Results of air quality measurements in our office premises on New Year’s Eve 2019 / 2020

On New Year’s Eve, 31/12/2019, and New Year’s Day, 01/01/2020, we set up a fine dust sensor to monitor air quality at Keizer Karelpark Oost in the centre of Amstelveen, the Netherlands, to measure the effects of fireworks on local air quality. At the same time, air quality was also monitored in our offices in an industrial estate in the south-west of Amstelveen.
Besides temperature and humidity, PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and TSP (total particulate matter) were measured.
PM concentrations in the office air reached their first small peak around 21:00 and their second, clear peak at 03:30 in the morning with almost 120 μg/m³.
Conclusion: fireworks activities at the turn of the year affect the air quality in the office drastically.

Air Quality Measurements on New Year’ s Eve 2019 / 2020

On New Year’ s Eve 2019-12-31 and New Year 2020-01-01 we set up a particulate matter sensor to monitor air quality in in the ‘Keizer Karelpark Oost’ district in the centre of Amstelveen, The Netherlands to measure the effect of fireworks to the local air quality. Beside temperature and humidity we measured PM2.5 as well as the particle fractions >0.3μm, >0.5μm, >1.0μm, >2.5μm, 5.0μm and >10μm. PM2.5 in the air peaked around 0:40 am with a concentration of 290μm/m³. That is almost 12 times higher than the annual mean of 25 μg/m³ listed in the EU Directive 2008/50/EC, as well as the daily mean of 25 μg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.