Air quality monitoring in the eastern Jiul Valley

National Institute for Research and Development in Mine Safety and Protection to Explosion – INSEMEX Petroşani, 32-34 G-ral Vasile Milea Street, Petroşani 332047, Romania

^* Corresponding author: angela.gaman@insemex.ro

Abstract

Jiu Valley is an area with a tradition in the field of mining. Over time, coal mining has been the main driver of the local economy. The decrease in the level of coal use also led to the closure of mining units in the Jiu Valley. Such transitional actions require calibration to climate, environmental and health responsibilities. Air pollution specific to the area has, perhaps, the most significant impact on the quality of population’s life in terms of affecting health. The paper presents the air quality monitoring in the Eastern Jiu Valley for a period of four months (one sampling campaign/month), between February and May 2023, in six monitoring points, with the help of the Mobile Environmental Laboratory which has the facility of simultaneously determining several samples for quick identification of polluted areas. The established monitoring program includes the monitoring points, monitoring frequency and duration, as well as the areas where the mobile laboratory was located. The analysed data highlight the air quality in the Eastern Jiu Valley to establish the medium and long-term objectives in each area where the mobile laboratory was located, as well as the level of exposure of resident population. The concentration levels found in different urban areas illustrate the average concentrations of dust, gases and ozone caused by both activities in the area and road traffic.