Faculty of Applied Ecology, Singidunum University , Belgrade , Serbia
Faculty of Applied Ecology, Singidunum University , Belgrade , Serbia
Institute of Meteorology , Belgrade , Serbia
Meteorological conditions favorable for the build up of ozone (O ) are frequent in Belgrade and the 3
surrounding area. Measurements, for the seasons 1993 to 2004 performed at three different sites inside the city, revealed two main patterns of photochemical smog events in the Belgrade area: a progressive increase and accumulation of photochemical oxidants during period of warm and stable weather with frequent high daytime ozone concentrations, and transport of local oxidants with sporadically occurring high ozone concentrations during the night. In most cases diurnal ozone concentrations generally showed the typical pattern of photo-smog formation; a steep rise of ozone in the morning, a maximum in the early afternoon (sometimes with 1-h ozone levels greater than 110 ppb) and a rapid decrease in the evening. During such events nocturnal ozone concentrations were usually as low as 10 to 20 ppb (below the background level), but in some cases they were as high as 80 ppb. These variations of ozone concentrations were ascribed to transport of pollutant, ozone depletion chemistry (mainly with nitric oxide NO during the night) and enhanced deposition of ozone on wet surfaces at high humidity. A strong anticorrelation was found between elevation of nocturnal ozone concentration and relative humidity probably affected by small, local rise of temperature.
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