Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK)

Xiansheng Liu; Rosa Lara; Marvin Dufresne; Lijie Wu; Xun Zhang; Tao Wang; Marta Monge; Cristina Reche; Anna Di Leo; Guido Lanzani; Cristina Colombi; Anna Font; Annalisa Sheehan; David C. Green; Ulla Makkonen; Stéphane Sauvage; Thérèse Salameh; Jean Eudes Petit; Mélodie Chatain; Hugh Coe; Siqi Hou; Roy Harrison; Philip K. Hopke; Tuukka Petäjä; Andrés Alastuey; Xavier Querol

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519

Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK)

Xiansheng Liu^*, Rosa Lara, Marvin Dufresne, Lijie Wu, Xun Zhang, Tao Wang, Marta Monge, Cristina Reche, Anna Di Leo, Guido Lanzani, Cristina Colombi, Anna Font, Annalisa Sheehan, David C. Green, Ulla Makkonen, Stéphane Sauvage, Thérèse Salameh, Jean Eudes Petit, Mélodie Chatain, Hugh CoeSiqi Hou, Roy Harrison, Philip K. Hopke, Tuukka Petäjä, Andrés Alastuey, Xavier Querol

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

This study addressed the scarcity of NH₃ measurements in urban Europe and the diverse monitoring protocols, hindering direct data comparison. Sixty-nine datasets from Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK across various site types, including industrial (IND, 8), traffic (TR, 12), urban (UB, 22), suburban (SUB, 12), and regional background (RB, 15), are analyzed to this study. Among these, 26 sites provided 5, or more, years of data for time series analysis. Despite varied protocols, necessitating future harmonization, the average NH₃ concentration across sites reached 8.0 ± 8.9 μg/m³. Excluding farming/agricultural hotspots (FAHs), IND and TR sites had the highest concentrations (4.7 ± 3.2 and 4.5 ± 1.0 μg/m³), followed by UB, SUB, and RB sites (3.3 ± 1.5, 2.7 ± 1.3, and 1.0 ± 0.3 μg/m³, respectively) indicating that industrial, traffic, and other urban sources were primary contributors to NH₃ outside FAH regions. When referring exclusively to the FAHs, concentrations ranged from 10.0 ± 2.3 to 15.6 ± 17.2 μg/m³, with the highest concentrations being reached in RB sites close to the farming and agricultural sources, and that, on average for FAHs there is a decreasing NH₃ concentration gradient towards the city. Time trends showed that over half of the sites (18/26) observed statistically significant trends. Approximately 50 % of UB and TR sites showed a decreasing trend, while 30 % an increasing one. Meta-analysis revealed a small insignificant decreasing trend for non-FAH RB sites. In FAHs, there was a significant upward trend at a rate of 3.51[0.45,6.57]%/yr. Seasonal patterns of NH₃ concentrations varied, with urban areas experiencing fluctuations influenced by surrounding emissions, particularly in FAHs. Diel variation showed differing patterns at urban monitoring sites, all with higher daytime concentrations, but with variations in peak times depending on major emission sources and meteorological patterns. These results offer valuable insights into the spatio-temporal patterns of gas-phase NH₃ concentrations in urban Europe, contributing to future efforts in benchmarking NH₃ pollution control in urban areas.

Original language	English
Article number	108519
Journal	Environment international
Volume	185
Early online date	28 Feb 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519
Publication status	Published - Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study is supported by the RI-URBANS project (Research Infrastructures Services Reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial Areas, European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Green Deal, European Commission, contract 101036245), the “Agencia Estatal de Investigación” from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, FEDER funds under the projects CAIAC (PID2019-108990RB-I00), and the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR 2021 SGR 00447). Additional support through Academy of Finland flagship “Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center ( ACCC ), grant number 337549 and 337552 as well as Technology Industries of Finland Centennial foundation via “Urbaani ilmanlaatu 2.0”. This study is also part funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42101470, 72242106, 42205099), the Chunhui Project Foundation of the Education Department of China (HZKY20220053), Project of Social Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023BTY128), and Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023D01A57). The authors would like to thank AtmoGrand Est for providing the data for Strasbourg and Reims; Atmo Normandie for the Gonfreville l'Orcher Petit Queuvilly and Rouen data; Atmo Nouvelle Aquitaine for the Niort - Venise, Bourdeaux - Gautier; et Poitiers - Le Nain data, and the NERC project OSCA (NE/T001976/1). This work was also supported by Natural Environment Research Council Grant NE/T001909/02, and part funded by the National Institute for Heart Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health, a partnership between the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Imperial College London. We also thank Prof William Bloss for access to the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite measurements.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s)

