Comparison of high pm10 concentration between Łódź and smaller municipalities of Central Poland in 2012–2023 in the light of meteorological conditions
Comparison of high pm10 concentration between Łódź and smaller municipalities of Central Poland in 2012–2023 in the light of meteorological conditions

Summary/Abstract: Long-term human exposure to particulate matter with a size equal to or less than 10 micrometers may lead to serioushealth problems such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases or cancer. Whereas in most of Europe the number of prematuredeaths decreased significantly over more than a decade, in Poland, it remained at the same level. In Central Poland, as in the restof the country, the main reason for high PM10 concentrations is low-level emission from single-family houses, which are oftenpoorly insulated and heated by old furnaces with low-quality fuels or substitutes (i.e., wastes). The high concentration of PM10in winter is exaggerated by meteorological conditions that usually do not favour the dispersion of pollutants. High and veryhigh PM10 concentrations occurred during anticyclonic weather, when high pressure, limited turbulence, subsidence of the air,low wind speed and lack of precipitation hindered air pollution removal. The highest probability of high PM10 concentrationepisodes is for the air mass inflow from the eastern (NE–E) and southern (SW–S) sectors when the anticyclone center is locatedin the north-east or south-east of Poland. Additionally, decreasing temperatures in winter increase the demand for heatingand coal combustion. In Central Poland, from 2012 to 2023, the air quality significantly improved. Since 2019, the annualPM10 standards have been met at all stations, and the 24-hour limits are exceeded in only some of them. The most pollutedurban areas in Central Poland are Opoczno, Radomsko, Zduńska Wola, Piotrków Trybunalski and Łódź, and the level of pol-lution is not related to the number of citizens. In many cases, considerably less-populated cities such as Opoczno, ZduńskaWola or Radomsko are more polluted than Łódź.

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