Developing Air Pollution Early Warning System for the Marmara

Region in Turkey

Huseyin Ozdemir 1, Yusuf Karahan

2 and Goksel Demir

1

1 Bahcesehir University, Environmental Engineering Department, Ciragan Cd. Osmanpaşa Mektebi Sk.

Besiktas 34353 Istanbul, Turkey 2 Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul Dunya Ticaret Merkezi, A3 Blok Kat: 2-3, Yesilkoy 34149

Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract. Air pollution is an important environmental problem, which has increasing attention in the recent

years. Scientists have concern about harmful effects of air pollution on public health and ecological system.

The effective management and control of air pollution is required to minimize these problems. Air quality

monitoring network provides to measure specified air pollutants. Measurements are then compared with the

limit values and models, and eventually reaching solutions by developing control methods. Ministry of

Environment and Urban Planning in Turkey has a national air quality monitoring network and measurements

which are given hourly on the website. However, the measurement results do not give the overall picture

alone and the data must be analyzed. Within this application, system stores the data automatically in a

database and makes hourly analysis. Then it sends the results automatically to the authorities. The system

takes data from air pollution monitoring stations in the Marmara Region of Turkey. Later, it evaluates the

results according to the international air quality standards and informs the authorities by message or e-mail.

Therefore, this system will be useful for the governments as Air Pollution Early Warning Systems.

Keywords: Air pollution monitoring, air pollution early warning system, Marmara region, Turkey.

1. Introduction

Air is essential for all living systems, but air pollution is increasing day by day due to the increasing

world population and industry. Increased pollution levels have becoming a threat to human health. In recent

years, public awareness for the environmental problems and the scientific researches has been increased [1],

[2]. Today, anthropogenic air pollution is caused by mainly industrial production, transportation and burning

of fossil fuels for the electricity.

Air pollutants can be divided into two categories as primary and secondary. Primary pollutants are

harmful chemicals that are directly released into the atmosphere. Nitrogen, sulfur, carbon oxides,

hydrocarbons, particulate matter are the main primary air pollutants [3]. Ozone is produced at the end of

several chemical reactions in the atmosphere and accepted as secondary air pollutant. Particulate matter can

be classified according to its aerodynamic diameter. Coarse particles have a diameter of 10 μm and fine

particles are smaller than 2.5 μm [4]. Coarse particles are small enough to enter the lungs and can cause

serious health problems. Particulate matter and ground-level ozone are two major examples of air pollutants

that are considered as harmful for human health [5].

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Incomplete combustion of carbon

containing fuels forms CO. Carbon monoxide gas is a primary air pollutant. Lack of oxygen, ignition

temperature, the gas retention time at high temperature, and the combustion chamber turbulence produce

incomplete combustion of carbon monoxide occurrence rather than CO2 [6].

Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 212 3810548; fax: +90 212 3810550.

E-mail address: goksel.demir@eng.bahcesehir.edu.tr

2015 6th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology

Volume 84 of IPCBEE (2015)

DOI: 10.7763/IPCBEE. 2015. V84. 3

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In addition, whole formation of CO remains in the lower atmosphere as stable gas, which is increasing

every year by 0.03 ppm [7].

Sulfur dioxide (SO2), a non-flammable colorless gas, is one of the primary air pollutants. It is a stable

molecule, which remains 40 days in the atmosphere without degradation. SO2 is produced by the combustion

of sulfur containing fuels [8]. More than 80% of the anthropogenic SO2 emissions are released from

industrial combustion [9]. Globally, more than 60% of total methane (CH4) emissions are caused by human

activities [10]. CH4 is also emitted from industrial, agricultural, and waste management activities. Lifetime of

CH4 is much shorter than CO2. However, CH4 is more efficient at trapping radiation in comparison to CO2.

Impact of CH4 on climate change is over 20 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year period.

Nitrogen oxide gases are colorless and odorless. NOx is emitted from anthropogenic sources such as

fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning, as well as natural sources such as lightning and microbiological

processes in soil. NOx gases play an important role in oxidation processes in the atmosphere [11].

Ozone (O3) is found in the atmosphere as trophospheric and stratospheric O3. Tropospheric O3 plays a

major role in global climate change. O3 keeps the radiation in the atmosphere and leads to an increase in the

greenhouse effect. However, stratospheric O3 plays an important role for the human body by absorbing the

ultraviolet radiation [12].

Air pollution alert services are systems that proactively alert registered users of impending pollution

events, rather than leaving it up to the user to find the information elsewhere. As would be expected, these

information tools are targeted towards susceptible groups in a community or simply individuals who have

limited access to media that routinely reports air quality index information. Examples of such systems are

airALERT and airTEXT operating in the UK, Luftkvalitet in Sweden and the American-based EnviroFlash.

People who register to this service can choose to receive the alerts via a home phone, mobile phone or e-mail.

Another method of information delivery is smart phone applications which are an example of ‘London Air’.

These are developed by the Environmental Research Group at King’s College London for the iphone and

Android market [8].

Both effective management and air pollution controls are required to prevent the people from the adverse

effects of air pollutants. In Turkey, the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning has an available

national air quality monitoring network and the hourly results are displayed on its web site. However, the

measurement results should be also analyzed. In this study, data is completely analyzed automatically in the

database.

2. Methodology

Air pollution measurement results are evaluated according to the limit values. If the measurement results

exceed the limit values, warning message is sent to the officers. The warning system is web-based software

that has been implemented as accessible to the public. Air quality limit values in European Union and

Turkey are given in Table 1.

