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June, 2007:

Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network

A Report of Monitoring Results for the Period between January and June 2007

Report Number : PRDAIR-2007-1
Report Prepared by : Guangdong Provincial Environmental Protection Monitoring Centre, Environmental ProtectionDepartment, HKSAR
Approved by : Pearl River Delta Air Quality Management and Monitoring Special Panel
Security Classification : Unrestricted

View the complete report here: Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network

This report provides the monitoring results from the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network measured between January and June 2007 and their statistical analysis.

Introduction to the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network

The Pearl River Delta (PRD) Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network (the Network) was jointly established by the Guangdong Provincial Environmental Protection Monitoring Centre (GDEMC) and the Environmental Protection Department of the HKSAR (HKEPD) from 2003 to 2005. It came into operation on 30 November 2005 and has been providing data for reporting of Regional Air Quality Index (RAQI) to the public since then.

The Network comprises 16 automatic air quality monitoring stations (see Figure 1) across the PRD region. Ten of these stations are operated by the Environmental Protection Monitoring Centres of the individual cities in Guangdong while the 3 stations located in Hong Kong are managed by the HKEPD. The remaining 3 regional stations in the Network are operated by the GDEMC. The objectives of the Network are to :

  • provide accurate air quality data that can help the Guangdong Provincial and HKSAR governments to appraise the air quality situation and pollution problems in the PRD region for formulating appropriate control measures;
  • evaluate the effectiveness of the air pollution control measures through long-term monitoring;
  • provide the public with information on the air quality of various places in the region.

In order to ensure the air quality monitoring results attain a high degree of accuracy and reliability, the two governments had jointly developed a set of “Standard Operational Procedures on Quality Assurance and Quality Control of the PRD Air Quality Monitoring System for Hong Kong and Guangdong” (QA/QC Operating Procedures). The design and operation of the Network comply with the requirements set out in the QA/QC Operating Procedures.

All stations are installed with equipment to measure the ambient concentrations of respirable suspended particulate (PM10 or RSP), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3).

Annexes A and B set out, respectively, the site information of the monitoring stations in the Network and the methods used for measuring air pollutant concentrations.