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Application of relative air pollution index (RAPI)—a new method for aggregate assessment of current air pollution in Cam Pha coal mining area, Quang Ninh province, Vietnam

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Abstract

In this article, the authors apply the relative air pollution index (RAPI) proposed by Pham Ngoc Ho for aggregate assessment of daily air pollution level (RAPId) using data from 3 daily standards (1, 8, and 24 h) of each country’s standard, including Vietnam Technical Regulation QCVN 05:2013/MONRE. By using the automated data of ambient air at 3 monitoring stations in Cam Pha coal mining area, Quang Ninh province in 2018, results of the frequency of pollution by month (f%) have shown that overall, the air quality in dry season (October–March) is worse than that in rainy season (April–September). Results of pollution frequency by month in a year f% also indicate that air pollution in 2018 at 3 stations is mostly at level I (no pollution) with f% ranged from 10 to 58.3%, but pollution level II–IV (light pollution–very heavy pollution) also happened as f% fluctuated from 20 to 42% in some months. Comparing with air quality assessment in 2011–2015 at this area by periodic monitoring equipment of Quang Ninh Center for Environmental Monitoring, results in 2018 have shown that individual index of RAPI is consistent with the current status of air quality with high accuracy. To compare with RAPId, we used VN_AQId index of the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA). Comparison results show that both indices do not encounter eclipsing effect. However, ambiguous effect occurred in the case of VN_AQId index (warning not suitable for reality in some cases). In addition, advantages and limitations of these two methods have been analyzed and explained in detail.

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Acknowledgments

The authors hereby express sincere thanks to Quang Ninh Department of Natural Resources and Environment for providing monitoring data for the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Environmental Monitoring and Modeling (CEMM), VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai street, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Pham Anh Viet Thi, Pham Ha Thu Thi, Phan Thu Trang & Pham Ho Ngoc

  2. VINACOMIN Informatics, Technology, Environment Joint Stock Company, Unit Resources A, B15, Dai Kim Ward, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Do Dung Manh

Authors
  1. Pham Anh Viet Thi
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  2. Do Dung Manh
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  3. Pham Ha Thu Thi
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  4. Phan Thu Trang
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  5. Pham Ho Ngoc
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Contributions

1. Anh Viet Thi Pham: responsible for drafting and revising the article

2. Dung Manh Do: responsible for the acquisition of data, data series processing, and individual index calculating

3. Ha Thu Thi Pham: responsible for calculating temporary weight, final weight, and developing hierarchical rating scale of the aggregate index

4. Trang Thu Phan: responsible for calculating aggregate index, frequency of pollution, and graphing results

5. Ho Ngoc Pham: responsible for approval of final manuscript, corresponding author

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pham Ho Ngoc.

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Pham, A.V.T., Do, D.M., Pham, H.T.T. et al. Application of relative air pollution index (RAPI)—a new method for aggregate assessment of current air pollution in Cam Pha coal mining area, Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. Environ Monit Assess 192, 411 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-8242-1

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