The PIRAThe Project in Athens
Posted (Text and Photos) by Dr. Martin Ramacher, Department Chemistry Transport Modeling
For my project, PIRAThe I was able to secure funding through the TransNational Access (TNA) program under the EU H2020 Activity ATMO-ACCESS. The PIRAThe project, which stands for „Particulates Infiltrating Residencies in Athens,“ was designed as a combined measurement and modelling campaign. It commenced with a 3-week measurement campaign in collaboration with colleagues from the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) in Greece.
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I am currently employed as a postdoctoral researcher in the Chemistry Transport Modeling department, led by Dr. Volker Matthias, at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. My primary research focus lies in urban-scale air quality and population exposure modelling. Over the past few years, my collaboration with the National Observatory of Athens has grown significantly and yielded fruitful results, culminating in the conception of the PIRAThe project.
The primary objective of the PIRAThe project is to enhance and refine air pollution exposure estimates for the population residing in the Greater Athens Area (GAA). Established and commonly used methods for exposure estimation rely on the assumption that outdoor air pollutant concentrations are identical to indoor air pollutant concentrations. However, numerous measurements have shown that this assumption is flawed. The infiltration of outdoor air pollutants into indoor environments is highly dynamic and varies based on factors such as the type of pollutant, weather conditions, building characteristics, and individual behaviour. Considering that people spend more than 70% of their time indoors, whether at home or at work, it is imperative to account for this infiltration when calculating exposure estimates.
My exposure model, UNDYNE, which I developed during my PhD thesis, is capable of incorporating these fluctuations in outdoor-to-indoor pollutant concentrations as well as population activity in different environments when performing state-of-the-art exposure modelling. Nonetheless, achieving accurate pollution infiltration estimates for an entire city like Athens necessitates the utilization of local knowledge derived from measurements.
Athens lacked such measurements, prompting the initiation of the PIRAThe project, which involved a 3-week measurement campaign in six different residences within Athens. Each residence was equipped with multiple measurement devices, both indoors and outdoors, to monitor particulate matter, black carbon, and nitrogen dioxide. These measurements were accompanied by recordings of temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed/direction. In addition, residents were required to respond to questionnaires about their regular behaviour and building characteristics, as well as maintain a diary. These measurements now enable the analysis of pollutant infiltration into indoor environments, with the results serving as new representative parameters within the UNDYNE exposure model.
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The next step involved conducting model simulations to estimate the population of Athens‘ exposure to particulate matter, black carbon and nitrogen dioxide. This estimation incorporates the measured infiltration parameters and is then compared against existing, more generic parameters that are not representative of Athens. This improvement in accuracy facilitates more precise estimates of human exposure to pollutants, ultimately enhancing the assessment of health impacts. An additional benefit of this endeavour is that the National Observatory of Athens now has an operational, state-of-the-art exposure model designed specifically for Athens.
The TNA award presented a unique opportunity for my career as an air quality modeler. It allowed me to plan, organize, and execute a measurement campaign, gaining first-hand experience in measuring air pollutants and combining it with my modelling expertise. A similar project has already received funding and is scheduled for the next year in Liege, Belgium. This project will involve a more extensive array of measurements and will focus on the exposure of children to pollutants in schools.
