Ship-borne measurements of PM10, PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants concentration levels in the Mediterranean Basin during the "Fenice 2013" cruise campaign.

The Mediterranean basin is a unique sea with a complex combination of climatological, meteorological, geographical and geological characteristics which makes it an interesting area of study in terms of health effects and environmental impacts. The fact that the Mediterranean is a semi-enclosed sea bordered by numerous industrialised nations, with a large population living close to the coast, has indeed led to concerns that pollutants and contaminants could build up within the Basin and affect wildlife. In the framework of the MED-OCEANOR program funded by the CNR, aerosol (particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5) and gaseous air pollutants (ozone, nitrogen oxides and carbon oxide) measurements were performed during a cruise campaign "Fenice 2013" from July 26th to August 12th, 2013 on board of the CNR Research Vessel (RV) Urania. PM10 and PM2.5 were continuously collected according to EN12341 method on PTFE filters with a time resolution of 24 h along the route followed in the Mediterranean Sea. In parallel, both the fractions of particulate matter were carried out during the time stops at selected stations fixed along the route and between each stop of the RV. Nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide were measured in accordance with European Standards (EN), using automated instruments (API, Teledyne Technologies, USA). In this study will be presented the results obtained on aerosol mass concentrations and gaseous air pollutants levels taking into account meteorological conditions as well as potential contributing sources observed during representative episodes occurred during the cruise campaign.