Keywords

Ammonia
Europe
Spatial variability
Temporal variability
Urban

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Environmental Science

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

LiuX2024VariabilityFinal published version, 9.42 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

RI-URBANS: Research Infrastructures services reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial areaS
Harrison, R.
European Commission
1/10/21 → 30/09/25
Project: EU

Cite this

Liu, X., Lara, R., Dufresne, M., Wu, L., Zhang, X., Wang, T., Monge, M., Reche, C., Di Leo, A., Lanzani, G., Colombi, C., Font, A., Sheehan, A., Green, D. C., Makkonen, U., Sauvage, S., Salameh, T., Petit, J. E., Chatain, M., ... Querol, X. (2024). Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK). Environment international, 185, Article 108519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519

@article{50d99effe91446ec81cfc70bc70fb1b9,

title = "Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK)",

abstract = "This study addressed the scarcity of NH3 measurements in urban Europe and the diverse monitoring protocols, hindering direct data comparison. Sixty-nine datasets from Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK across various site types, including industrial (IND, 8), traffic (TR, 12), urban (UB, 22), suburban (SUB, 12), and regional background (RB, 15), are analyzed to this study. Among these, 26 sites provided 5, or more, years of data for time series analysis. Despite varied protocols, necessitating future harmonization, the average NH3 concentration across sites reached 8.0 ± 8.9 μg/m3. Excluding farming/agricultural hotspots (FAHs), IND and TR sites had the highest concentrations (4.7 ± 3.2 and 4.5 ± 1.0 μg/m3), followed by UB, SUB, and RB sites (3.3 ± 1.5, 2.7 ± 1.3, and 1.0 ± 0.3 μg/m3, respectively) indicating that industrial, traffic, and other urban sources were primary contributors to NH3 outside FAH regions. When referring exclusively to the FAHs, concentrations ranged from 10.0 ± 2.3 to 15.6 ± 17.2 μg/m3, with the highest concentrations being reached in RB sites close to the farming and agricultural sources, and that, on average for FAHs there is a decreasing NH3 concentration gradient towards the city. Time trends showed that over half of the sites (18/26) observed statistically significant trends. Approximately 50 % of UB and TR sites showed a decreasing trend, while 30 % an increasing one. Meta-analysis revealed a small insignificant decreasing trend for non-FAH RB sites. In FAHs, there was a significant upward trend at a rate of 3.51[0.45,6.57]%/yr. Seasonal patterns of NH3 concentrations varied, with urban areas experiencing fluctuations influenced by surrounding emissions, particularly in FAHs. Diel variation showed differing patterns at urban monitoring sites, all with higher daytime concentrations, but with variations in peak times depending on major emission sources and meteorological patterns. These results offer valuable insights into the spatio-temporal patterns of gas-phase NH3 concentrations in urban Europe, contributing to future efforts in benchmarking NH3 pollution control in urban areas.",

keywords = "Ammonia, Europe, Spatial variability, Temporal variability, Urban",

author = "Xiansheng Liu and Rosa Lara and Marvin Dufresne and Lijie Wu and Xun Zhang and Tao Wang and Marta Monge and Cristina Reche and {Di Leo}, Anna and Guido Lanzani and Cristina Colombi and Anna Font and Annalisa Sheehan and Green, {David C.} and Ulla Makkonen and St{\'e}phane Sauvage and Th{\'e}r{\`e}se Salameh and Petit, {Jean Eudes} and M{\'e}lodie Chatain and Hugh Coe and Siqi Hou and Roy Harrison and Hopke, {Philip K.} and Tuukka Pet{\"a}j{\"a} and Andr{\'e}s Alastuey and Xavier Querol",

