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Dust (Particulates)
What type of substance is it?
Particulates is the term used to describe tiny particles in the air, made up of a complex mixture of soot, organic and inorganic materials having a particle size less than or equal to 10 microns diameter (10 microns is equal to one hundredth part of a millimetre). Particulates is one of the eight substances for which the government has established an air quality standard as part of its national Air Quality Strategy.
How is it released?
There are many man-made sources of Particulates, including road transport and industry. There are also natural sources, for example, volcanoes and dust storms
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
What type of substance is it?
Total Organic Carbon is part of a large group of liquids and gases often called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The liquids easily vaporise at room temperature and many are colourless and odourless. They are of general concern because of their ability to react with other pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, in the lower atmosphere to form ozone. High concentrations of ozone at ground level can harm human health, damage crops and affect materials such as rubber. Some VOCs may be directly harmful to human health, contribute to global warming or destroy stratospheric ozone needed to shield the earth's surface from harmful ultra violate radiation.
How is it released?
Paints, natural gas, petrol, road transport and industrial processes are the major sources of these compounds, however some are also produced by natural biological processes.
Hydrogen Chloride
What type of substance is it?
Hydrogen chloride is both a naturally occuring chemical and is manufactured by man. It is a colourless, chemically reactive gas with a strong, pungent odour. In solution with water it forms a strong acid - hydrochloric acid. The gas is acidic and corrosive.
How is it released?
The main source of hydrogen chloride releases are coal burning power stations. Smaller quantities are also emitted from waste incinerators.
Carbon Monoxide
What type of substance is it?
Carbon monoxide is both a common naturally occuring chemical and is manufactured by man. It is a colourless, odourless poisonous gas. Carbon monoxide is one of the eight substances for which the government has established an air quality standard as part of its national Air Quality Strategy.
How is it released?
The main man-made source of carbon monoxide is petrol vehicles which are not fitted with a catalytic converter. Small amounts are also released from the burning of fossil fuels in power stations and waste incinerators. Faulty domestic gas boilers and domestic cookers are also sources and the gas is also found in tobacco smoke. Smaller amounts are also produced by natural processes.
Sulphur Dioxide
What type of substance is it?
Sulphur dioxide is man-made and naturally occurring colourless gas with a penetrating odour. It dissolves in water to form an acidic solution of sulphurous acid. Sulphur dioxide gas is one of the main chemicals that causes acid rain. Concentrations sometimes found in the polluted environment can damage crops and forests and acidify sensitive soils and water bodies. Sulphur dioxide is one of the eight substances for which the government has established an air quality standard as part of its national Air Quality Strategy.
How is it released?
Sulphur dioxide is produced by burning coal and oil. Power stations and oil refineries release most of the sulphur dioxide in the air, but releases from domestic open fires can also affect local concentrations. Releases from its industrial uses are relatively small. Sulphur dioxide is also found naturally in the air at low concentrations from natural releases such as volcanoes and forest fires.
Nitrogen Oxides
What type of substance is it?
The term 'nitrogen oxides' (NOx) is usually used to includes two gases - nitric oxide (NO), which is a colourless, odourless gas and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is a reddish-brown gas with a pungent odour. Nitrogen oxides contribute to acid rain, depletion of the ozone layer and have detrimental effects on health. They are also greenhouse gases. Nitrogen dioxide is one of the eight substances for which the government has established an air quality standard as part of its national Air Quality Strategy.
How is it released?
Major man-made releases of nitrogen oxides are primarily from fuel combustion (including vehicles), biomass burning and some production processes. There are also minor natural sources such as lightning, natural fires and biological processes in soils and waters.
Monthly Leeds emissions to air data
Dust (Particulates) 10mg/m3, Total Organic Carbon 10mg/m3, Hydrogen Chloride 10mg/m3, Carbon Monoxide 50mg/m3, Sulphur Dioxide 50mg/m3 and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) 200mg/m3.
Please see below for further information on the emissions monitored.
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 21
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
![Missing media item. Missing media item.](/core/modules/media/images/icons/no-thumbnail.png)
September 2019
![Missing media item. Missing media item.](/core/modules/media/images/icons/no-thumbnail.png)
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
![December 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2018/01/Dec17_0.png?itok=jZzzrXne)
November 2017
![November 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/12/Nov17_pic_0.png?itok=uF1qzATE)
October 2017
![October 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/11/OCT17_-_Emissions_Pic_0.png?itok=SkJjEBDP)
September 2017
![September 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/10/Sep17_Emissions_0.png?itok=T1f6rx8A)
August 2017
![August 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/09/August_Emissions_pic_0.png?itok=QrrswkE6)
July 2017
![July 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/08/Emissions_pic_-_july_2017_0.png?itok=0NY_J45h)
June 2017
![June emissions 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/08/June_emissions_2017__0.png?itok=BMX1oa_Q)
May 2017
![May emissions 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/06/May_2017_0.png?itok=d4kthHd-)
April 2017
![April 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/05/April_2017__0.png?itok=eVMo0tJI)
March 2017
![March 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/04/March_2017_emissions__0.png?itok=yrveo57i)
February 2017
![February 2017](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/03/February_2017_0.png?itok=ruJEKMPF)
January 2017
![January 2017 emissions](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/02/January_emissions_0.png?itok=BKVqHtwW)
December 2016
![December 2016](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2017/01/December_emissions__0.png?itok=8s2cY5j-)
November 2016
![November 2016](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/12/November_2016_png_0.png?itok=2AVILNm1)
October 2016
![October 2016](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/11/October_Website_png_0.png?itok=9gG3r2Ek)
September 2016
![September 2016 emissions](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/10/image_1_0.png?itok=e_-n5SgE)
August 2016
![August emissions](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/09/August_0.png?itok=rE2YxnwX)
July 2016
![July emissions](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/08/July_emissions__0.png?itok=fXux9e3T)
June 2016
![June emissions](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/09/new_june__0.png?itok=4-kN9VUb)
May 2016
![May 2016](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/06/May_Daily_Emissions__0.png?itok=R-widLyY)
April 2016
![Average daily emissions - April 2016](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/05/April_emissions__0.png?itok=4RGXMF7a)
March 2016
![March emissions](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/04/March_emissions_7_0.png?itok=Jglgsz8c)
February 2016
![February](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/03/February_Emissions_2016_5_0.png?itok=DB-oYn32)
January 2016
![January](/sites/g/files/dvc1786/files/styles/default/public/image/2016/03/January_Emissions_2016_6_0.png?itok=ctydZ1Hp)