An Integrated approach to the pollution hazard analysis and management

The risk analysis includes the detection of hazards, the assessment of risks and their management. These three main aspects of environmental risk study are strictly linked together in order to archive an effective mitigation of hazards and to minimize consequences. In this work an integrated approach to the study of the environmental system is presented to allow an effective management of risk and the mitigation of possible hazards and a decision support to operators and authorities. The aim of this paper is to present our approach to the study of atmospheric pollution by using the environmental management platform Terrapack® [4]. An application to the simulation of an air pollution episode due to a smoke-stack placed in the neighbourhood of the city of Florence (Italy) is shown. The analysis includes vector, raster and alpha-numeric data: groundbased meteorological and pollutants concentration measurements from on-site monitoring network, digital map of complex terrain, emission census, and modelling data base which includes our dispersion code to simulate the air pollution episode. In the simulation system, both the common used air pollution models based on the Gaussian plume equation [1] and the mixed method [2] describing the plume time evolution by means of elements, either segments or puffs are included . The latter model being used in the calm or low-wind situations and in both nonstationary and nonhomogeneous conditions. The time evolution of the 2-3D pollutant (SO]) concentration maps will be shown. Results of our simulation code have been compared to results of MODIA code, a simulation software program validate from U.S. EPA [3].