note = "Funding Information: This study is supported by the RI-URBANS project (Research Infrastructures Services Reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial Areas, European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Green Deal, European Commission, contract 101036245), the “Agencia Estatal de Investigaci{\'o}n” from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, FEDER funds under the projects CAIAC (PID2019-108990RB-I00), and the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR 2021 SGR 00447). Additional support through Academy of Finland flagship “Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center ( ACCC ), grant number 337549 and 337552 as well as Technology Industries of Finland Centennial foundation via “Urbaani ilmanlaatu 2.0”. This study is also part funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42101470, 72242106, 42205099), the Chunhui Project Foundation of the Education Department of China (HZKY20220053), Project of Social Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023BTY128), and Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023D01A57). The authors would like to thank AtmoGrand Est for providing the data for Strasbourg and Reims; Atmo Normandie for the Gonfreville l'Orcher Petit Queuvilly and Rouen data; Atmo Nouvelle Aquitaine for the Niort - Venise, Bourdeaux - Gautier; et Poitiers - Le Nain data, and the NERC project OSCA (NE/T001976/1). This work was also supported by Natural Environment Research Council Grant NE/T001909/02, and part funded by the National Institute for Heart Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health, a partnership between the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Imperial College London. We also thank Prof William Bloss for access to the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite measurements. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s)",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519",

language = "English",

volume = "185",

journal = "Environment international",

issn = "0160-4120",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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Liu, X, Lara, R, Dufresne, M, Wu, L, Zhang, X, Wang, T, Monge, M, Reche, C, Di Leo, A, Lanzani, G, Colombi, C, Font, A, Sheehan, A, Green, DC, Makkonen, U, Sauvage, S, Salameh, T, Petit, JE, Chatain, M, Coe, H, Hou, S , Harrison, R, Hopke, PK, Petäjä, T, Alastuey, A & Querol, X 2024, 'Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK)', Environment international, vol. 185, 108519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519

TY - JOUR

T1 - Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK)

AU - Liu, Xiansheng

AU - Lara, Rosa

AU - Dufresne, Marvin

AU - Wu, Lijie

AU - Zhang, Xun

AU - Wang, Tao

AU - Monge, Marta

AU - Reche, Cristina

AU - Di Leo, Anna

AU - Lanzani, Guido

AU - Colombi, Cristina

AU - Font, Anna

AU - Sheehan, Annalisa

AU - Green, David C.

AU - Makkonen, Ulla

AU - Sauvage, Stéphane

AU - Salameh, Thérèse

AU - Petit, Jean Eudes

AU - Chatain, Mélodie

AU - Coe, Hugh

AU - Hou, Siqi

AU - Harrison, Roy

AU - Hopke, Philip K.

AU - Petäjä, Tuukka

AU - Alastuey, Andrés

AU - Querol, Xavier

N1 - Funding Information: This study is supported by the RI-URBANS project (Research Infrastructures Services Reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial Areas, European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Green Deal, European Commission, contract 101036245), the “Agencia Estatal de Investigación” from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, FEDER funds under the projects CAIAC (PID2019-108990RB-I00), and the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR 2021 SGR 00447). Additional support through Academy of Finland flagship “Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center ( ACCC ), grant number 337549 and 337552 as well as Technology Industries of Finland Centennial foundation via “Urbaani ilmanlaatu 2.0”. This study is also part funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42101470, 72242106, 42205099), the Chunhui Project Foundation of the Education Department of China (HZKY20220053), Project of Social Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023BTY128), and Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (2023D01A57). The authors would like to thank AtmoGrand Est for providing the data for Strasbourg and Reims; Atmo Normandie for the Gonfreville l'Orcher Petit Queuvilly and Rouen data; Atmo Nouvelle Aquitaine for the Niort - Venise, Bourdeaux - Gautier; et Poitiers - Le Nain data, and the NERC project OSCA (NE/T001976/1). This work was also supported by Natural Environment Research Council Grant NE/T001909/02, and part funded by the National Institute for Heart Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health, a partnership between the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Imperial College London. We also thank Prof William Bloss for access to the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite measurements. Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)

