Assessment of Variations of O3 Concentrations in Kopački Rit Nature Park, Eastern Croatia

Result of the first ozone monitoring in ambient air Nature Park of Kopački Rit (Eastern Croatia) are reported for the growth season in 2008. The measured hourly concentrations of ozone in the air do not exceed the limit value of 110 μg m–3 statutory regulation by Croatian legalization for the protection of human health. There were only 13 days exceeding of the target value of 120 μg m–3 (8-h averages) as established in the European Union guidelines on ozone pollution in ambient air. In contrast to the measured AOT40 whose value does not exceed the critical level of 18 000 (μg m–3) ·h for vegetation injury, an estimated AOT40 value was somewhat higher. The relationships between O3 and meteorological variables were investigated by a principal component analysis (PCA). Fourier analysis methods applied to ozone concentrations data showed that the most important variations in the O3 data are represented by usual daily cycles. (doi: 10.5562/cca2147