Published Article / Air pollution, just like any other type of pollution, produces harmful effects to man and his environment. In spite of knowing this, many less industrialised countries of the world have no air quality monitoring strategies in place. Consequently, documented evidence of air pollution studies in such countries is scarce. This is the case in Tanzania. This scenario is made worse by lack of scientific tools which could aid in identifying air pollution-prone areas with a view to aiding town planners in locating safe sites for schools, hospitals and residential areas as well as parks. In this paper, we present results of a study carried out in the city of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on air pollution in residential areas. Results show significant air pollution in the studied areas. Moreover, both adults and children are at risk due to lead pollution in the air.

Steel industry is a highly polluted industry and one of the most important stationary sources in Kaohsiung City. The steel manufacturing process could emit a huge amount of particles, such as the sintering process, the blast furnace operation, and the raw material handling process. Suspended particles emitted from steel industry could deteriorate ambient air quality and cause adverse effects on human health. In order to understand the impact of steel industry on ambient air quality in Siaogang District and to identify potential pollution sources, this study selected a integrated steel manufacturing plant located at Siaogang District to conduct a sampling protocol of suspended particulate matter (PM) at ambient sites (A1~A5) and sensitive sites (S1~S5) from July 2011 to March 2012. The size distribution of suspended particles in four seasons was measured with PM10 high-volume samplers, dichotomous samplers, and MOUDI for 3 days (24 hours for single sampling), and dustfall samplers for one month, to investigate the spatial distribution and temporal variation of PM concentration. After sampling, the physicochemical properties of PM, including mass concentration, particle size distribution, dustfall concentration, water-soluble ionic species, metallic elements, and carbonaceous contents, were further analyzed. Field measurement of ambient PM showed that the averaged ambient PM10 concentration (53.54 - 203.56 £gg/m3) were higher than sensitive sites (55.06 - 140.07 £gg/m3) and the averaged ambient PM2.5 concentration of ambient (23.10 - 120.21£gg/m3) were higher than sensitive sites (12.52 - 65.62 £gg/m3). No matter ambient or sensitive sites, it showed a tendency of lower concentration in summer, indicating that concentration variation of PM10 and PM2.5 were highly affected by meteorological factors (such as wind direction, wind speed, and relative humidity) in Siaogang District. Furthermore, a t-test result showed that ambient and sensitive sites have similar pollution sources since the p-values were in significantly different. Chemical analysis of PM results showed that the most abundant water-soluble ionic species of PM at the ambient and sensitive sites were secondary inorganic aerosols (SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+) and [NO3-]/[SO42-] showed that ionic species were mainly emitted from stationary sources. Fe, Al, K and Ca were the major metallic elements of this study, and the major pollution sources contain industries, traffics, and road dusts. Additionally, the raw material handling process was the major pollution source of PM. Correlation analysis of OC and EC showed that PM at ambient and sensitive sites were originated from primary sources, such as vehicles, industries, road dusts, and human activities. Results obtained from PCA and CMB receptor modeling showed that both PM2.5 and PM10 highly correlated with wind direction in different season and the major pollution sources were industry pollution (including petroleum refineries, power plants, waste incinerators, consistent operating steel mills and electric arc furnace steel mills, etc.), followed by local traffics and derivative. Furthermore, marine aerosols were one of the important pollution sources at sensitive sites (S1, S4, and S5) where close to the ocean.

