Air Pollution Geostatistical Modeling Using Environmental and Anthropogenic Data

Abstract

With the objective of modeling atmospheric deposition of 13 chemical elements (As, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) in Aveiro region, Portugal, it were considered spatial analysis and geostatistical methodologies, supported by Geographical Information Systems (GIS). It was used a biomonitoring grid and environmental and anthropogenic pollution source data that could influence the dispersion values of the pollutants (e.g. atmospheric conditions, traffic and industries). GIS presents itself as a fundamental and transversal tool for all the working process, being used to analyze geographical data (environmental and anthropogenic), spatial integration and analysis of the pollutants data, geostatistical modeling and determination of dispersion surfaces and in the final production of cartography.