Netherlands Research Program on Particulate Matter (BOP)

The goal of the Netherlands Research Program on Particulate Matter (BOP) is to reduce uncertainties about particulate matter (PM) and the number of policy dilemmas, which complicate development and implementation of adequate policy measures. Uncertainties concerning health aspects of PM are not explicitly addressed.

This study is conducted under the auspices of the Netherlands Research Program on Particulate Matter (BOP), a national programme on PM10 and PM2.5, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial planning and the Environment (VROM). The programme is a framework of cooperation, involving four Dutch institutes: the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), the Environment and Safety Division of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and TNO Built Environment and Geosciences.The goal of BOP is to reduce uncertainties about particulate matter (PM) and the number of policy dilemmas, which complicate development and implementation of adequate policy measures. Uncertainties concerning health aspects of PM are not explicitly addressed.The approach for dealing with these objectives is through the integration of mass and composition measurements of PM10 and PM2.5, emission studies and model development. In addition, dedicated measurement campaigns have been conducted to research specific PM topics.The results of the BOP research programme are published in a special series of reports. The subjects in this series, in general terms, are: sea salt, mineral dust, secondary inorganic aerosol, elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC), and mass closure and source apportionment. Some BOP reports concern specific PM topics: urban background (this report), PM trend, shipping emissions, EC/OC emissions from traffic, and attainability of PM2.5 standards. Technical details of the research programme are condensed in two background documents; one on measurements and one on model developments. In addition, all results are combined in a special summary for policy makers.

BOP workshop

Links to the BOP workshop programme and the presentations:

• Programme Workshop ‘Measurements and Modelling of PM2.5 in Europe’, 23 - 24 April 2009, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
• Presentations ‘Measurements and Modelling of PM2.5 in Europe’, 23 - 24 April 2009, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

BOP publications

An overview of BOP publications:

• PM2.5 in the Netherlands. Consequences of the new European air quality standards
• Regional modelling of particulate matter for the Netherlands
• Study on the spatial variability of urban background PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations
• The contribution of sea salt to PM10 and PM2.5 in the Netherlands
• Traffic emissions of elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) and their contribution to PM2.5 and PM10 urban background concentrations
• Attainability of PM2.5 air quality standards, situation for the Netherlands in a European context
• Carbon (EC/OC) concentrations as derived from routine PM measurements in the Netherlands
• Methodologies for estimating shipping emissions in the Netherlands
• Contribution of secondary inorganic aerosols to PM10 and PM2.5 in the Netherlands; measurements and modelling results
• Trends in particulate matter
• Composition and origin of Particulate Matter in the Netherlands
• Mineral Dust as a component of particulate matter
• Policy research programme on particulate matter. Main results and policy consequences