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Last changed: 25/06/2008
Air does not respect frontiers. Pollutants can be transported over hundreds of kilometres and influence air quality not only in their country of origin. Therefore, the Federal Republic of Germany co-operates with other countries in the framework of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and further programmes in order to combat transboundary air pollution.
In order to check international activities and clean air strategies, the participating parties measure pollutant concentrations in air masses transported over long distances and across national frontiers. The analytical methods used are standardised internationally.
These air quality data are gathered by international data centres and - together with emission and meteorological data - are used for computer modelling. Using these models, the origin, distribution, loads and sinks of air pollutants can be calculated.
For example, the international control instrument under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) is called EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme). In this programme, more than one hundred stations in 25 countries measure transboundary air pollution.
The measurements to which Germany has committed itself internationally are carried out by the Federal Environment Agency. Seven measuring stations, spread all over Germany, are operated for this purpose. In order to cover only such air masses that move over long distances and across national frontiers, these sites are as far away as possible from local sources of air pollution. Urban areas with heavy traffic, industry or heating installations should not affect the measurements.
Therefore, the monitoring network of the Federal Environment Agency differs fundamentally from those of the Federal Länder.
Since 1998 the operations centre of the air monitoring network has been situated in Langen (Hesse), near Frankfurt/Main. This is where all data from the UBA’s measuring stations come together. Concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone are transferred on-line. They are published on the Internet shortly thereafter providing information on current pollution levels.
Particulate matter (dust) and rainwater (deposition) are analysed in laboratories situated at the Langen operations centre using plasma mass spectrometry, atomic absorption and atomic fluorescence spectrometry, gas chromatography and ion chromatography.