Abstract
Colombo Fort has been selected as the peak station with respect to air pollution monitoring, which is subject to air pollution due to vehicular emissions, harbor activities, commercial and domestic emissions and other industrial emissions etc. Several studies on air pollution monitoring had been carried out in the area. The Continuous Air Quality Monitoring was started on December 1996.
The continuous air quality monitoring data reveals that the annual average of SO2 and NO2 levels are in increasing trend. The annual average concentration of NO2 was 29.8 ìg/m3 and SO2 was 18.6 ìg/m3 in 1997. It was in 1998, 26.6 ìg/m3 and 33.9 ìg/m3 respectively. The percentage of yearly average increase of NO2 in 1997 to 1998, 1998 to 1999 and 1999 to 2000, was 14%, 51% and - 29 % respectively. However, the percentage of yearly average increase of SO2 was 43%, 43 % and 31% respectively. This revels that the total increasing percentage of NO2 from 1997 to 2002 was 23% and it was for SO2 was 168%.
If we consider one year from 2003 August to 2004 July, the monthly average of NO2 is 30%, in increasing trend and of SO2 is 9%, in decreasing trend. The results show that the total increasing percentage of NO2 from 1997 to 2004 was 75% and it was for SO2 was 145%.
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