Measurements of nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide concentrations in urban and rural areas of Poland using a passive sampling method

Measurements of 1-month concentrations of NO2 and SO2 were carried out in the period from may 1993 to April 1994 in 147 points in 30 major cities of Poland and in 31 points in rural areas. The measurement points Ir ere divided into five classes representing: centres of cities, residential areas, industrial areas, traffic locations and rural areas. Passive samplers Mere prepared in one laboratory, mailed to local laboratories for sampling and then returned for analysis. The same samplers were used for collecting both NO2 and SO2. Analyses for NO2 absorbed as nitrite were mane spectrophotometrically after reaction with Saltzman reagent. Sulphur dioxide was determined as sulphate with ion chromatography. The consistency of data allot!ed comparison of levels of air pollution in different cities and the production of maps of spatial distribution of NO2 and SO2 in rural areas of Poland. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.