The Harbor Area in Brindisi, Italy, presents a complex scenario concerning air quality due to various dust sources. These include urban dust from the city, emissions from airports, and particulate matter from the ferry terminal. Additionally, this area is affected by the well-known Sahara dust effect, particularly prevalent in this southern Italian city.
Locations in Brindisi
In order to gain a better understanding of the situation and to explore strategies for improvement, the relevant departments of Brindisi and the professional team LabService Analytica joined hands to carry out an air quality monitoring project. For the project, they chose advanced air quality monitoring equipment from Palas® – the AQ Guard Smart 1100 aerosol spectrometer and the AQ Guard Smart 2000 UFP analyzer. Palas®’s equipment not only provides valuable air quality data for the Port of Brindisi but also helps to develop more effective pollution mitigation strategies, contributing to the protection of public health.
INITIAL STEPS AT THE MARINA： INSTALLATION OF AIR QUALITY MONITORING EQUIPMENT
To better understand this intricate air quality situation, our partner, LabService Analytica, was commissioned to install air quality monitoring devices at the site. These devices, which include the AQ Guard Smart 1100 aerosol spectrometer and the AQ Guard Smart 2000 UFP analyzer from Palas GmbH, were strategically placed at the marina. The instruments are capable of measuring fine dust fractions between 0.18 and 18 μm, as well as the particle number concentration (Cn) of nanoparticles in the range of 10 nm to 1 μm and it’s mean diameter (X50). Wind speed and direction were also monitored.
AQ Guard Smart System at the Marina
SURPRISING FINDINGS: CHARCOAL GRILLS AS A SOURCE OF POLLUTION
The project aimed to identify and analyze the various sources of particulate matter in the area, focusing particularly on the potentially more harmful PM1 fraction, and nanoparticle concentrations, which are not currently regulated. Initial findings from the marina showed surprising results, with weak or no correlations to predicted sources such as ships or traffic. Instead, a significant source of particles was identified as a nearby wood-fired pizza oven, dubbed “Pizza Time”, emphasizing the importance of localized and specific monitoring to uncover unexpected sources of pollution. This finding emphasizes the importance of localized and specific monitoring, and that sometimes the real sources of pollution may be hidden in places that are not easily detectable.
EXPANDING THE STUDY: ADDITION OF A SECOND MONITORING SITE
Due to these findings, a second measurement site was chosen at the Terminal Costa Morena Brindisi. In contrast to the marina, the data from the Grimaldi terminal showed a clear correlation between PM2.5 levels and the arrival and departure of ferries, along with partial correlations to airport activities. This finding provides strong support for the development of more precise air quality improvement strategies.
PM2.5 / PM10 concentrations
INSIGHTS AND FUTURE STRATEGIES
Through this project, the use of mobile and flexible air quality monitoring systems proved invaluable in navigating the complexities of source apportionment in a dynamic environment like the Brindisi Harbor. Based on the high-precision measurement capability of the Palas® equipment, the project team successfully captured data on various types of particulate matter, providing valuable information for in-depth air quality research. The insights gained not only enhance our understanding of local air quality but also contribute to developing more effective mitigation strategies to protect public health.
Measurements from both systems
PROJECT KEY: ADVANCED AIR QUALITY MONITORING TOOLS
The success of this project relied heavily on the advanced air quality monitoring tools deployed, The AQ Guard Smart 1100 aerosol spectrometer was used to analyze fine dust fractions ranging from 0.18 to 18 μm. This device provides detailed particle size distribution, which is crucial for understanding the composition of particulate matter in the air. Complementing this, the AQ Guard Smart 2000 UFP analyzer was employed to determine the particle number concentration (Cn) of nanoparticles, particularly those between 10 nm and 1 μm in size, and their mean diameter (X50). These data are important for analyzing air quality because of the characteristics of nanoparticles that may have specific impacts on human health and the environment,and because information on their concentration and size distribution can help to further investigate the sources of pollution and assess air quality conditions, complementing the information on the size distribution of fine dust particles provided by the AQ Guard Smart 1100, which together provide a richer and more accurate data support for the study of the air quality in the Brindisi Harbor area. Together with the information provided by the AQ Guard Smart 1100, they provide richer and more accurate data to study the air quality in the Brindisi Harbor area.
AQ Guard Smart System at Termina Costa Morena Brindisi
These devices, provided by Palas GmbH, are designed for high-precision measurements and were integral in identifying the unexpected pollution sources and understanding the air quality dynamics in Brindisi. Thanks to the collaboration with the University of Salento’s Environmental Sciences Department, three scientific publications have been submitted, further advancing our understanding of air quality in the area. This will attract more professional attention and research, and deepen the understanding of air quality in the region from various aspects in theory and practice, including the composition of pollution sources and the extent of influence of different factors on air quality, etc., so as to provide a more solid scientific basis for the formulation of subsequent measures to improve air quality.
Palas® AQ Guard Smart 1100
Advantages
· Quick and easy installation
· Long-term stability (24/7) and low maintenance
· Flexibility in communication and data transmission
· Reliable measurements (near-reference standard for particles)
· Simultaneous measurement of PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, TSP, CN
· Additional SO2, CO, NO2, O3 measurement
· Versatile application possibilities even in demanding environments
· Suitable for high dust concentrations
· Access to data in real-time and with high temporal resolution
Applications
· Urban air quality monitoring
· Smart city projects
· Open pit mining and landfills
· Formation and dispersion studies
· Construction sites
· Immission monitoring of industrial plants
· Measurement of dust emissions from road and rail traffic as well as ports
· Risk areas (natural and anthropogenic)
AQ Guard Smart 2000 UFP
Advantages
· Simple and precise monitoring of UFP concentrations from 10 nm
· Suitable for high concentrations up to 10,000,000 particles/cm3
· Quick and easy installation
· Long-term stability (24/7) and low maintenance, no working fluids required
· Reliable measurements
· Flexibility in communication and data transmission
· Versatile application options, even in demanding environments
· Access to data in real-time and with high temporal resolution
Applications
· UFP concentrations in and around airports and seaports
· Formation and dispersion studies
· Immission monitoring of industrial plants
· Urban air quality monitoring
· Supplementary measurement of UFP concentrations at traffic-rich sites
Palas® organizes a series of events on various topics to share professional knowledge of aerosol measurement technology. Palas® technical experts and industry scholars from all over the world will give you detailed online explanations. Welcome to register to attend and learn more about the conference as soon as possible!
| Date | Time | Topic | |
| 2025/2/26-27 | 9:30-17:00
9:00-17:30 |
Air Quality Forum 2025 – Brussels, Belgium | Offline-Forum |