Exceeded limit values are set via e-mail and SMS through transmitting systems that are hosted

commercial Web servers. Name of the station that has high concentration and exceeding parameters are

recorded as a separate file. On the other end, information related to the station is sent as SMS and e-mail to

the recipients. Fig. 1 (a) shows the flow chart, which shows how data is entered automatically at certain

intervals. Detailed information associated with air pollution early warning system is shown in Fig. 1 (b).

Air monitoring stations located on the map have two colors as green and red. The monitoring stations

which have green color are in the normal range values, that are shown by red color have exceeded the limits.

(Fig. 2).

3. Results & Discussion

The data coming through warning system is sent by e-mail and SMS to subscribers, which can be

instantaneous results. Map Marmara Region at the home screen is shown as a control area. Marker is marked

with major attractions. Maps can be made with the standard map functions. Position marked on the map with

detailed information can be accessed by clicking. In the map, color and abbreviations are related to Legend.

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All cases with exceeding air pollution standards, together with the values are shown on the home page.

In this way site is opened and has become impossible to go unnoticed. The list of values of air pollutants in

detail can be shown in the menu by selecting the desired way. In addition, pollutants data can be transferred

to Excel files by clicking directly to Excel icon.

In the pop-up window for the selected station details will have three main headings. Detailed display

window, the corresponding position in the last month include the extent of the pollution. Displayed

pollutants will be SO2, PM10, CO, NO, NO2, and NOx. Detailed representation will give the air pollutants

which have exceeded the critical limit values with the different colors in the table.

(a) (b)

Fig. 1: (a) Flow chart of automatic data entry. (b) Interaction Website.

Table 1: 2014 Air Quality Limit Values in EU and Turkey

Pollutants EU Limit Values TURKISH

SO2

350 500

125 250

20 125

- 125

20 -

- 20

NO2 200 300

40 60

NOx 30 30

- 30

PM10

50 100

- 90

40 60

Pb 0,5 1

C6H6 5 10

CO

10000 16000

- 10000

- 10000

O3

120 120 (Target values for

2022)

120 120 (Target values for

2022)

180 (information

threshold)

180 (information

threshold) 240 (warning threshold)

240 (warning threshold)

180 (information

threshold) 240 (warning threshold)

Arsenic 0.006 -

Cadmium 0.005 -

Nickel 0.02 -

Benzo(a)pyrene 0.001 -

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(a) (b) (c) (d)

Fig. 2: (a) The icon on each city exceeding the limit values are expressed in different colors. (b) The measurement data

for selected city: when you click on the desired provinces (graphics, details, feedback, and warnings can be seen on the

station) (c) Statistical data of the selected city (d) Daily, weekly and annual trends can be viewed with graphics.

Detailed levels window located in the second tab shows detailed information about the air pollution to

assess by visual basis. In this way, a graphic for the air pollution case will be observed in terms of changes in

related parameters. These parameters will be displayed with different colors on a single graph.

The server system is one of the main features that makes it different with its feedback mechanism and

makes easy analyzing the air pollution measurements and results in the fastest way to reach to the relevant

departments and will make the results more meaningful

(a) (b) (c)

(d) (e)

Fig. 3: (a) City-based screen (b) The main map screen (c) Exceeding values (d) SMS example (e) Graphic report of air

pollution.

Feedback system works with two ways. Related units will be added to the database from here to the e-

mail addresses with the pollution measurements and air pollution excess of limits values will be sent to the

relevant location. In this case, the relevant units of measurement were added and necessary measurements

were made with using warning system.

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SMS alert system database being resolved and air pollution situation in excess of the limit values for the

individuals concerned to persons contained units can be forwarded via SMS. Thus, independently of the

work time always likely to be aware of air pollution alerts are related to persons.

SMS system operator has an automatically operated based structure. On the database the server system

is operatively connected to the warnings.

SMS alert system Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Urban Development air quality

monitoring stations from the web site in the Marmara region located 24 stations obtained from the

measurement results to be interpreted by the limit value exceedances station level as SMS to mobile phones

is transmitted. Accordingly, limit excess in the stations and measured at these stations exceeded the value of

pollutants can communicate via SMS to the user.

This system is connected to the air monitoring stations on air pollution of cities and towns can be sent to

the department. In this way, 7 days 24 hours, responsible for air pollution that occur can be followed via

SMS from a mobile phone.

4. Conclusion

The aim of this study is to build a system that analyzes the air quality in Marmara Region and send

warning reports according to limit values. This system integrated with air quality monitoring network

provides online following of the air pollution episodes. The overall objective is to improve warning systems

for data acquisition, processing and evaluation on the web.

Air pollution should be controlled and continuously monitored due to its harmful effects on human

health and nature. Critical pollutants should be regularly monitored that are exceeding the limit values should

be detected. International air pollution limit values are used for this study. Limits are variable for each

pollutant, thus the value of each pollutant were evaluated according to its limit. In this system, PM10, CO,

SO2, NO, NO2, NOx, and O3 pollutants are selected as critical pollutants.

In this warning system, the received data is shown to the user by means of maps, a snapshot of air

pollution episodes and consequently for exceeding limits, warning with electronic mail and mobile phone

messages are provided. International air quality standards have been used for the interactive warning system.

Thus, the information is accessed quickly and efficiently. Finally, the presented model is an early warning

system reducing exposure to extreme air pollution.

Please acknowledge collaborators or anyone who has helped with the paper at the end of the text.

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