JRC-AQUILA quality programme on PM measurements

For the purpose of harmonizing PM measurement methods the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the AQUILA Network of National Air Quality Reference Laboratories have organized a PM quality assurance/quality control campaign in Europe. From 2006 until 2009 18 measurement campaigns have been carried out in European Member States by means of the JRC mobile laboratory carrying out parallel measurements to the Member States National Reference Laboratories and routine monitoring networks. For the campaigns purpose the JRC mobile PM laboratory was equipped with reference samplers for PM10, PM2.5, PM1, an optical particle counter, a continuous PM10 instrument and a semi-continuous elemental and organic carbon analyzer. First results on the comparability of PM measurements indicate that a considerable percentage of the participating laboratories and network measurements do not comply with legislative required quality objectives.

Further details:

Presentation at EEA's EIONET Workshop 2009

Presentation at Air Quality Conference of the Royal Society of Chemistry