Panel 1
Giorgio Cattani, Mariacarmela Cusano, Alessandro Di Menno di Bucchianico, Raffaela Gaddi, Alessandra Gaeta, Giuseppe Gandolfo, Gianluca Leone
The indicator is based on the concentration data of benzo(a)pyrene in the atmosphere, measured during 2024 in monitoring stations distributed throughout the national territory, collected and archived in ISPRA in the InfoAria database, in accordance with the provisions of Directive 2008/50/EC (and the legislative decree transposing Legislative Decree 155/2010) and Decision 2011/850/EU. The monitoring stations that measured and communicated B(a)P data are 167, of which 162 have data series with sufficient time coverage to verify the reference values. Exceedances of the target value were recorded in 12 stations, equal to 7.4% of cases.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced in incomplete combustion processes of organic materials and are emitted into the atmosphere almost completely adsorbed on particulate matter. Many compounds are carcinogenic, although evidence of carcinogenicity in humans relating to individual PAHs is extremely difficult, since in real conditions there is always simultaneous exposure to complex mixtures of many dozens of PAHs. The IARC (IARC, 2012) has classified benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) as a human carcinogen (category 1).
B(a)P is considered a good indicator of carcinogenic risk for the class of PAHs evaluated; an incremental risk of 9 cases of lung cancer per 100,000 people exposed throughout their lives to an average concentration of 1 ng/m was estimated 3 by B(a)P. WHO has therefore recommended a guideline value of 1 ng/m³ for the annual mean concentration of B(a)P. This value coincides with the target value set by Legislative Decree 155/2010.
The indicator was developed on the basis of the concentration data of B(a)P in the atmosphere, measured in monitoring stations distributed throughout the national territory, collected in the InfoAria database in accordance with the provisions of Decision 2011/850/EU. The annual average was calculated as a fundamental indicator to verify compliance with the objective value for the protection of human health established by the reference legislation (Legislative Decree 155/2010 and subsequent amendments).
Provide information on the state of air quality through the statistical parameters calculated from the concentration data of B(a)P in ambient air, the verification of compliance with the limit values established by the legislation and the comparison with the reference values established by the WHO.
- Directive 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 concerning arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air
- Legislative Decree 155/2010 - Legislative Decree 13 August 2010, n. 155 Implementation of Directive 2008/50/EC relating to ambient air quality and cleaner air in Europe (Official Gazette no. 216 of 09/15/2010 – ord. Suppl. No. 217 – in force from 09/30/2010).
- Commission Implementing Decision 2011/850/EU of 12 December 2011 laying down provisions for the implementation of Directives 2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the mutual exchange and communication of information on ambient air quality (notified under number C(2011) 9068)
The objective of Directive 2008/50/EC is to allow the assessment of ambient air quality on a common basis, to obtain information on the state of air quality in order to combat air pollution, to ensure the public availability of information and to promote cooperation between Member States.
Directive 2004/107/EC has established a target value for the concentration of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and benzo(a)pyrene in ambient air in order to avoid, prevent or reduce the harmful effects of exposure to these substances on human health and the environment as a whole.
Legislative Decree 155/2010 transposes Directive 2008/50/EC and replaces the implementing provisions of Directive 2004/107/EC (already transposed with Legislative Decree 3 August 2007, no. 152, repealed upon entry into force of Legislative Decree 155/2010), establishing a unitary regulatory framework on the subject of evaluation and management of ambient air quality. It also aims to allow autonomous regions and provinces to evaluate and manage ambient air quality.
The limit values of Legislative Decree 155/2010 represent the ambient air quality objectives to be pursued to avoid, prevent and reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment. The WHO reference values represent a guide to follow in reducing the impact of air pollution on human health. The target value of B(a)P in ambient air defined by the regulation is 1.0 ng/m³ for the average annual concentration coinciding with the guide value recommended by the WHO. In particular, as established by current legislation, the target value refers to the total B(a)P content present in the PM fraction 10 of particulate matter, calculated as an average over a calendar year.
Panel 2
IARC. (2012). A review of human carcinogens. Part F: Chemical agents and related occupations / IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (2009: Lyon, France). IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans; v. 100F .
ISPRA. (various editions). Environmental data yearbook.
SNPA. (2024). Air quality in Italy. 2023 edition.
