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Aerosol vertical profiles are valuable inputs for the evaluation of aerosol transport models, in order to improve the understanding of aerosol pollution ventilation processes which drive the dispersion of pollutants in mountainous regions. With the aim of providing high-accuracy vertical distributions of particle mass concentration for the study of aerosol dispersion in small-scale valleys, vertical profiles of aerosol mass concentration for aerosols from different sources (including Saharan dust and local biomass burning events) were investigated over the Vipava valley, Slovenia, a representative hot-spot for complex mixtures of different aerosol types of both anthropogenic and natural origin. The analysis was based on datasets taken between 1–30 April 2016. In-situ measurements of aerosol size, absorption, and mass concentration were combined with lidar remote sensing, where vertical profiles of aerosol concentration were retrieved. Aerosol samples were characterized by SEM-EDX, to obtain aerosol morphology and chemical composition. Two cases with expected dominant presence of different specific aerosol types (mineral dust and biomass-burning aerosols) show significantly different aerosol properties and distributions within the valley. In the mineral dust case, we observed a decrease of the elevated aerosol layer height and subsequent spreading of mineral dust within the valley, while in the biomass-burning case we observed the lifting of aerosols above the planetary boundary layer (PBL). All uncertainties of size and assumed optical properties, combined, amount to the total uncertainty of aerosol mass concentrations below 30% within the valley. We have also identified the most indicative in-situ parameters for identification of aerosol type.

Black carbon (BC) is the most light-absorbing fraction of fine PM and major contributor to climate change. It is recognized as the primary pollutant resulting from incomplete combustion of mostly fossil fuels and biomass. Thus, measuring BC variabilities and understanding its sources is of interest for public health, air quality and climate. Studies on temporal variations and sources of BC have been so far predominantly limited to winter campaigns conducted at highly polluted urban sites and other European inland regions (e.g., Crippa et al. 2013 ; Helin et al. 2018 ; Herich et al. 2011), while significantly less data are available for lower population density areas and less polluted coastal zones, especially during spring/summer when increased shipping emissions are expected. Considering the Mediterranean, a limited number of studies of BC aerosols have been conducted in the Adriatic Sea area which are exclusively restricted to its northern part (e.g., Ivošević et al. 2016), while other areas have not been explored so far. To investigate the temporal variation of aerosol optical properties and evaluate the main BC emission sources considering different seasons in a typical Mediterranean coastal environment, a field campaign was conducted during February–July 2019 at the Central Adriatic coastal area (Milinković et al. 2021). Real-time measurements of aerosol light absorption were continuously obtained using an aethalometer, while the Aethalometer model source apportionment data, optimized by levoglucosan measurements, were evaluated against the modelling results of the LOTOS-EUROS chemical transport model. The measured mean equivalent BC mass concentration of 0.57 ± 0.64 μg m-3 was the lowest observed in the Mediterranean region. BC from fossil fuel (BCff) dominated the area throughout the study period with a maximum in winter and elevated levels by the approaching summer tourist season. Diel variability of BC concentrations from biomass burning (BCbb) was observed during stable winter conditions, with clear morning and evening concentration peaks, consistent with the profile of residential heating by wood burning. Up to 88% of BC concentrations were attributed to European emission sectors, with stationary source combustion, transportation, shipping and agriculture sectors being the most influential contributors. Source apportionment of BC highlighted that, in addition to biomass burning, small combustion fossil fuel sources, including land traffic and shipping, should be more strictly controlled in order to limit BC pollution in Mediterranean coastal areas. This study serves as a basis of comparison for future studies addressing air quality and pollution source apportionment in the Adriatic and/or the Mediterranean coastal regions in efforts of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. This work has been supported by Croatian Science Foundation under the IP-2018-01-3105 BiREADI project.

Anthropogenic climate change is altering ecological and human systems globally, including national parks that conserve unique but vulnerable ecosystems and biodiversity. Yet the magnitude and spatial patterns of climate change across national parks are generally unknown. The National Park (NP) Brijuni in Croatia encompasses 14 islands and islets covering an area of 33.9 km2 in the northern Adriatic Sea, representing a unique microenvironment with a specific biodiversity, natural, cultural and historical features. Due to its location, NP Brijuni is in direct threat of potentially strong air pollution from regional and long-range sources from continental Europe. However, the atmospheric pollution impacts to the area of the NP Brijuni have been unknown. This work presents the first insight into the air pollution sources, its seasonal variabilities as well as atmospheric deposition impacts to the area of NP Brijuni. The sampling campaign at NP Brijuni was conducted from June to November 2020 and included on-line measurements of black carbon (BC) concentrations and collection of particulate matter (PM10), wet and total deposition samples. The results of BC concentrations and its source apportionment and dataset comprising dominant ions (NO3-, SO42-, Cl-, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+) and organic matter (organic carbon and water soluble organic carbon) in PM10 and deposition samples were statistically analysed and discussed considering different seasons, meteorological conditions and specific air-mass inputs in order to better understand the extent of the changing environment as a main prerequisites for air quality management, planning and implementation of appropriate environmental protection measures in the NP Brijuni. Acknowledgment: This work has been supported by National Park Brijuni under the „Insight into the variability and composition of atmospheric deposition in the area of Brijuni National Park“ project, and by and Croatian Science Foundation under the IP-2018-01-3105 BiREADI project.

