Pollution Over the Red Sea: A Transboundary Air Quality Study

1. Pollution Over the Red Sea: A Transboundary Air Quality Study Aiman Soleiman1, Mahmoud Abu-Allaban2, Menachem Luria3, Bob Bornstein4, Alan Gertler5 1Aqaba Special Economical Zone Authority, Aqaba, Jordan 2Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan 3Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel 4San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, USA 5Desert Research Institute, Reno NV, USA

2. Outline • Background - previous study • Objectives • Measurements • Initial results

3. Israel/Palestine Transboundary Study • Investigated pollutant transport and elevated O3 in the region • Funded by USAID • US, Israeli, and Palestinian investigators • Issues included: • Densely populated coastal area • Effects down wind

4. Findings • Elevated ozone levels were found over Jordan. • Power plants and large industries are the major NOx contributors. • Contribution of transportation is also significant to ozone formation.

5. Israel/Jordan Transboundary Study • Funded by USAID/MERC • Enhance air quality capabilities in the region (equipment and training) • Investigate the cause of elevated ozone over northern Jordan • Determine the cause of the brown cloud over the Red Sea • Additional relevancy for other studies: • Issue of transboundary transport • Example of international cooperation • State-of-the-art measurements

7. Measurements • A mobile laboratory in Kibutz Eilot • DOAS system: True NO2, NO3 • O3, NOx, SO2 and CO • W/D, W/S, Solar Radiation, T, and RH • Calibration: Zero , Span • DOAS reflectors in Aqaba (6.68 km ) • Fixed Monitoring Station in Aqaba • O3, NOx, SO2,CO, HC • W/D, W/S, Solar Radiation, T, and RH • Calibration: Zero , Span

8. NOx • Very small morning peak up to 9:30 am. Elevated conc In the afternoon, traffic! • Elevated concentrations mainly for winds from the south • Presence of high concentration events throughout different hours of the day different wind directions, correlated with the NO conc. • Highest concentration of ~81 ppb for SE winds at 9:50 am

9. NOx

10. True NO2 • A clear morning peak at 7:30 am. Elevated conc. In the afternoon. • Presence of isolated high conc. events between the late afternoon and early morning with different wind directions, correlated with the NO and NOx* conc. • Highest concentration of ~25 ppb for SW winds at 18:10 • The true NO2 conc. are up to 50% lower than the monitor NO2

11. O3 • Very small morning titration up to 9:30 am. Peak average conc. of ~50 ppb after noon, 13:00. • Isolated lowest concentrations mainly for winds from the south between the late afternoon and early morning correlated with the high nitrogen oxide events • Max concentration of ~90 ppb for NW winds at around17:00

12. SO2 • Elevated between 8:30-16:30. Peak average conc. of ~6 ppb after noon, 14:00. • Peak concentrations mainly for winds from the south between the late morning hours till the late afternoon and again at late night (2-4 am), some correlated with the high nitrogen oxide events • Max concentration of ~26 ppb for SE winds at around 10:40

13. NO3 • Peak at 2am with average conc. of 78 ppt and max conc. Of 140 ppt for winds from the north • Elevated concentrations mainly for winds from the north

14. A reverse correlation appears between the lifetime of NO3 and NO2 conc., likely due to heterogeneous removal process

15. Summary • Example of international cooperation to assess pollutant transport and impacts. • High episodes related to WD • north: NO3 • important role played by WD from the south: SO2, NO, NOx* • Elevated NO levels mainly during rush hours • Some correlation of NOx w/ SO2 • mix of transportation and industrial emissions • Pollutant transport: Long range, regional • north Africa • Israel returning export from Med. and Sinai (elevated pollution) • South/central/eastern Europe • Episodes of elevated NO lead to titration of NO3 and ozone

16. Acknowledgements • Funding: USAID/MERC • Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) • Hebrew University of Jerusalem • Hashemite University • San Jose State University