ASSESSMENT OF AIR QUALITY IN THE MAIN CITIES IN ALBANIA: CASE STUDY

All activities are part of the release of gases in the atmosphere that affect the quality of air we breathe (air environment) and also the upper layer of the atmosphere, which can influence in the global climate, or in the ozone layer which protects us from some of the harmful effects of sun rays. Activities that cause most pollution are transport, industry, energy sector (production and processing of oil and gas and thermal energy production) and urban development. Releases in the atmosphere also come from agricultural activities, dumping of wastes and other human activities. Currently the main sources of air pollution are oil extraction, mobile sources, heating of houses, production of cement. The main source of urban air pollution is transport. The number of vehicles continues to grow from year to year. Emission of gases from vehicles (PM10) contribute to a large extent in air pollution causing problems in breathing, especially to minors and the elderly. Systematic measuring of emissions of basic polluting substances in the air of Albania includes continuous 24 hour measuring of: sulfur dioxides (SO2), total nitrogen oxides (NOx), troposphere ozone (O3), the overall content of suspended particles(PM10) and in it the content of lead (Pb) in 8 stations of 5 cities of Albania.