Black carbon (BC) is considered as the main pollutant produced by incomplete combustion of mostly fossil fuels and biomass. It is the most light-absorbing fraction of particulate matter (PM) and a major contributor to climate change. Studies on temporal variations and sources of BC have been so far predominantly limited to winter campaigns conducted at heavily polluted urban sites, while much less data are available for areas with lower population density and less polluted coastal environments. In order to investigate the temporal variation of atmospheric aerosol particle optical properties and to assess the main BC emission sources in a typical Mediterranean coastal environment, a field campaign was conducted from February to July 2019 at the Central Adriatic area. Real-time continuous BC measurements were performed, while Aethalometer model source apportionment, optimized using levoglucosan measurements, was evaluated against the modelling results obtained by LOTOS-EUROS chemical transport model. The measured mean BC concentration of 0.57 μg m-3 was the lowest observed in the Mediterranean region. The daily, monthly and seasonal variations of BC concentrations are significantly affected by domestic heating, local traffic, as well as local meteorological conditions and long-range air-mass impacts. The BC from fossil fuel (BCff) dominated the area throughout the study period with a maximum in winter and elevated levels by the approaching summer. European emission sectors contributed up to 88% of BC concentrations, with stationary source combustion, transportation, shipping and agriculture sectors as the most influential contributors. This study highlighted that in addition to biomass burning, the small combustion fossil fuel sources, including land traffic and shipping, should be much more strictly controlled to limit BC pollution at pristine Mediterranean areas. This work has been supported by Croatian Science Foundation under the IP-2018-01-3105 BiREADI project.

Black carbon (BC) is recognized as the primary pollutant resulting from incomplete combustion of mostly fossil fuels and biomass. It is the most light-absorbing fraction of fine particulate matter (PM) and a major contributor to climate change. Studies of BC temporal variations and sources are so far predominantly limited to winter campaigns performed at highly polluted urban sites, while significantly less data are present for areas with lower population density and less polluted coastal environments. In order to study the temporal variation of the aerosol optical properties and to evaluate major BC emission sources in a typical coastal Mediterranean environment, a field campaign during February–July 2019 at the Central Adriatic area was conducted. Real-time continuous BC measurements were performed, while Aethalometer model source apportionment, optimized by using levoglucosan measurements, was evaluated against modelling results obtained by LOTOS-EUROS chemical transport model. The measured mean BC concentration of 0.57 μg m-3 was the lowest among others observed in the Mediterranean area. Daily, monthly and seasonal variations in BC concentrations are significantly affected by domestic heating, local traffic as well as by local meteorological conditions and long-range air-mass impacts. The BC from fossil fuel (BCff) dominated the area throughout the studied period with maximum in the winter and increased levels by the approaching summer. European emission sectors contributed to BC concentrations up to 88% with stationary source combustion, transportation, shipping and agriculture sectors as the most influential contributors. This study highlighted that in addition to biomass burning, the small combustion fossil fuel sources, including land traffic and shipping sources should be much more strictly controlled to limit the BC pollution at pristine Mediterranean areas.

Atmosfersko onečišćenje danas daleko premašuje svaki drugi oblik zagađenja. Brojne onečišćujuće tvari, uključujući lebdeće čestice ili aerosole, kontinuirano se emitiraju i formiraju u atmosferi kao posljedica prirodnih i/ili antropogenih aktivnosti. Među sastavnicama aerosola, crni ugljik (engl. black carbon, BC) primarna je onečišćujuća tvar koja nastaje uslijed nepotpunog sagorijevanja fosilnih i biljnih goriva, npr. u industriji, prometu, šumskim požarima te tijekom izgaranja biomase u kućnim ložištima. BC u atmosferi snažno apsorbira sunčevu svjetlost čime direktno utječe na ravnotežu zračenja i klimatske promjene. Saznanja o izvorima onečišćujućih tvari u zraku kao i čimbenicima njihove prostorne i vremenske promjenjivosti važan su preduvjet sustavnog praćenja te zaštite i upravljanja okolišem s ciljem smanjenja emisija atmosferskih zagađivala na lokalnoj i globalnoj razini. Ispitivanja koncentracija i porijekla BC na području Sredozemlja pretežno su ograničena na urbane lokacije [1-3], dok je značajno manje podataka za obalna i udaljena morska područja. Na području Jadrana proveden je limitirani broj BC studija koja su ograničena na sjeverno područje [4, 5] dok su ostala područja u tom smislu do danas neistražena. U svrhu karakterizacije optičkih svojstava atmosferskih aerosola te procjene doprinosa glavnih izvora BC emisija na obalnom području srednjeg Jadrana, provedena je kampanja na lokalitetu Martinska (Šibenik) u razdoblju od veljače do srpnja 2019. godine u sklopu HRZZ BiREADI projekta (IP-2018-01-3015). Kontinuirana mjerenja BC koncentracija u trenutnom vremenu provedena su etalometrom dok su istovremeno prikupljeni i 48h-uzorci aerosola veličina čestica do 10 μm. Prosječna koncentracija BC za ispitivano razdoblje iznosila je 0, 57 μg/m3 pri čemu su više koncentracije izmjerene zimi u odnosu na ljetno razdoblje. Dnevne i sezonske varijabilnosti koncentracija BC značajno su uvjetovane lokalnim prometom i otvorenim požarima, ali i lokalnim meteorološkim uvjetima te dalekosežnim donosima zračnih masa iz udaljenih područja. Modeliranje optimizirano izmjerenim koncentracijama levoglukozana, biomarkera izgaranja biomase [6], omogućilo je po prvi puta procjenu doprinosa BC nastalog uslijed izgaranja biomase te fosilnih goriva za ispitivano područje.