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INDICATORS OF AIR QUALITY AND ITS MONITORING IN ALBANIA

H. Mankolli, M. LIKA (Cekani, E. Dodona

Abstract

In order to give an evaluation on the quality of air in Albania we refer to two socialeconomical periods, that before 1990 and that after 1990. In the period before 1990 are noticed some indicators which played a considerable role in the quality of air in Albanian environment. Some characteristics were: controlled demographic movements, industrial activities located in the suburbs, road transport with a limited number of vehicles, few constructions etc. economical social period after 1990 caused profound changes, reflected also in the content of the air, where its quality in many cities of Albania was considerably aggravated. Characteristics of this period are: uncontrolled and rapid movement of population, almost total collapse of industry with a high potential of pollution, increase of the number of vehicles of road transport, high and uncontrolled number of constructions etc. Tirana continues to be “the big factory” of air pollution in Albania. Apart from the direct influence of the more intensive urban traffic and of the roads which are not yet systematized and the measures taken , have been noticed tendencies of the secure growth of the content of solid particles PM, of lead Pb, of bio-oxide of azotes NO2 in the air of Tirana. These phenomena mark the entrance of the problem in a phase, that even according to today’s international classifications of the field, is considered very dangerous for the health (especially regarding the content of PM 10), and this requires the intensification of technical-legal measures in order to handle the situation with fewer loss of human lives. Lead Pb is also increasing in the content of urban air almost in any monitored points of our country. Its average content in the air of monitored points has increased from 0,19 to 0,29 $\mu$gm-3, that is about 50 percent within two last years.

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