QUANTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF DUST RESUSPENSION PM10 EMISSIONS IN TWO LARGE URBAN CENTERS IN GREECE

In the last years resuspended dust is gaining more scientific attention as it is believed to be a significant source of particles. In many modeling studies exhaust-pipe emissions alone, are inadequate to explain the observed ambient concentrations values. In Greece, a country with PM10 concentrations well above the ambient threshold limits, resuspension could be the missing link between modeled and observed concentration levels. A quantification of dust resuspension emissions in the city of Thessaloniki was attempted based on real traffic counts and various statistical parameters and the influence of resuspended dust was investigated with the help of an emission model developed for this purpose. The results indicated that resuspension of dust emissions was several times more the exhaust part emissions. Moreover an evaluation method implemented in two measuring stations with different characteristics, showed a very good agreement with the ambient concentration measurements. As exhaust-pipe emissions are expected to go down during the next years due to the introduction of better engine technologies in the circulating fleet, non-exhaust sources are expected to raise due to the increased number of circulating vehicles