World Health Organization. (2000). Air quality guidelines for Europe; second edition . Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Data quality assessment
Autonomous Provinces, Regions, SNPA (National System for Environmental Protection)
ISPRA, Databases InfoAria
National;
Regional (19/20);
Provincial (77/110);
Municipal (141/8047)
2024
Indicator assessment
The indicator is based on the concentration data of B(a)P in the atmosphere, measured in monitoring stations distributed throughout the national territory, collected and archived in ISPRA, in the InfoAria DB in accordance with the provisions of Decision 2011/850/EU. The annual average was calculated according to European rules for comparison with the objective value for the protection of human health established by the reference legislation (Legislative Decree 155/2010). For this comparison (Figure 2) data series were used with a minimum time coverage of 33% (net of data losses due to periodic calibration or ordinary maintenance) or 14% and having a uniform data distribution over the course of the year following the specific criteria for benzo(a)pyrene referred to in the annex to Legislative Decree 155/2010.
The target value (1.0 ng/m³) was exceeded in 12 stations (7.4% of cases) (Table 1 and Figure 2).
In 2024 the target value was exceeded mainly in those areas (Po Valley basin and Apennine and Alpine foothill areas, Valle del Sacco in lower Lazio) where the consumption of woody biomass for civil heating is greater and winter weather conditions favor the accumulation of pollutants. The exceedances in the Savonese area in Liguria are instead due to industrial sources.
Data
Figure 1: B(a)P – Classification of sampling sites according to the macroscale siting criteria set out in Annex III of Legislative Decree 155/2010 (2024)
Processing by ISPRA based on SNPA data
Figure 2: B(a)P – Monitoring stations and exceedances of the target value for the protection of human health (2024)
Processing by ISPRA based on SNPA data
Table 1: B(a)P – Monitoring stations: data and statistical parameters for air quality assessment (2024)
Processing by ISPRA based on SNPA data
“1” Zone type: U = URBAN; S = SUBURBAN; R = RURAL
“2” Station type: T = TRAFFIC; B = BACKGROUND; I = INDUSTRIAL
“3” Values shown in bold refer to data series with sufficient coverage in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex I of Legislative Decree 155/2010.
“4” Minimum data coverage pursuant to Legislative Decree 155/2010, Annex I: at least 33% valid data for measurements at fixed sites, net of losses due to periodic calibration or routine maintenance; at least 14% for indicative measurements, provided that data are evenly distributed over the year.
Table 2: B(a)P – Classification of zones with respect to assessment thresholds and verification of exceedances of the target value in accordance with Legislative Decree 155/2010 (2024)
Processing by ISPRA based on SNPA data
Zone: a delimited portion of the national territory, as defined by Legislative Decree 155/2010, for the purposes of ambient air quality assessment and management;
Agglomeration: a zone consisting of an urban area or a group of urban areas located no more than a few kilometres apart, or of a main urban area together with a set of smaller urban areas that depend on the main one in terms of population, services, and flows of people and goods, having:
- a population greater than 250,000 inhabitants; or
- a population lower than 250,000 inhabitants and a population density per km² greater than 3,000 inhabitants.
Annual target value (TV) exceedance: an exceedance is considered to have occurred when it is detected at least at one monitoring station located within the territory of the zone.
Classification:
- aboveUAT: above the upper assessment threshold (60% of the target value, 0.6 ng/m³);
- LAT–UAT: between the lower assessment threshold and the upper assessment threshold;
- belowLAT: below the lower assessment threshold (40% of the target value, 0.4 ng/m³).
Note: Exceedance of the upper and lower assessment thresholds shall be determined on the basis of ambient air pollutant concentrations over the five preceding calendar years. An exceedance is considered to occur if the assessment threshold has been exceeded in at least three of the five preceding calendar years.
There are 167 monitoring stations that have measured and communicated B(a)P data. Of these, 162 (97% of the total) have a minimum time coverage of 33% (net of data losses due to periodic calibration or ordinary maintenance) or 14% and have a uniform data distribution over the course of the year following the specific criteria for benzo(a)pyrene referred to in the annex to Legislative Decree 155/2010. The classification of B(a)P monitoring stations according to the macroscale location criteria required by the legislation is represented in Figure 1.
The entire national territory is divided into zones and agglomerations for the purposes of assessing the quality of ambient air pursuant to Legislative Decree 155/2010. Each area is classified based on the criteria established by the same decree, with respect to certain thresholds, shown in Table A. The classification is important because the evaluation obligations derive from it and is usually updated every five years. If in the year under review a limit value has been exceeded in at least one monitoring station, the entire area is exceeded.
In 2024, the target value was exceeded in 11 out of 78 areas distributed across 5 regions (Table 2).