International air-quality monitoring campaign underway in Prague

Experts estimate that one in ten cars has a problem with excessive emissions. Czech scientists are now measuring the full range of substances present in the air at three busy locations as part of the MI-TRAP project, with measurements continuing until the end of September. AutoMat is an official stakeholder in this part of the research.

The Mitigating Transport-related Air Pollution in Europe project involves 11 European countries and 25 partners, who share some of the measuring equipment and take turns carrying out measurements. Researchers from the Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS are collecting data at three locations representing different urban and suburban environments. Measurements began in early July at the following sites:

• Holešovice (Argentinská): a heavily trafficked urban location near a major railway station. This site houses a container with all the measuring equipment used in the project, as well as some additional instruments.
• Vysočany (Kolbenova): a busy traffic junction where the MI-TRAP equipment is installed on the roof of a monitoring station operated by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.
• Dobrovíz: a suburban site representing background conditions outside Prague, located near the airport.

The choice of locations allows Czech researchers to compare air quality at sites with different levels of traffic and different surrounding environments. Such measurements are important for understanding how air pollution varies across urban areas and identifying the factors that contribute to these differences.

The campaign is part of a broader effort to improve the monitoring and more accurately identify pollutants associated with transport and the urban environment. By combining measurements from different locations and using a range of monitoring methods, the project aims to contribute to a more detailed understanding of air pollution and its spatial variability.

New sources of pollution

Despite progress and compliance with strict emissions standards, the negative impacts on health remain a cause for concern. The concept of so-called “real-world emissions” shows that while existing measures and technological advances have achieved some success in reducing emissions from fossil fuels, new sources of pollution are also emerging, including non-exhaust emissions and microplastics, which present new challenges.

The project, led on the Czech side by the Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the Czech Academy of Sciences, focuses on reducing the uncertainties associated with these sources, particularly in the case of combustion engines. It examines the physical and chemical transformations of emissions from the moment they are generated at the exhaust pipe or chimney to the point where they disperse into the surrounding air.

Using innovative monitoring equipment, advanced data analysis and data management systems, the project aims to establish a network of monitoring stations strategically located near areas with high concentrations of transport-related emissions.

AutoMat is also contributing to air-quality monitoring this year. As part of the CEAML project, we have been monitoring air quality and other microclimate indicators at a total of 12 schools in Czechia and Slovakia since May. The sensors were assembled by the students themselves during workshops, and the latest measurements can be viewed online.