PY - 2024/3

Y1 - 2024/3

N2 - This study addressed the scarcity of NH3 measurements in urban Europe and the diverse monitoring protocols, hindering direct data comparison. Sixty-nine datasets from Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK across various site types, including industrial (IND, 8), traffic (TR, 12), urban (UB, 22), suburban (SUB, 12), and regional background (RB, 15), are analyzed to this study. Among these, 26 sites provided 5, or more, years of data for time series analysis. Despite varied protocols, necessitating future harmonization, the average NH3 concentration across sites reached 8.0 ± 8.9 μg/m3. Excluding farming/agricultural hotspots (FAHs), IND and TR sites had the highest concentrations (4.7 ± 3.2 and 4.5 ± 1.0 μg/m3), followed by UB, SUB, and RB sites (3.3 ± 1.5, 2.7 ± 1.3, and 1.0 ± 0.3 μg/m3, respectively) indicating that industrial, traffic, and other urban sources were primary contributors to NH3 outside FAH regions. When referring exclusively to the FAHs, concentrations ranged from 10.0 ± 2.3 to 15.6 ± 17.2 μg/m3, with the highest concentrations being reached in RB sites close to the farming and agricultural sources, and that, on average for FAHs there is a decreasing NH3 concentration gradient towards the city. Time trends showed that over half of the sites (18/26) observed statistically significant trends. Approximately 50 % of UB and TR sites showed a decreasing trend, while 30 % an increasing one. Meta-analysis revealed a small insignificant decreasing trend for non-FAH RB sites. In FAHs, there was a significant upward trend at a rate of 3.51[0.45,6.57]%/yr. Seasonal patterns of NH3 concentrations varied, with urban areas experiencing fluctuations influenced by surrounding emissions, particularly in FAHs. Diel variation showed differing patterns at urban monitoring sites, all with higher daytime concentrations, but with variations in peak times depending on major emission sources and meteorological patterns. These results offer valuable insights into the spatio-temporal patterns of gas-phase NH3 concentrations in urban Europe, contributing to future efforts in benchmarking NH3 pollution control in urban areas.

AB - This study addressed the scarcity of NH3 measurements in urban Europe and the diverse monitoring protocols, hindering direct data comparison. Sixty-nine datasets from Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK across various site types, including industrial (IND, 8), traffic (TR, 12), urban (UB, 22), suburban (SUB, 12), and regional background (RB, 15), are analyzed to this study. Among these, 26 sites provided 5, or more, years of data for time series analysis. Despite varied protocols, necessitating future harmonization, the average NH3 concentration across sites reached 8.0 ± 8.9 μg/m3. Excluding farming/agricultural hotspots (FAHs), IND and TR sites had the highest concentrations (4.7 ± 3.2 and 4.5 ± 1.0 μg/m3), followed by UB, SUB, and RB sites (3.3 ± 1.5, 2.7 ± 1.3, and 1.0 ± 0.3 μg/m3, respectively) indicating that industrial, traffic, and other urban sources were primary contributors to NH3 outside FAH regions. When referring exclusively to the FAHs, concentrations ranged from 10.0 ± 2.3 to 15.6 ± 17.2 μg/m3, with the highest concentrations being reached in RB sites close to the farming and agricultural sources, and that, on average for FAHs there is a decreasing NH3 concentration gradient towards the city. Time trends showed that over half of the sites (18/26) observed statistically significant trends. Approximately 50 % of UB and TR sites showed a decreasing trend, while 30 % an increasing one. Meta-analysis revealed a small insignificant decreasing trend for non-FAH RB sites. In FAHs, there was a significant upward trend at a rate of 3.51[0.45,6.57]%/yr. Seasonal patterns of NH3 concentrations varied, with urban areas experiencing fluctuations influenced by surrounding emissions, particularly in FAHs. Diel variation showed differing patterns at urban monitoring sites, all with higher daytime concentrations, but with variations in peak times depending on major emission sources and meteorological patterns. These results offer valuable insights into the spatio-temporal patterns of gas-phase NH3 concentrations in urban Europe, contributing to future efforts in benchmarking NH3 pollution control in urban areas.

KW - Ammonia

KW - Europe

KW - Spatial variability

KW - Temporal variability

KW - Urban

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DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108519

M3 - Article

C2 - 38428189

AN - SCOPUS:85186512167

SN - 0160-4120

VL - 185

JO - Environment international

JF - Environment international

M1 - 108519

ER -

Variability of ambient air ammonia in urban Europe (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Projects

RI-URBANS: Research Infrastructures services reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial areaS

Cite this