is the duration of the measurement

program?• Will supplementary measurements be

required?

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

 Evaluation  How will the measured values be determined? What evaluation algorithms will be used? How will measured values below the

detection limit be treated?  How will measurement gaps be treated? How will outliers be treated? How will the measurement uncertainty be

determined? How will the uncertainty of the result be

determined?

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsGeneral rules

 Quality assurance• What QA measures will be carried out?

 

Reports• What measurement reports will be

prepared and how will these be structured?

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsRules for planning traffic related air pollutants

Necessary informations: 

         Road geometry

         Height and density of building

         Building use

         Traffic frequency and composition

         Prevailing wind direction

         Background pollution

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsRules for planning traffic related air pollutants

Characterization of the traffic sources• Average daily traffic density (DTV)• Daily and weekly traffic profile• Average traffic velocity• Jam content• Fleet composition• Destination/origin traffic, cold-start content

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsRules for planning traffic related air pollutants

Characterization of the traffic sources• Number of motorized two-wheel vehicles• Number of buses (Diesel, Gas)• Differentiation between heavy and light trucks• Effect of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsRules for planning traffic related air pollutants

Characterization of local conditions Road or road section, intersection and square  Width of the road, the individual carriageways,

the central reservation and sidewalks  Gradient of the road or road section  Geometry of building development (e.g. height

of buildings, closed or open building development, overhead development, gaps in buildings, etc.)

   Crossroads, junctions

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsRules for planning traffic related air pollutants

Meteorological conditions Wind direction, wind velocity at

neighbouring measurement stations (possible frequency distribution)

Wind direction, wind velocity over roof top (optional)

Orientation of the road to the prevailing wind direction; position of the measuring site in the crossing area (impinging flow in the case of prevailing wind direction)

Planning of ambient air quality measurementsRules for planning traffic related air pollutants

Pollution situation

• Measurement results from neighbouring long-term measurement stations (with low traffic pollution)