Atmospheric Particulate Matter Variability during 2014 at Buenos Aires City (Argentina) Comparing Ground-Based Measurements and Satellite Data

Abstract

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health. In particular, exposure to high concentrations of small particulates (PM10 and PM2.5) is related to increased mortality and morbidity. In Argentina, only at Buenos Aires city (34.4° S 58.3° W), which together with the surrounding districts accounts for the 30% of the total country population, continuous measurements of air quality are carried out. Though ground-based stations provide very accurate PM concentration values, they have very limited spatial coverage and may not be sufficient to assess the level of population exposure. Satellite-based is a valid alternative to fill these observational gaps. In this work, the MODIS 3 km × 3 km AOD retrievals for 2014, for both Terra and Aqua, were employed to evaluate the spatio-temporal variation of atmospheric aerosols over Buenos Aires and its metropolitan area in a year period. The MODIS AOD dataset is validated using the AOD dataset reported by the CEILAP_BA AERONET station (34.5° S 58.5° W). Satellite data show some areas with higher AOD values throughout the year-period in which no PM monitoring is not actually being carried out. These areas correspond mainly to a west zone within Buenos Aires territory and two other areas, at west and south Buenos Aires districts. Buenos Aires local government and the surrounding districts should make an effort to expand the monitoring network in order to make it representative of the actual exposure to particulate matter of the whole population.