Citizen Science

The topics of nitrogen deposition and the health impacts of air pollution are highly relevant to society. Efforts to reduce nitrogen deposition are costly, both financially and in terms of public acceptance. CAINA seeks to address these challenges in two ways: by applying scientific insights to improve understanding of nitrogen aerosol levels and deposition, and by engaging and educating the public about reactive nitrogen. To encourage public participation, a citizen science campaign was set up as part of the CAINA project.

In the Netherlands, high agricultural gaseous ammonia (NH3) emissions combine with gaseous nitrogen oxides (NOx) from industry and traffic, leading to high particulate concentrations of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). The high nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands lead to extensive deposition of reactive nitrogen in vulnerable nature areas, which affects biodiversity, ground and surface water quality and human health [1]. In line with European law, the Dutch government aims to reduce reactive nitrogen emission and deposition [2], and information guiding this reformation originates from measurements and models from the Dutch National Institute for Environment and Public Health (RIVM). The RIVM monitors the atmospheric nitrogen concentrations and deposition processes using a network that measures ammonia concentrations at 9 locations, nitrogen oxide concentrations at 70 locations, wet deposition at 10 locations and dry deposition at 6 locations [3].  In addition, atmospheric models (OPS and EMEP4NL) are used to further visualize nitrogen deposition and are validated using the (limited amount of) measurement stations. However, uncertainty remains on the representability of spatial variation of the models and measurements.

Project Aim

In collaboration with the RIVM, CAINA seeks to set-up a measurement network of wet deposition that can provide valuable information to validate spatial variation patterns provided in nitrogen deposition models used by the RIVM. The network measurements can be used to evaluate the validity of the current measurement network, and whether, for example, more measurement sites are needed. Furthermore, we will use the wet deposition data to improve our understanding of the interaction between nitrogen aerosol levels and deposition using scientific insights from our project. By using a citizen science approach to the project, we hope to engage and educate people in the politically relevant public debate about reactive nitrogen. Our research will be guided by the following research questions: 

1. What is the spatial and temporal variation of nitrogen levels in rainwater across (part of) the Netherlands? 

2. How do the nitrogen deposition models, OPS and EMEP, compare with the high spatial variation of the CS measurements, and to what extent does this affect the monitoring strategy?

3. How are wet nitrogen deposition and nitrogen aerosol levels related considering aerosol chemical composition, wet deposition type, and cloud type?

Results

Currently there are no results available yet, as the sampling period is still going on.

References

[1]    https://www.rivm.nl/stikstof

[2]    https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/stikstof/stap-voor-stap-naar-oplossingen-voor-natuur-water-en-klimaat

[3]    https://www.rivm.nl/stikstof/registreren-meten-berekenen/meten