Temporal Variability of Tropospheric Ozone Pollution in the Agricultural Region of Central-Eastern Poland

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the temporal variability of tropospheric ozone pollution. The research was carried out for the agricultural region of central-eastern Poland, an area covering the Lublin Voivodeship. One-hour averages of automatic measurements of tropospheric ozone concentration in 2015–2017 were used for the study. The data were obtained from three measuring stations belonging to the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection in Poland. The stations were located as part of the Air Quality Monitoring System in rural communes in the north-western, central and southern parts of the Lublin Voivodeship. Statistical analysis of the data showed that the tropospheric ozone concentrations were significantly dependent on weather conditions during the years of the study. At each monitoring station, the one-hour average O3 concentrations showed a clear structure over the course of the day: they were higher in the late morning and early afternoon than in the early morning and at night. The highest O3 concentrations were observed at the Florianka measurement station, located in Roztocze National Park. This area had high forest cover and was located at the highest elevation above sea level of the three measuring stations. In the light of climate change and increasing O3 concentrations, further scientific research on atmospheric air pollution is crucial, especially in agricultural areas associated with food production.