Spatiotemporal Variations and Contributing Factors of Air Pollutants in Almaty, Kazakhstan

• Published in: Aerosol and Air Quality Research Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 1340 - 1352
• Main Authors: Kerimray, Aiymgul, Azbanbayev, Eldar, Kenessov, Bulat, Plotitsyn, Pavel, Alimbayeva, Danara, Karaca, Ferhat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taoyuan City 社團法人台灣氣膠研究學會 01.06.2020; Taiwan Association of Aerosol Research
• Subjects: Air pollution; Air quality; Airborne particulates; Carbon monoxide; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Coal-fired power plants; Emission measurements; Emissions; Heating; Inversions; Nitrogen dioxide; Nonpoint source pollution; Nonpoint sources; Outdoor air quality; Particulate matter; Pollutants; Power plants; Stoves; Sulfur dioxide; Summer; Winter; Azerbaijan; Kazakhstan; Kyiv Ukraine; Ukraine; Air quality; Almaty; Kazakhstan; Aerosol; Atmospheric air pollution; Particulate matter
• ISSN: 1680-8584; 2071-1409
• DOI: 10.4209/aaqr.2019.09.0464

In this study, spatial and temporal patterns of PM_(10), PM_(2.5), NO_2, SO_2, and CO in Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan, in the period between 2013 and 2018 are explored. Severe degradation of air quality was observed from the data that were used in this study. Annual averages of PM_(2.5), PM_(10), and NO_2 concentrations exceeded the WHO annual limits by 5.3, 3.9, and 3.2 times, respectively. The maximum levels were observed in the winter, while the minimum levels in the summer. Winter-to-summer difference was more noticeable for PM_(2.5) than for other pollutants. The winter pollution peaks demonstrate the high contribution of large- and small-scale coal combustion for heating, which could be exacerbated with lower winds and possible more frequent thermal inversions. There was a negative correlation between elevation and levels of SO_2, PM_(2.5), and PM_(10), while no correlation was observed for NO_2 and CO, indicating that the former group could be mainly contributed by point sources located predominantly at lower elevations (e.g., power plants) and the latter group mainly originated from nonpoint sources distributed evenly across the city (e.g., transport). Urgent measures are needed to reduce emissions from the coal-fired power plant and from the domestic heating stoves.