Ambient air quality measurement in al-asmarat discrete, al-Muqatam, Cairo, Egypt : a case study

الملخص EN

The ambient air pollution of Al-Asmarat discrete, Al-Muqatam, Cairo, Egypt was measured on a 24 hours basis at one sampling station during the summer of 2018 by collecting samples of carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxides (SO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitrogen oxides (NO2), ozone (O3) and particulate matters PM (2.5&10) at 15/16 July 2018 and 2/3 August 2018.

Temperature and humidity were also measured.

Major contributors to those pollutants were due to mobile vehicles and open burning emissions of Al Wafaawa Al Amal dump.

We found that the mean concentrations of the air pollutants at the first measurement 15/7 for CO, SO2, H2S, NO2, O3 and PM (10&2.5) were 0.928 mg/m3, 42.86 μg/m3, 151 μg/m3, 69.8 μg/m3, 21.4 μg/m3, and (52.35& 62.71 μg/m3), respectively.

While the concentration at the second measurement 2/8 were1.10 mg/m3, 196.1μg/m3, 252μg/m3, 21.2μg/m3 and (39.9&46.7μg/m3), respectively.

In conclusion, air pollutant concentrations in Al-Asmarat are lower except for SO2 and H2S.

The mean H2S concentration was 40 times the World Health Organization (WHO) cut-off limits and the mean SO2 concentration was more than WHO guidelines and the Egyptian law No.4, while NO2, NO, O3 and PM (10&2.5) concentrations are below WHO guidelines and the Egyptian law No.4.

Long-term studies are needed to characterize air pollution levels during all seasons, to assess related public health impacts, and explore mitigation approaches.