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The research groups in Environmental Chemistry and Aerobiology and Environmental Toxicology of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT) propose the realization of an exhaustive study of the particulate matter, both in suspension in the air and sedimentable, to analyze the environmental and Health and action plans to improve air quality in Cartagena.

Recently, the National School of Health of the Carlos III Health Institute has estimated the impact of particle pollution on 26,830 deaths in the last decade.

The study would allow to determine, in addition to the mass of the particles, trace chemical compounds: heavy metals, elemental and organic carbon, cations and anions, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or bisphenol A, for which researchers at the Polytechnic have leading methodology and experience Accumulated since the 1980s.

With the generated database, a type of mathematical models, called receiver, would be constructed, that allow to define the different sources of the aerosol and to quantify their contribution.

These results also allow the development of environmental and health risk analyzes.

Complementing this data with the aerobiological counts that besides having an important impact on the health, behave like variables of confusion in the epidemiological studies.

This allows us to put in place management measures, that is, action plans that allow us to improve the quality of the air we breathe in our city.

These researchers from the Polytechnic participate in the air quality table of Cartagena City Hall, where they have collected from different groups concerns about air quality in the municipality.

Thus, in the urban area, the concern is focused on the impact of road traffic, not forgetting that another important contribution of combustion processes is linked to the port activity that is developed in the city.

In neighboring areas (Valle de Escombreras, Aljorra, etc.), neighbors are interested in the air quality monitoring network providing reliable data on air pollutants in the area and the possible presence of other agents Pollutants that are not currently being monitored, being very concerned about the presence of carcinogenic compounds, mutagens, reproductive disturbances, etc.

Source: UPCT