Η ανάπτυξη των μεγαλουπόλεων συνεπάγεται τεράστιες εκπομπές αιωρούμενων σωματιδίων και άλλων ρυπαντών ουσιών στην ατμόσφαιρα, το οποίο οδηγεί σε πολύ μεγάλη υποβάθμιση της ποιότητας του ατμοσφαιρικού τους αέρα. Η καταγραφή και μελέτη όλων αυτών των αέριων ρυπαντών βελτιώνει σημαντικά τη γνώση μας, προκειμένου να καταλάβουμε αλλά και να διαχειριστούμε σωστά τέτοιου είδους σοβαρά περιβαλλοντικά προβλήματα. Στην παρούσα εργασία επεξεργαζόμαστε στατιστικά τα δεδομένα από 16 σταθμούς καταγραφής ατμοσφαιρικών ρύπων στην περιοχή της Αθήνας. Πιο συγκεκριμένα διαθέτουμε τις συγκεντρώσεις των αιωρούμενων σωματιδίων PM10 , του μονοξειδίου και διοξειδίου του αζώτου , του όζοντος , του μονοξειδίου του άνθρακα και του διοξειδίου του θείου για το έτος 2006, αλλά και τα μετεωρολογικά δεδομένα για το συγκεκριμένο έτος. Αναπαριστούμε γραφικά τις μέσες ημερήσιες αλλά και μηνιαίες τιμές για καθένα από τους παραπάνω ρύπους, για όλους τους σταθμούς στους οποίους μετρώνται οι συγκεντρώσεις τους και εξάγουμε συμπεράσματα για τις ώρες της ημέρας, αλλά και για το ποιούς μήνες, έχω τις μέγιστες τιμές για τον κάθε ρύπο. Ακόμα εξάγουμε συμπεράσματα σχετικά με τη συχνότητα εμφάνισης υπερβάσεων των θεσμοθετημένων ορίων , καθενός εκ των πιο πάνω ρυπαντών. Εφαρμόζουμε την μέθοδο της ανάλυσης γραμμικής παλινδρόμησης, με την οποία διαπιστώνουμε με ποιούς από τους υπόλοιπους ατμοσφαιρικούς ρύπους και με ποιες μετεωρολογικές παραμέτρους συσχετίζονται γραμμικά τα αιωρούμενα σωματίδια ενώ παρατηρούμε κάποια ετερογένεια ανάμεσα στους σταθμούς μέτρησής τους. Τέλος μέσω της διαδικασίας της ετεροσυσχέτισης των χρονοσειρών των ατμοσφαιρικών ρύπων των αιωρούμενων σωματιδίων, του μονοξειδίου του άνθρακα και του διοξειδίου του αζώτου μεταξύ των σταθμών καταγραφής τους, εξάγουμε συμπεράσματα σχετικά με τη συμπεριφορά των αντίστοιχων χρονοσειρών, δηλαδή το μέγεθος της σχέσης ανάμεσα στις δύο σειρές και τη χρονική απόσταση ανάμεσα στη θέση της μέγιστης ισοδυναμίας τους. / The development of big cities resulted in large emissions of suspended particulate matter (PM) and other pollutants in the atmosphere, which link to air quality deterioration. Monitoring and studying air pollutants improves our knowledge in order to understand and manage such significant environmental problems. In the present work, we perform statistics in the data of the 16 monitoring stations in Athens area. More specifically our data consists of the concentrations of PM10, NO, NO2, O3, SO2 and CO, as well as the meteorological data of the year 2006. We graphically represent mean daily and monthly values of each air pollutant and make appropriate conclusions. Moreover we deal with the exceedances of these air pollutants concentrations. We perform linear regression analysis in order to find out, which of the rest pollutants and meteorological data, PM10 have the best linear line fit with. We find enough differences between the monitoring stations. Finally through the cross correlation procedures of the time series of PM10, CO and NO2 between the monitoring stations, we make conclusions regarding the behavior of the time series as concerning the type of the relationship between them and the time distance between their maximum equivalence.

