More effective air quality monitoring: New NABEL station in Dübendorf
In order to continue the long-standing series of measurements of air pollutants in Dübendorf (ZH), the federal government has opened a new station in its NABEL (National Air Pollutant Monitoring Network) monitoring network.
The new NABEL station represents a new type of measuring station. The historic Dübendorf measuring station, which had been in operation on the site of the Research Institute of Materials Science and Technology Development (Empa) since 1980, had to make way for a modern station on the site of the Eawag water research institute. The aim is to continue to have reliable data available in the future and to obtain a complete overview of air quality in Switzerland. These measurement data are a basic prerequisite for assessing whether measures are actually reducing emissions.
Air quality: Better, but not yet good enough
Although air pollution has decreased markedly in recent years, limit values are still being exceeded in some cases, as the recently published NABEL Annual Report 2019 shows (see box). Reducing ozone concentrations in summer and particulate matter in winter, as well as nitrogen compounds - especially ammonia - therefore remains a challenge.
The new NABEL station Dübendorf is located in the Glatt valley between Dübendorf and Wallisellen and represents the site type "suburbs or smaller cities". The area surrounding Dübendorf is densely populated, has a lot of commercial activity and is crossed by a network of busy roads and railroad lines. The measuring station is used for Empa's research activities on air quality issues. Thanks to a porthole, this measuring station is the only one in Switzerland that also allows the public to look inside.
New research areas, consolidated collaboration
The early identification of new problems and needs in air pollution control is an important joint task of the FOEN and Empa. For example, mobility habits are constantly evolving. This influences air quality, and new questions and research areas emerge.
On the technical side, the aim is to test metrological developments for the most efficient and meaningful determination of air pollutants. Here, for example, state-of-the-art laser spectrometers are used, or miniaturized and cost-effective instruments for flexible and spatially condensed measurements are tested. Newly emerging research questions concern the area of pollutants for which there are no legal immission limits, or the atmospheric dispersion of microplastics.
With the new NABEL measuring station in Dübendorf, air quality monitoring keeps pace with technological developments to protect the population. (Source: FOEN)
The NABEL Annual Report 2019
Since the end of the 1980s, the concentrations of particulate matter and heavy metals contained therein have decreased significantly. The just published NABEL annual report 2019 shows a decrease in air pollution for all pollutants. Today, for example, there is about fifty times less lead in particulate matter than thirty years ago, and pollution with other heavy metals is also declining. The air has therefore become cleaner - but not yet for all pollutants.
For ozone, for example, the limit values were exceeded at all NABEL stations in 2019. For respirable particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide, the immission limits were exceeded in some cases directly on busy roads. At all NABEL stations, the limit values for other air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide or carbon monoxide were complied with.
These measurements confirm that further measures are needed to reduce pollutant emissions. In particular, emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, respirable particulate matter and carcinogenic substances (e.g. diesel soot or benzene) must be further reduced. In doing so, the technical possibilities for reducing emissions from all sources are to be exhausted.
NABEL - National Air Pollutant Monitoring Network
The NABEL (National Air Pollution Monitoring Network) with its 16 measuring stations, operated by FOEN and Empa, serves to survey the status and development of air pollution throughout Switzerland. The measurements of NABEL cover the most important air pollutants that can harm human health or the environment, whether they are in gaseous or particulate form or contained in precipitation. Primarily, those air pollutants are measured which are regulated in the Swiss Air Pollution Control Ordinance or which have to be collected within the framework of international air pollution control agreements (e.g. nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, ammonia, etc.).
