Evaluation of air pollution trends in Istanbul

Abstract

Previously, SO2 and PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 mum in size) concentration distributions have been investigated in order to assess air pollution in Istanbul during the winter season (November-M arch) in which the concentration of these pollutants had reached formidably high levels due to the consumption of low-quality fuels (mainly coal) for residential heating. In this study, the effect of the increased share of natural gas and high-quality coal consumption in residential areas on air pollution levels was investigated. Modelling employing the method of kriging by spherical interpolation was used to obtain the concentration distribution of these pollutants, and spatial distributions of concentrations were generated. The pollution map obtained by this method indicated that increased usage of natural gas and high-quality coal in residential areas significantly improved air quality.