La dynamique des matières en suspension joue un rôle primordial au sein de la zone côtière en étant le principal vecteur de matière particulaire depuis les sources (rivières) vers les puits (marges continentales, canyons sous-marins, océan profond). Le suivi de cette dynamique, notamment pendant les évènements de crues des fleuves et des tempêtes, est primordial afin d’estimer les budgets sédimentaires des marges continentales, de suivre l’évolution des habitats benthiques et de déterminer le rôle de cette dynamique dans le transport de contaminants. Cette thèse a pour objet l’étude des impacts de tels évènements sur la dynamique des particules en suspension au sein du Golfe du Lion (Méditerranée). Une approche multiplateforme, couplant les différentes plateformes de mesures existantes (campagne en mer, glider, satellite, mouillage, bouée côtière) et basée sur la mesure de la turbidité en terme quantitatif et qualitatif a été adoptée. Les résultats ont permis de décrire 1) la dynamique des néphéloïdes en fonction des forçages (vents, vagues, courants) durant des évènements de crue du Rhône et de tempête marine, 2) la variabilité spatiale et temporelle de l’assemblage particulaire lors de ces mêmes évènements par une caractérisation in situ et 3) de montrer le rôle des plateformes autonomes du type gliders dans le suivi de la dynamique des matières en suspension en zone côtière. / Coastal suspended particulate matter dynamics play a main role in the fate of land-derived material from the source (rivers) to sink (continental margins, submarine canyons, deep sea). The monitoring of this dynamic, especially during flooding and storm conditions, is decisive to understand factors impacting sedimentary budgets of continental margins, health of benthic habitats and spread of contaminants. The aim of this PhD is to study the impacts of such events on the suspended particles dynamics over the shelf of the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediteranean). A multi-platform approach, combining existing observation platforms (survey, glider, satellite, mooring and coastal buoy) and based on the measurement of the turbidity was adopted. Results enabled to describe 1) the impacts of forcings (winds, waves, currents) on the dynamics of nepheloid layers during flooding and storm conditions, 2) the variability of the particle assemblage during such events through an in situ characterization and 3) the role of gliders in the monitoring of suspended particles dynamics within the coastal zone.

Tobacco smoking has been proved to be harmful to human health and is a known cause of many diseases. It has been shown that not only active smoking can cause health inconveniences - even an exposure to the environmental tobacco smoke (so called secondhand - SHS - or passive smoking) is a serious threat to human health, in some aspects nearly as severe as active smoking. Being aware of these risks, many countries have recently amended their policies which more or less restrict smoking in public places, especially workplaces and hospitality venues. In the Czech Republic, the smoke-free policy belongs to the less strict related to other countries, because it does not restrict smoking at all public places - restaurant and bar owners can choose whether their venue is smoke-free or not and their duty is only to label their venue both outside and inside. The law also enables the option of setting smoking and non-smoking spaces within the restaurant or bar. In a representative sample (over 100) of smoking and non-smoking sections of these restaurants and bars the concentrations of PM2.5, a marker of SHS concentrations, were measured with a photometer. The venues were divided into 3 groups according to the extent of separation of the sections. Parallel to the measurements, the gender composition and smoking...

Le fer et ses composés, notamment les (oxyhydr)oxydes, sont présents dans la nature et produits par les activités anthropiques. Ce caractère ubiquiste du fer et sa sensibilité aux conditions environnementales en fait un excellent traceur de sources et de processus.Cette thèse a pour objectif de tracer l’impact de l’Homme sur les matières en suspension (MES) de la Seine à partir des propriétés magnétiques de sa fraction ferrugineuse en utilisant les outils et méthodes du magnétisme environnemental.Un échantillonnage des MES a permis de couvrir le cours de la Seine et ses affluents durant différents contextes hydrologiques. Des analyses ont été conduites sur ces MES afin de caractériser les particules ferrugineuses magnétiques et d'examiner leurs relations avec les conditions environnementales dans lesquelles elles se sont formées et/ou ont évolué.La magnétite apparait comme l’oxyde dominant et montre une forte affinité avec la fraction fine des MES et ses propriétés magnétiques peuvent être utilisées pour décrire la charge sédimentaire de la Seine et les phénomènes de remise en suspension.Des augmentations de tailles et de concentration de magnétites sont associées à l’urbanisation et aux activités industrielles. Les variations spatiales entre amont et aval des confluences et les variations temporelles montrent que le cours d’eau joue un rôle dans les mécanismes d’accumulation, transport et dilution de ces particules. / Iron and its compounds, in particular iron (hoxyhydr)oxides are ubiquitous in both nature and human activity, and are sensitive to environmental conditions. They can hence be used as environmental source and process tracers.This thesis focuses on tracing the human activities impact in the ferruginous compound of the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Seine River (France) using environmental magnetism tools.SPM sampling was conducted along the Seine path and its tributaries during different hydrological contexts. Magnetic properties were measured to characterize the ferruginous magnetic particles and to examine their relationship with the environment in which they have been formed.The main magnetic carrier is magnetite. It is concentrated in the fine sediment fraction and its magnetic properties can be used to trace the sediment load and hydrodynamic processes of the Seine.Increases in concentration and grain size of magnetite particles are associated to urbanization and industrial activities which are sources of anthropogenic particles. Significant variations can be observed between upstream and downstream of confluences and in the temporal scale and can be associated to hydrodynamic processes such as dilution, accretion, transport and re-suspension of the ferruginous particles.

