Assessment of PM_10 concentration and its prediction using meteorological parameters in the air of Isfahan, iran

In the present study, air quality analyses for particulate matters (PM_10) were conducted in the Iranian city of Isfahan. The measurements were taken in three different locations to prepare average data in the city. The average concentrations were calculated for every twenty-four hours, each month and each season in the city of Isfahan. Results showed that the highest concentration of PM_10 occurs generally in the morning, while the least concentration was observed in the evening. Monthly concentrations of PM_10 showed the highest value being in July, while the least value was found in August. The seasonal concentrations showed that the least amounts were found in winter and the highest amounts in spring. Relations between the air pollutant and some meteorological parameters were calculated statistically using the daily average data. The wind data (velocity, direction), temperature, evaporation, and rainfall are considered as independent variables. The relationships between concentration of the pollutants and the meteorological parameters are expressed by multiple linear regression equations for both annual and seasonal conditions using SPSS software. The RMSE test showed that among different prediction models, the stepwise model is the best option.