The PARTICULAS project (Implementation of the air quality directive on atmospheric particulate matter through source contribution studies) has as its main objective to contribute to the implementation in Spain of Directive 2008/50/EC on air quality, in relation to air pollution by particulate matter (PM), by identifying its main sources (natural and/or anthropogenic) and estimating its contribution to overcoming it of the limit values recorded in air quality measurement stations in an area of Andalusia.

The project addresses the analysis of the temporal variations of atmospheric pollutants recorded in the last four years in the stations of a study area, located in the province of Jaén, and of the situations and processes that have generated high levels of these pollutants, and especially of particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5, leading to exceedances of limit values. This analysis will be followed by the identification of the main sources of particulate matter, for which multivariate analysis techniques “source apportionment” will be applied based on the complete characterization of the chemical composition of the particulate matter obtained in the last four years at these stations. This will make it possible to estimate the relative and absolute contribution, in terms of mass, of each of the sources in all situations that have given rise to maximum values of concentration of particulate matter and/or exceeding limit values. This study will allow an analysis of the evolution in recent years, not only of the concentration values of particulate matter and other atmospheric pollutants, but, individually, of the contributions of each of the sources of particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5 in the stations of the study area.

In this project, special attention will be paid to the combustion of biomass, whose impact on the levels of pollutants, including particulate matter, in the study area will be characterized over the last four years. This combustion technology, currently promoted as a more efficient energy solution for use in heating, and strongly implemented in the study area, is currently subject to debate due to its impact on air quality. This project aims to unequivocally characterize the impact of this and other industrial sources present in the area. To this end, specific and intensive measurement campaigns will be carried out, using the best instrumental and analytical techniques available according to the current state of the art, which will provide the necessary technical support to elaborate, as a final result of this project, a proposal for specific measures aimed at reducing PM levels. to the elimination/reduction of the number of exceedances of the limit values in accordance with Directive 2008/50/EC, and finally, to the protection of human health and ecosystems in the study area.