Assessment of ambient air quality in heavy industrial localities: a case study of Yanbu industrial city

The objective of this study was to provide an appropriate evaluation of ambient air quality in industrial localities and the surrounding residential areas in its vicinity. Therefore, an assessment of gaseous emissions from industrial sectors was performed. For this purpose, concentrations were measured for SO(2), H(2)S, NO(2), O(3), CO, PM(2.5), and PM(10) in five spatially diverse monitoring stations (AQMS) over different temporal intervals (daily, monthly, and annual) for the years 2015–2020. The impact on the environment and public health was evaluated through comparison with the corresponding regional and international standards. In the case study region, a substantial spatiotemporal variation was observed in the gaseous contaminants, due to the predominance of characterized meteorological parameters interfering with contributions from existing chemical facilities and anthropogenic activities. The exceedances for the investigated emissions were routinely violated the standard concentrations. According to AQI classifications, these violations were assigned to be within the acceptable limits for the gaseous emissions, moderately polluted for PM(2.5), and unhealthy for sensitive groups for PM10. The proper distribution of the AQMSs within the industrial locality provides enough spatial and temporal observatory data, such that the exceedances were reduced with the subsequent years, hence appropriate evaluation of the relevant measurements revealed effective qualitative policies taken into action by authorities to maintain less accumulation of the gaseous emissions into ambient air beyond the harmful limits for public health and environment.