Introduction

This is the 19th Annual Meeting in the successful series of international conferences dealing with Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution.

The series started in Mexico (1993) and continued in Barcelona (1994); Halkidiki (1995); Toulouse (1996); Bologna (1997); Genova (1998); San Francisco (1999); Cambridge, UK (2000); Ancona (2001); Segovia (2002); Catania (2003); Rhodes (2004); Cordoba (2005); New Forest (2006); the Algarve (2007); Skiathos (2008); Tallinn (2009) and Kos (2010). All these meetings have attracted outstanding contributions from leading researchers from all over the world and all papers presented since 1993 stored in the WIT eLibrary (http://library.witpress.com).

Air pollution is highly topical nowadays due to the increase in the number of emission sources and the significance that good quality air has on human health. The complexity of this topic is increased by the fact that air pollution generated locally can have an impact on a regional and in some cases even on a global scale. The contaminants emitted in one place can quickly disperse through the atmosphere and industrial activities in one country can affect the air quality in another. More accurate and reliable predictive models are necessary, which can be used to assess the influence of one or several sources of pollution on various end points. Improvements are possible through better quantification of emission rates and more accurate information on composition of pollutants of various sources. This includes improving transport models on a regional scale, which can include accurate predictionson a local scale where necessary, enhancing knowledge of chemical reactions transforming existing and creating new pollutants, deposition of particles, and understanding the impact of separate pollutants and combinations of pollutants on human health and the environment.

Technology constantly brings new products to the consumers and with this comes the possibility of creating new contaminants. This development constantly demands research in the field of air pollution in order to better understand, prevent, or bring to acceptable levels, new pollution sources. The process of defining acceptable levels is demanding new research to understand better the impact of long term exposure to various pollutants, or mixtures where separate components can have synergistic effects. Improved knowledge of the effect of pollutants on human health forces periodic review of the regulations for air quality and emissions. Further research for improving monitoring and detection technology is required in order to be able to verify that the current regulations for air quality are satisfied, and to identify areas where further improvements are required.

The goal of this conference is to bring together researchers who are active in the study of air contaminants and to exchange information through the presentation and discussion of papers dealing with the wide variety of topics described below. Case study papers are encouraged. Papers of a more theoretical nature, dealing with advanced mathematical and computational methods, will also be within the scope of the conference.