The effects of emission sources and meteorological factors on sulphur dioxide concentration of Great Isfahan, Iran

The great Isfahan has experienced an almost fast industrialization during the last years. The different factories and industries near that, cause one of the important environmental problems, air pollution, which has not enough investigated before in this area. The hourly, diurnal and seasonal variations of SO2 concentration as one of the most dangerous air pollutants, are studied to clarify the rule of industry on the air pollution problem. The data had been measured continuously from April 2006 to March 2007 at two stations, Lale & Azadi. The air pollution concentrations in an urban area have a close relationship with meteorological factors. Hence, the variation of SO2 concentration is analysed respect to the meteorological factors such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and pressure. Moreover, the studied air pollutant is also statistically investigated through correlation analysis and step-wise multiple linear regression equation. observed that electric power plant near the Isfahan, Montazeri, has significant effects on the SO2 concentration in the east and north of Isfahan. Long-term pattern of Isfahan winds which is westerly during the winter and spring, and easterly during the summer and autumn, was recognized as one of another important factors influenced the SO2 concentration variations. It is also achieved that meteorological factors have considerable contribution, R2 = 52%, on the SO2 concentration variation and temperature has largest effect among the others.