Methods for the determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with suspended participate matter were developed with the aim of determining airborne concentrations and to investigate seasonal trends. Other associate pollutants such as Total Suspended Particulate matter (TSP), Particulate Matter with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter less than 10 micrometres (PM10) and lead concentration were also reviewed to determine trends. Motor vehicle emissions appear to be the source of the PAHs and differences between the types and concentrations of PAHs detected at central business district sites verses suburban sites were noted. Wind erosion, biomass burning, motor vehicle emissions and industrial processes are sources of particulate matter in the atmosphere. Lead comes mainly from motor vehicles emissions in the ACT with some lead possibly from the burning of lead contaminated fuel. TSP and lead concentrations have decreased since air quality monitoring began in the early 1980s. PM10 concentration may also have fallen but the data set for PM10s is to small to draw any firm conclusions. Only TSP lead concentrations displayed a seasonal pattern. The ACT air pollution Act 1984 has placed restriction on the burning of fuels to improve air quality in the ACT. The air quality in regards to TSP and lead is improving. However, the only strong links between the Act and decreased pollutant concentrations is the introduction of unleaded petrol and the decrease of airborne lead concentrations.

Achieving optimization of IMTA sites and modeling the efficiency of such a system requires knowledge of the spatiotemporal distribution and variability of TPM surrounding the finfish farms. The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of finfish farms on the surrounding particle field. Platforms equipped with transmissometers, fluorometers and CTD’s were towed around the sites while undulating through the water column in a high-resolution 3D spatial survey approach. In addition, combination turbidity and chlorophyll a sensors were moored at a variety of locations and depths. Surveys were conducted concurrently with the deployment of current meters. Farms surveyed were found to have little impact on the surrounding suspended particle field (mean effect < 1 mg L-1). Results provided evidence of minimal enhancement from fish farm wastes, primarily in surficial waters (0.5- 2 m depth) immediately adjacent to the cages, and evidence of predominantly tidal driven (M2) TPM dynamics.

La mesure de Matières En Suspension (MES) est cruciale autant pour comprendre les transferts sédimentaires que pour les études des écosystèmes marins. Elles sont classiquement mesurées ponctuellement par des prélèvements d’eau in situ, ou à partir des propriétés optiques de l’eau. Mais depuis plusieurs décennies, les appareils acoustiques, ont montré leur capacité à mesurer ces MES sur de plus grands volumes. Ces mesures, en particulier celles de la concentration, s’appuient sur les propriétés de rétrodiffusion des particules. Mais ces mesures demeurent peu représentatives dans la mesure où le contenu en MES dans la colonne d’eau varie à différentes échelles de temps et d’espace. Dans un premier temps, ces travaux de thèse visent à montrer à travers des mesures in situ réalisées dans l’estuaire de l’Aulne qu’il est possible d’étendre spatialement la mesure par inversion des données issues de sondeurs multifaisceaux (SMF). Un modèle de rétrodiffusion adapté à la suspension d’intérêt, constituée dans cette étude d’agrégats estuariens, est d’abord élaboré. Puis grâce à des observations issues d’un profileur multifréquences, la concentration massique en MES, distribuée par classes de tailles, a pu être déterminée par la résolution d’un problème inverse. Ces informations permettent de déterminer les rayons équivalents de la suspension, grâce auxquels les données issues du SMF, au préalable calibrées par une méthode innovante, peuvent être inversées de manière directe. Une étude des incertitudes attachées aux valeurs de concentrations estimées est par la suite proposée afin de qualifier la pertinence des résultats. Puis dans un second temps, les conditions nécessaires à l’établissement d’un protocole de mesure des MES par système multi-capteur sont identifiées. Ce dernier permet la caractérisation en continu des MES à différentes échelles de temps et d’espace, en exploitant la complémentarité des mesures issues des différents instruments. / Measuring Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) is essential to better understand sediment transport and marine ecosystems. SPM is traditionnaly estimated through in situ water samples analysis, or based on the optical properties of water. Yet for several decades, acoustical devices have shown their capability to measure SPM on larger volumes. These measurements (especially in terms of SPM concentration) are based on the backscattering properties of the particles. However, these measurements remain limited, since the SPM content in the water column is subjected to variations on both spatial and temporal scales.As a first step, this work aims at showing that it is possible to increase the degree of spatialization of the SPM measurements by inverting MultiBeam EchoSounder (MBES) data, through in situ measurements acquired in the Aulne macrotidal estuary. A backscattering model was first designed to describe the backscattering properties of the suspension of interest, consisting in this study in estuarine agregates. Then, thanks to multifrequency observations, the SPM mass concentration sorted by size classes was retrieved through the the resolution of the inverse problem. This kind of information allows to determine the equivalent spherical radius of the the whole suspension, through which the MBES data, calibrated beforehand using an original method, can be directly inverted. Subsequently, a study of the uncertainties attached to the final concentration estimate is proposed in order to qualify the relevance of the results.In a second step, the necessary conditions for establishing a measurement protocol of the SPM are identified. The latter allows continuous characterization of SPM at different spatial and temporal scales, by exploiting the complementarity of the measures delivered by different instruments.

