INTRAURBAN AIR POLLUTION VARIABILITY IN INDUSTRIALISED TOWNS AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON POPULATION EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

Epidemiological studies often assume that air pollution is spatially homogeneous within urban areas and estimate population exposure by using monitored data from averaged data from a few stations. This approach may present critical issues in industrialised areas, characterized by huge emissions. The purpose of this work is to study time-space variability of pollutants in order to refine population exposure and consequent health effects assessment. Time series of meteorological and pollution data (SO2, NO2 and PM10) measured in different sites within two industrialised cities are analysed through descriptive and statistical analyses. Results show inhomogeneous impact of the industrial and harbour sites on separate areas of cities, especially regarding SO2 data rather than PM10 values, showing higher concentration values downwind the higher emission sites. Implications on population exposure assessment are discussed.