MEGI ҪAUSHAJ, DHURATA PREMTI, FATOS YLLI, LULJETA PINGULI, HASIME MANAJ, TERKIDA PRIFTI, ILIRJAN MALOLLARI
KEYWORDS : Primary pollutants, Low Volume Sampler device, correlation analysis (R), determination coefficient (R2 ).
ABSTRACT :
Tirana is a highly populated city with a significant number of vehicles, making the control and management of air pollutants crucial. Primary pollutants originate from various sources, including industrial factories and different combustion sources. Correlation analysis, along with the determination coefficient R2, reveals strong relationships among certain primary pollutants, particularly organic ones. Through this analysis we determined if the pollutants share a common source. High values indicate a strong connection between pollutants, suggesting a shared source. We analyzed daily median concentrations for PM2.5 (average yearly concentration 8 µg/m³) and PM10 (18 µg/m³) dataset for two urban sites in Tirana, available from the World Air Quality Index (WAQI). We evaluated that during years 2020 – 2024 the average daily concentration of PM2.5 varied each year, with higher peaks in winter due to biomass burning reaching the highest median daily value 50 µg/m³ in January 2021. Concentration of PM10 was every year double the concentration of PM2.5. We also conducted continuous 24 hours measurements in an urban area in Tirana using a low volume sampler device. To ensure accurate measurements, the equipment was placed 17 meters above the ground in an open space collecting information regarding not only PM2.5 but also temperature and pressure, twice weekly in Mars until 15 April. Consistently measured a flow rate of 2.3 m3 /h and an average PM2.5 59 JNS 35/2024 concentration of 20 µg/m³ across several days. While temperature max and min values were 23.9 °C and 10.8 °C. The Air Quality Index calculated for PM2.5 24-hour measurements was 68 indicating moderate levels.