site.btaAir Quality Monitoring: How It Works and What Is About to Change

The National Air Quality System is to be upgraded under two projects – one under the Environment Programme 2021-2027 and the other under the Bulgarian-Swiss Cooperation Programme, representatives of the Environment Executive Agency (EEA) told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) on Tuesday. The aim is to modernize the monitoring stations, renew the equipment, and make information more accessible to the public, including through the development of a mobile application.

In the coming months, a comprehensive analysis will be carried out to outline the sequential steps for the forthcoming changes. Until then, experts will continue to closely monitor the system’s operation and the reporting of pollutant data.

Measurement of Fine Particulate Matter and Other Pollutants

The National Air Quality System consists of 48 stations, said Todorka Petkova, Chief Expert at EEA's Air, Noise and Radiological Monitoring Department. She demonstrated how the Pavlovo Automatic Monitoring Station operates.

The automatic stations measure the main indicators – fine particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, nickel, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Petkova explained.

The levels of fine particulate matter usually rise during the heating season, Petkova noted. The 24-hour values are averaged to produce a daily mean concentration, the expert explained. This concentration can then be compared with the daily limit value to determine whether an exceedance has occurred. The limit is 50 micrograms per cubic metre, measured for 24 hours, Petkova specified.

Asked which pollutant is the most hazardous to human health, Petkova said that this question should be answered by health experts, but stressed once again that there are established standards that must be observed.

A system providing information on air quality is available on the EEA website, where the public can check current data. The information is also transmitted in real time to the European Environment Agency.

A More Modern and User-Friendly System

Operating continuously, the equipment requires exceptionally strict control of technical parameters, as well as constant maintenance and periodic renewal, said Radoslava Shoevska, Director General of EEA's General Directorate for Laboratory and Analytical Activity. “That is why we are actively working on its modernization. We are implementing a project under the Environment Programme 2021-2027, aimed at improving the quality of monitoring at the national level. It will be implemented over a period of 30 months and includes the renewal of part of the technical instruments used for the so-called indicative measurements,” the expert explained.

Changes are also envisaged for the mobile automatic stations, which allow measurements at local sites where air quality issues have been identified, Shoevska said.

“We have planned for them to measure both the so-called routine pollutants and some specific substances,” she added. “We have discussed this idea in advance with the regional environment and water inspectorates, so that they can provide us with information about the enterprises on their territories and the pollutants potentially emitted."

According to Shoevska, another focus will be to provide the technical capacity for new equipment, including for the measurement of hydrocarbons and mercury in emissions, in order to control enterprises that, for example, burn waste. Improvements are also planned in terms of network and information security, to ensure reliable and protected data, the EEA noted.

Under the Bulgarian-Swiss project, the air quality monitoring system will be upgraded to become more modern, accessible, and understandable for the public, said Emil Rangelov, the project manager. The project will start with a detailed analysis that will provide information about the condition of the existing infrastructure, he said.

Currently, access to data requires several steps through the EEA website, Shoevska added. The goal is for the mobile application to make information instantly available on citizens’ phones. “The data are already reliable, but we want to improve the speed and convenience of access,” Rangelov explained.

“We plan for the application to send real-time notifications about air quality and to ensure continuous public awareness. The national system covers the entire country, and the positioning of the stations complies with European requirements,” the EEA representatives further explained.