Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco
Complex mixtures of air pollutants, including ozone (O<sub>3</sub>), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), black carbon (BC), and fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), present significant health...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/1/96 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832589133862666240 |
|---|---|
| author | Mustapha Zghaid Abdelfettah Benchrif Mounia Tahri Amine Arfaoui Malika Elouardi Mohamed Derdaki Ali Quyou Moulay Laarbi Ouahidi |
| author_facet | Mustapha Zghaid Abdelfettah Benchrif Mounia Tahri Amine Arfaoui Malika Elouardi Mohamed Derdaki Ali Quyou Moulay Laarbi Ouahidi |
| author_sort | Mustapha Zghaid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Complex mixtures of air pollutants, including ozone (O<sub>3</sub>), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), black carbon (BC), and fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), present significant health risks. To understand the factors influencing air pollution levels and their temporal variations, comprehensive high-resolution long-term air pollution data are essential. This study analyzed the characteristics, lagged meteorological effects, and temporal patterns of six air pollutant concentrations over a one-year period at an urban residential site in Kenitra, Morocco. The results reveal pronounced seasonal and diurnal variations in pollutant levels, shaped by meteorological factors, emission sources, and local geographic conditions. PM<sub>2.5</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, and CO concentrations peaked during winter, while NO<sub>2</sub> and CO exhibited consistent diurnal peaks during morning and evening rush hours across all seasons, driven by traffic emissions and nocturnal pollutant accumulation. In contrast, O<sub>3</sub> concentrations were highest during summer afternoons due to photochemical reactions fueled by strong UV radiation, while winter levels were the lowest due to reduced sunlight. Lagged meteorological effects further highlighted the complexity of air pollutant dynamics. Meteorological factors, including temperature, wind speed, humidity, and pressure, significantly influenced pollutant levels, with both immediate and lagged effects observed. Lag analyses revealed that PM<sub>2.5</sub> and BC levels responded to wind speed, temperature, and humidity over time, highlighting the temporal dynamics of dispersion and accumulation. CO is sensitive to temperature and pressure changes, with delayed impacts, while O<sub>3</sub> formation was primarily influenced by temperature and wind speed, reflecting complex photochemical processes. SO<sub>2</sub> concentrations were shaped by both immediate and lagged meteorological effects, with wind direction playing a key role in pollutant transport. These findings emphasize the importance of considering both immediate and lagged meteorological effects, as well as seasonal and diurnal variations, in developing air quality management strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b51f16ab3f547459a795679ed0ec05f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b51f16ab3f547459a795679ed0ec05f2025-01-24T13:22:01ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-01-011619610.3390/atmos16010096Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, MoroccoMustapha Zghaid0Abdelfettah Benchrif1Mounia Tahri2Amine Arfaoui3Malika Elouardi4Mohamed Derdaki5Ali Quyou6Moulay Laarbi Ouahidi7Biology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, MoroccoGeochemistry and Chemical Pollution Unit (UGPC), Division of Earth and Environment Sciences (DSTE), National Centre for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (CNESTEN), Rabat 10000, MoroccoGeochemistry and Chemical Pollution Unit (UGPC), Division of Earth and Environment Sciences (DSTE), National Centre for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (CNESTEN), Rabat 10000, MoroccoBiology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, MoroccoBiology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, MoroccoBiology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, MoroccoBiology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, MoroccoBiology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, MoroccoComplex mixtures of air pollutants, including ozone (O<sub>3</sub>), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), black carbon (BC), and fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), present significant health risks. To understand the factors influencing air pollution levels and their temporal variations, comprehensive high-resolution long-term air pollution data are essential. This study analyzed the characteristics, lagged meteorological effects, and temporal patterns of six air pollutant concentrations over a one-year period at an urban residential site in Kenitra, Morocco. The results reveal pronounced seasonal and diurnal variations in pollutant levels, shaped by meteorological factors, emission sources, and local geographic conditions. PM<sub>2.5</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, and CO concentrations peaked during winter, while NO<sub>2</sub> and CO exhibited consistent diurnal peaks during morning and evening rush hours across all seasons, driven by traffic emissions and nocturnal pollutant accumulation. In contrast, O<sub>3</sub> concentrations were highest during summer afternoons due to photochemical reactions fueled by strong UV radiation, while winter levels were the lowest due to reduced sunlight. Lagged meteorological effects further highlighted the complexity of air pollutant dynamics. Meteorological factors, including temperature, wind speed, humidity, and pressure, significantly influenced pollutant levels, with both immediate and lagged effects observed. Lag analyses revealed that PM<sub>2.5</sub> and BC levels responded to wind speed, temperature, and humidity over time, highlighting the temporal dynamics of dispersion and accumulation. CO is sensitive to temperature and pressure changes, with delayed impacts, while O<sub>3</sub> formation was primarily influenced by temperature and wind speed, reflecting complex photochemical processes. SO<sub>2</sub> concentrations were shaped by both immediate and lagged meteorological effects, with wind direction playing a key role in pollutant transport. These findings emphasize the importance of considering both immediate and lagged meteorological effects, as well as seasonal and diurnal variations, in developing air quality management strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/1/96air pollutionPM<sub>2.5</sub>SO<sub>2</sub>NO<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>CO |
| spellingShingle | Mustapha Zghaid Abdelfettah Benchrif Mounia Tahri Amine Arfaoui Malika Elouardi Mohamed Derdaki Ali Quyou Moulay Laarbi Ouahidi Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco Atmosphere air pollution PM<sub>2.5</sub> SO<sub>2</sub> NO<sub>2</sub> O<sub>3</sub> CO |
| title | Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco |
| title_full | Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco |
| title_short | Assessment of Air Pollution and Lagged Meteorological Effects in an Urban Residential Area of Kenitra City, Morocco |
| title_sort | assessment of air pollution and lagged meteorological effects in an urban residential area of kenitra city morocco |
| topic | air pollution PM<sub>2.5</sub> SO<sub>2</sub> NO<sub>2</sub> O<sub>3</sub> CO |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/1/96 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mustaphazghaid assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT abdelfettahbenchrif assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT mouniatahri assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT aminearfaoui assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT malikaelouardi assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT mohamedderdaki assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT aliquyou assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco AT moulaylaarbiouahidi assessmentofairpollutionandlaggedmeteorologicaleffectsinanurbanresidentialareaofkenitracitymorocco |