Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

Sana’a Odat ¹, Mahmoud Abu-Allaban ², Bra’ah AL-Trawneh ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid, JO
2 Department of Water Management and Environment, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, JO

Abstract

Seven air pollutants, SO₂, H₂S, CO, O₃ , NO_X, NH₃ and PM₁₀, in addition to basic meteorological parameters (wind speed, temperature and relative humidity) were measured in a residential area in Aqaba. Measurement took place during the time interval 31/12/2014 through 31/12/2015. Following ambient measurement, data were analysed to detect correlations between each air pollutant with meteorological parameters. Our findings showed that atmospheric concentrations of H₂S, CO, NO_X and NH₃ positively correlate with relative humidity, but PM₁₀, SO₂ and O₃ negatively correlate with it. Air temperature is found to enhance the creation of ozone. It is also found that the concentrations of PM₁₀, NH₃, NO_X and CO increase with both air temperature and wind speed. However, concentrations of SO₂ and H₂S decrease when air temperature or wind speed increases. High wind speed leads to a higher mixing rate and improved dispersion resulting in lower levels of air pollution.

Keywords

Air Pollution, Air Quality, Meteorology, Aqaba.

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