Urban air pollution in Skopje aglomeration - traffic vs background case

Extreme winter time air pollution episodes, fortify public concerns and put focus on air pollution as most important environmental problem in urban areas throughout the country. However, focused research efforts to derive information about pollution sources and the amount they contribute to ambient air pollution levels, are still missing, thus leaving room for dubious discussions and political, instead of scientifically based abetment strategies. Having in mind importance of proper information on air pollution sources and utilizing the data collected during several different measurement's campaigns performed for city of Skopje, as much extensive additional lab works and modeling efforts, indicative source apportionment analysis was performed for two sites (receptors) within Skopje urban area, one source specific (traffic) and one background site. (author)