This research presents a comprehensive evaluation of air pollution levels linked to vehicular traffic in Bou-Ismail using a statistical methods to examine correlations, trends, and relationships between pollutant concentrations and meteorological variables, as well as to assess factors contributing to particulate pollution in the Bou-Ismail area. A monitoring station was established along a major roadway for six months from December 16, 2015, to June 29, 2016, to assess particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds to investigate the factors and variables that contribute to particulate pollution in the Bou-Ismail area. The average concentrations of SO2 and NO2 for the campaign were equal to 0.14 and 12.07 ppb, respectively, respecting the national guidelines. Concentration in this study for PM10 and PM2.5 were 20.2 and 8.9 µg/m3. The predictive models applied to evaluate particulate matter concentrations demonstrated strong performance, yielding coefficient of determination (R²) values exceeding 0.83. No correlation was seen between PM and WS (wind speed), while O3 concentration was positively correlated with temperature. PC1 (35.38%) indicates that cars contribute the most to local air pollution, with significant particle and petrol emissions but low VOCs. PC2 (21.75%) relates CO to vehicles, while buildings have the most VOCs, followed by transport and agriculture. The PM2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeded guideline thresholds on more than 42 days out of 196 days recorded, which indicates that the air quality is unhealthy to very unhealthy for sensitive groups. The hazard quotient (HQ) in our investigation was below 1, which signifies a tolerable level of risk. The average monthly ELCR (Excess lifetime cancer risk) of PM2.5 in this research surpassed the recommended guideline value of 1.0E-06. According to HYSPLIT back-trajectory investigations, western European air pollution reached western Algeria via Portugal and southern Spain. Mauritanian air masses may have carried Saharan dust to Mali and south Algeria. The second to last phase saw eastern Algiers air masses migrate north into the Mediterranean, signifying pollution export. PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations increase in westerly and southerly airflows.

Rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Africa is a cause for concern. With a growing population and its associated requirements for energy, food and socio-economic development, climate change impacts will further exacerbate the current trend. A recent greenhouse gas budget for Africa synthesised the most current and comprehensive modelling and observational data available for the period 2010-2019 (Ernst et al. 2024), showing that the continent has likely become a net carbon source to the atmosphere. In this Research brief, the key findings of the GHG budget for Africa is highlighted.

This study presents current levels of fine particulate matter, with aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre (PM2.5) in the city of Blantyre, Malawi measured between June 2021 to May 2022. PM2.5 measurements were done in 18 different locations (spanning greater than 2 km apart) using Dylos DC1100 PRO Laser Particle Counter (2018 model). The sampling points were; 3 school campuses, 3 hospitals, 3 industrial areas, 3 open markets, 3 residential areas, and 3 commercial/ business centres (CBC) of Blantyre. PM2.5 monitoring was conducted between 10:00-12:00 hours and 15:00-17:00 hours local time. The results showed that the hourly mean PM2.5 concentrations (µg/m3) for the 10:00-12:00 time period were; 43 ± 23 µg/m3 for school campuses, 35 ± 16 µg/m3 for hospitals, 62 ± 38 µg/m3 for industrial areas, 44 ± 26 µg/m3 for markets, 40 ± 21 µg/m3 for residential areas and 35 ± 16 µg/m3 for CBC. The results showed that the hourly mean PM2.5 concentrations (µg/m3) for the 15:00-17:00 time period were; 38 ± 22 µg/m3 for school campuses, 34 ± 18 µg/m3 for hospitals, 57 ± 37 µg/m3 for industrial areas, 42 ± 25 µg/m3 for markets, 36 ± 23 µg/m3 for residential areas and 34 ± 18 µg/m3 for CBC. Significant increases of PM2.5 levels were observed in school campuses, residential areas and CBC during the months of June-October, which are windy and drier. On the other hand, lowest concentration of PM2.5 was observed during the warm season (November-March) across the sampling locations over Blantyre. Based on these findings, this study recommends further investigation of long-term concentration of PM2.5 in Blantyre city because it is hazardous and likely to cause health implications to the local population. Furthermore, interventions should be sought to reduce PM2.5 concentration in the city.

held in collaboration with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment's (DFFE) Air Quality Governance Lekgotla, proved to be a resounding success. This in-person gathering took place at the picturesque Protea Hotel: Ranch Resort, just south of Polokwane, drawing 141 attendees. All sessions were also streamed virtually, free of charge to all stakeholders who couldn't join the face-to-face event. The conference not only provided a unique opportunity for vibrant dialogues but also fostered valuable connections among participants. Under the theme Collaborating for clean air: confronting climate change and air quality together, the conference emphasised the indispensable role of collective efforts in addressing urgent environmental challenges around air quality. The proceedings commenced with a joint workshop by DFFE and NACA, laying the foundation for insightful technical sessions, expert presentations, and the sharing of the latest developments in the field of air quality management.

