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Environmental Services Air Quality
There are three types of monitoring carried out in the Royal Borough. These are
Continuous automatic monitoring uses highly technical equipment and is costly to install and monitor. In comparison, semi-automatic sampler methods and passive monitoring are generally less expensive to set up and operate.
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Air Quality Reports |  |
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Air Quality Report 2004 | (221.7Kb) |
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Air Quality Report 2003 | (313.7Kb) |
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Air Quality Report 2002 | (256Kb) |
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Air Quality Report 2001 | (617Kb) |
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Air Quality Report 2000 | (329Kb) |
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This allows pollutants to be monitored continuously by automatic techniques. The data is stored as 15 minute averages and downloaded via a modem hourly by the Environmental Research Group Kings College (ERG Kings) on behalf of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The data is validated by a combination of automatic and manual checks. See the links below to find out information about the location of continuous monitoring sites around the Royal Borough. To view these documents, you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat on your machine.
Air quality data is collected in the Royal Borough by the Government and ourselves.
The data collected on behalf of the Royal Borough for the Local Air Quality Network (LAQN) can be found at the following website:
While the data collected by the Government for the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) can be found at:
We use continuous methods to monitor:
These methods provide a means of collecting pollutant samples over a known period of time for analysis in a laboratory. Currently a gravimetric method (Partisol Plus Unit) is used for monitoring particles. It samples continuously collecting particles on to a filter over a 24-hour period. The filters are then collected and weighed in a laboratory.
In the past we have used a similar method at North Kensington Library to monitor lead pollution. Air is sucked in via a tube and passes through a piece of filter paper, which is collected after it has been exposed for a month. The filter paper is sent to a laboratory to be analysed. Lead monitoring is now undertaken only at the Cromwell Road monitoring site by DEFRA because lead levels have declined to below the objective level.
We use diffusion tubes to monitor nitrogen dioxide and benzene. The tube is opened at one end during sampling and contains a pad, which, depending on the type of pad used, absorbs nitrogen dioxide or benzene by diffusion. At the end of the two-week sampling period the tube is sealed and sent off for laboratory analysis.
Diffusion tubes are a simple way of monitoring air pollution and allow a greater number of sites to be monitored. It also allows us to monitor pollutants such as benzene which would be very costly and complex to undertake using automated methods.
The tubes are open at one end during sampling and contain a pad, which, depending on the type of pad used, absorb different pollutants. At the end of the sampling period the tubes are sealed and sent off for laboratory analysis. In the borough we use diffusion tubes to monitor nitrogen dioxide and benzene.
Diffusion tubes are generally less accurate than automated methods. However, for nitrogen dioxide adjustment factors can be applied to take into account measured difference between the continuous monitoring technique and passive diffusion.
We have a network of 29 diffusion tube sites in the borough spread across a variety of locations. Each tube samples for a month before it is sent for analysis. Please see Nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube site locations and codes [PDF file] (File size 21Kb).
This allows us to calculate a mean level for the year. For a summary of nitrogen dioxide levels and trends measured by this method please see Nitrogen Dioxide Difusion Tube Annual Report 2006 [PDF file] (File size 242Kb).
This report is an extract from the London Wide Survey and contains unadjusted data. This means that the data will differ slightly from that reported in Local Air Quality Management Reports.
To see maps that show the location of tubes around the Borough, click on the map links below.
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