Air quality in Kuwait urban areas

Abstract

AbstractAir pollution is a serious issue that has an impact on human health all over the world. Improving air quality is a main part of environmental sustainability, and it begins with identifying contaminants and their sources. This paper examines air quality in urban areas and the background levels of pollutants in Kuwait by analyzing pollutant data from a number of fixed monitoring stations managed by the Environment Public Authority in the State of Kuwait. The concentrations of SO2, CO, O3, NO, and PM10 were measured at several sites in Kuwait. This study examines time series and wind rose plots for temporal and spatial variation, and pollutant sources. The results of this study show different variation patterns for SO2, which could be linked to traffic levels. There were similar daily profiles for CO, NO, and O3 at all the sites. Most of these pollutants exceeded the limits set by air quality standards.