GIS-assisted dispersion of SO2 in the industrial regions

Sulfur dioxide is one of the most important pollutants in urban areas which cause respiratory problems and acid rain. The aim of this research is to study the feasibility of using passive diffusive air sampling and GIS technique to determine the dispersion level of SO2 in the industrialized Zarghan area and assessing the contribution level of generating sources of SO2 in the urban areas. It is also essential to determine the contribution of other sources and dispersion radius of pollutants in the area as well. In this study, we used passive sampling method to measure the concentration of sulfur dioxide at 10 monitoring stations. Interpolation tools in ArcGIS technique create a continuous surface from measured values to predict SO2 concentration in other parts of the city. The concentrations of SO2 around Shiraz oil refinery and Dudej region located at 3 km from the oil refinery were 60 and 19 μg m(-3), respectively. In conclusion the results indicated that SO2 concentration was not exceeded the standard limit in the residential area and the role of the local highway and industrial park was not significant.