The first investigation on PM10 and SO2 levels in an Iranian megacity, Isfahan, and a relative comparison with Rome

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the levels of Total Suspended Matter (TSP) and gaseous pollutants such as SO2 for the first time in an Iranian city, Isfahan. At the same time, a comparison with an Italian big city, Rome will be presented; for the urban air quality evaluation is well studied there. These two megacities represent the lifestyles of two different countries. However they are char-acterized by different environmental situations (human activities, long-range mass transport, natural sources, local meteor conditions, etc.). The interval considered in this study is the years 1992 to 2000. During this period the two pollutants decreased meaningfully both in Isfahan and Rome, but with different ratio and values. In Isfahan the yearly TSP levels decreased from 290 µg/m3 to 170 µg/m3 in 1999, while in Rome it de-creased from 43 µg/m3 in 1992 to 39 µg/m3 in 1993 at 40 m above the ground level and PM10 ranged around 53 µg/m3 from 1994 to 2000 at ground level. The results compared for SO2 are different, as it has passed from 15 to 4 µg/m3 in Rome. In Isfahan, this value has decreased from 41 to 30 µg/m3. Not much information was available about the smoke in Rome, while its level in Isfahan was approxi-mately 50 µg/m3. Starting from the concentration levels, a comparison between different affects of the natural and an-thropogenic sources on the air quality of the two areas have been presented. From this preliminary approach it can be seen a string urban pollution in Isfahan due essentially to the anthropogenic activities, whereas in Rome there is also a natural contribution, which is becoming more signifi-cant during atmospheric stability conditions.