European guide on air pollution source apportionment for particulate matter with source oriented models and their combined use with receptor models

Abstract

Particulate matter is one of the most critical atmospheric pollutants, in terms of impact on human health, in Europe and worldwide. Understanding the role of the different sources and processes leading to its formation and transformation/evolution is essential to support the development of abatement strategies. The present guide, developed under FAIRMODE WG3 with the contribution of WG4, provides an overview, illustrates the methodologies and formulates recommendations for the application of air quality source oriented models (SMs) in estimating contributions of sources to particulate matter. It also describes the potential of SM techniques and critically discusses the advantages and the limitations of applying simultaneously receptor models (RM) and source oriented models (SM) in source apportionment (SA) studies. Among the source oriented modelling methods, the document focuses on those using the Eulerian chemistry-transport models (CTMs) since they simulate both primary and secondary particulate matter directly emitted and formed from gas precursors in the atmosphere, respectively.