Les matières en suspension (MES) sont constituées de colloïdes et particules et sont couramment décrites comme des agrégats hétérogènes formées de phases minérales, organiques et biologiques et possédant une forte réactivité de surface. Cette étude vise à étudier l’évolution de composition spatiale et temporelle des MES de la rivière Moselle (Lorraine, France) et également d’étudier la réactivité des MES vis-à-vis de contaminants métalliques. Les MES ont été collectées à différentes stations le long de la rivière Moselle et selon différents régimes hydriques. Des études microscopiques et macroscopiques ont été réalisées dans le but de caractériser les MES. Les résultats ont montré que la composition minérale des MES était relativement constante (1) le long de la Moselle (2) durant différents régimes hydriques et que la géologie du bassin versant contribuait grandement à la composition des MES. Les affluents de la Fensch et de l’Orne, deux rivières impactées par l’héritage industriel ont cependant montré la présence de particules d’origine anthropique. Cette étude a également montré le rôle majeur des MES dans le transport des TMEs et REEs quel que soit le débit. La caractérisation organique des MES a également montré des variations atténuées révélant l’aspect intégrateur d’un bassin versant de cette taille. Des variations saisonnières ont tout de même été observées avec une production autochtone plus élevée durant l’été. L’augmentation du débit a engendré une diminution de la teneur en matière organique ainsi que la présence d’une matière organique plus dégradée. Hormis les stations sur la Fensch et l’Orne, les propriétés de surface des MES sont homogènes, en relation avec la composition des particules. Les études ont également montré que le zinc s’associait de manière différente selon la quantité de zinc en solution. Enfin, l’étude comparée du mode d’association du zinc sur les composés modèles et les MES naturelles a montré la contribution des phyllosilicates dans le transport du zinc / Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) in rivers, are constituted of colloidal and particulate matter, and described as heterogeneous aggregates of mineral, organic and biological phases which display high and reactive surface area. This study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal composition evolution (Mineral and organic) of SPM along the Moselle River (Lorraine, France). SPM were collected at different stations along the river and at different regime flow. Macroscopic and microscopic studies were performed in order to characterize natural SPM. The second objective was to investigate the reactivity of SPM toward metallic contaminants. The results showed that the grain size distribution, elemental composition and mineralogy of SPM along the Moselle River and during different regime flow showed only slight variations, except for the Fensch and Orne tributaries, two rivers that were impacted by inherited steel making industrialization and different land use. The results also revealed that the catchment geology greatly contributed to the SPM composition in the river and highlighted the fact that SPM play a high contribution in TMEs and REEs transportation. The SPM organic matter characterization also showed slight variations through the catchment revealing the diffuse pollution in a catchment of this size. Seasonal variations were observed with strong autochthonous production during low flow level in summer. Regime flow increase resulted in the decrease of TOC content and in the presence of more degraded OM. Except for Fensch and Orne stations, surface properties of SPM are similar in relation with SPM composition. This study also showed that Zn association mode differed with different Zn concentrations. The comparison between Zn association mode on lab controlled particles and natural SPM revealed the contribution of phyllosilicates in zinc transport