Imagining an air quality framework that works: How do we mainstream offsets?Air quality management (AQM) in South Africa faces significant challenges in balancing the constitutional right to clean air with economic development pressures.Civil organisations and communities demand their constitutional right to clean air while local governments face other pressing priorities, such as basic services and economic development (Naiker et al. 2012;Garland 2023).Therefore, imagining an air quality management framework that works within the civil and political context of South Africa is deemed imperative.Current air quality management relies heavily on policy and legislation with robust compliance and enforcement measures dominated by Command and Control (CaC) approaches.This approach lacks innovation and does not encourage incentivedriven thinking (Mukwevho et al. 2022).There is an excessive reliance on legal recourse as the primary incentive to comply, which may not be sustainable or encourage proactive measures from industry.While recognising the significant role of CaC approaches, it is recommended to explore and adopt additional approaches beyond CaC for further enhancement (Mukwevho et al. 2022), which may lead to the industry sharing the responsibility with the government of ensuring clean air for all.The government has initiated adopting alternative approaches like market-based instruments, including a carbon tax.However, these measures can intensify financial burdens on industries, thereby complicating efforts to reduce emissions in a manner that is considerate of socio-economic development needs.

Poor air quality is one of the main dysfunctions of the rapid urbanisation process in Africa. Although the information is fragmented, the limited evidence available points out that air quality is a leading health risk in Africa, especially affecting the poorest, most vulnerable communities. In this study, we look into five cities in Africa to understand the nature of urban air quality issues and to delve into the initial responses. We report on the status of the main air quality management dimensions, including air quality standards and monitoring strategy/capabilities, emission inventories and air quality modelling, health impact assessment studies, communication practices, development and implementation of clean air action plans (in connection with other relevant strategies, i.e. climate change policies) and governance issues. We find that all cities have limited monitoring capabilities although communication strategies may differ substantially. While indoor pollution sources are declining in more developed economies, traffic is a growing concern in all five cities. In most cases, air quality issues are mostly related to PM2.5 and natural contributions worsen air pollution from road transport, biomass and open waste burning. While nationally-driven strategies, often based on large-scale engineering projects and financial schemes, may report substantial gains in early stages, multi-level governance and planning is likely to maximize benefits and provide a useful framework for the complex problem of air quality management in the long run. The integration of air quality plans in overarching strategies to tackle persistent poverty and social inequity is urgently needed.

the Pretoria High Court found that chronic air pollution is a violation of Section 24 of the South African Constitution, and that South Africans have a right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being (CER, 2022). This "has important implications for communities forced to live with the debilitating effects of air pollution on the Mpumalanga Highveld, and more broadly for constitutional jurisprudence and government accountability" (CER, 2022).

Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. The data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that almost all the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits. The growing population and urbanization such as in Africa, which has the fastest growing population, may lead to substantial worsening of the air quality. Urbanization is also a powerful driver of the epidemiologic transition from traditional threats like infectious diseases and malnutrition to chronic, non-communicable diseases. Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size, PM2.5, is the leading contributor to air pollution which results in such diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and lung cancer. Recent studies have shown a strong correlation between ambient air pollution and COVID-19 cases, which has affected the lives of billions of people around the world. Abatement technologies such as ionic and other high efficiency filtration systems are quite expensive and hence unaffordable to communities with limited resources. The goal of this study was to develop an air pollution filtration method utilizing selective nanoparticle deposition in optimized concentrations, to maximize the entrapment of PM2.5 particles. The experimental set-up consisted of a wind tunnel with incense sticks as the PM2.5 source, measured by laser particle detectors upstream and downstream of the filters. Different nanoparticle coated filters were tested using the ‘Design of Experiments’ methodology and it was concluded that an optimized mixture of zinc oxide, titanium dioxide & graphene improved filtration efficiency of a baseline filter by 206% and was 70% cheaper than high efficiency filters. The versatility and cost-effectiveness of this design makes it applicable for personal masks & filters, air-conditioning and car-cabin filters, and fire-fighting equipment. The significant correlation between air pollution and fatalities from viral infections like COVID-19, makes such abatement technologies with innovative filtration systems critical to save human lives.

Anthropogenic emissions from industry, biomass burning and traffic are significant contributors to the atmospheric loading of nitrogen dioxide on the South African Highveld. These sources are dispersed across the region and emit nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2)into the atmosphere at different elevations above the earth's surface. Additionally, atmospheric stability in the form of surface andelevated inversions decreases the dispersion of air pollutants and stratifies pollutants into distinctive layers above the surface. Thisstudy explores the Highveld near-surface nitrogen dioxide concentrations obtained using the ground-based Pandora-2s monitoringsystem. The Pandora-2s instrument retrieves surface NO2 levels from clear sky measurements using a fully parameterised algorithm.We present the first near-surface concentration measurements of atmospheric NO2 at Wakkerstroom, a site between Volksrust andAmersfoort, downstream of major source conglomerates, the Majuba power station and other industries. These data are exploredin the presence and context of potential background NO2 concentrations in the area derived from other ground-based sensors. Thequasicontinuous data show elevated surface NO2 levels in week 37 (September) of 2020 (7.3 ± 5.7 ppb), while the lowest levels wereobserved in week 15 (April) of 2020 (0.2 ± 0.04 ppb). The elevated surface NO2 levels are driven by dominant emission sources andtransport trajectories, while the accuracy in the measurements is based on the high temporal resolution of the ground-based Pandora2s instrument.