Aarhus University (AU) carries out national monitoring of air quality in Denmark. Monitoring takes place through a network of monitoring stations, supplemented by modelling.

DCE - Danish Centre for Environment and Energy at Aarhus University manages the program under contract to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. DCE acts in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus University.

Station map

Map of monitoring stations. From the map there is access to information about the individual stations and the components measured at each station.

The monitoring programme

Until 2010 there were two Danish monitoring programmes: The “Background monitoring programme” (BOP) focusing on atmospheric deposition to nature, and the urban programme LMP focusing on health related air pollution.

They have been replaced by a unified programme producing two annual reports. The reports focus on, respectively, atmospheric deposition to nature, and air quality in respect to health.

The programme comprises measurements of nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, benzene, toluene and particles (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀). These measurements are conducted wih continously monitoring instruments, which transmit the monitoring results immediately to a database at Aarhus University.

Furthermore, particulate pollution is sampled on filters and later analysed in laboratory for heavy metals and PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Other analyses involve precipitation samples.

The web page “Map of monitoring stations” provides an overview of the monitoring network and the measured air pollution components.

Modelling with atmospheric dispersion models is an integrated part of the monitoring programme. The model results are used i.a. to assess air pollution concentration level in streets where measurements are not performed, and to compute deposition of nitrogen to nature.

The monitoring programme is managed by DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy at Aarhus University. The Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus Univesity takes care of the practical work.

The monitoring programme is managed in cooperation with the National Agency of Environmental Protection (Miljøstyrelsen), which holds the overall responsibiity for the programme. Further partners involved in the cooperation are the municipalities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg.

See also

• Annual monitoring reports – overview page. DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy publishes annual reports which present the results of the monitoring programme. These reports provide a good overview of the current air pollution situation in Denmark.
• Map of monitoring stations. The map provides an overview of measured components, and it gives access to further information concerning each station.
• Use the menu on the left. Note the link “Air quality monitoring” which is entry to further information related to the monitoring programme.