Changes in atmospheric chemistry and pollutants deposition in the Asinara island: a tool for investigating global change

The atmosphere is a fluid shell whose dynamic reflects the biogeochemical processes of the biosphere and especially perturbations induced by human activities. Its mixing is so efficient to connect ecosystems at global scale, leading an important role in global change. In fact, local emissions may be carried in the distant regions of the planet, transmitting the impacts of activities and actions at the global or regional scale and vice versa. Hence the interest to know the potential negative impact on climate of some pollutants in natural ecosystems and the transport of the same, especially in areas of significant natural value at the edge of highly industrialized zones such as Asinara, a small island of approximately 50 km2 in the northwestern coast of Sardinia (Italy). This island is located a few kilometers from a factory which manufactures organic chemical products with direct discharge of emissions to air. Asinara has a multitude of biotic and abiotic environments in a small area and it has been recognized at Community level as a special protection zone for the conservation of biodiversity that makes the impacts of human activity more visible and more easily observable. By its nature, an Environmental Observatory has been settled on the island and equipped with a continuous monitoring system of air quality that measures the concentration of the main recognized atmospheric contaminants, such as particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). At the same time meteorological and carbon flux data are also recorded. In this work the results of the study carried out for the period 2006-2015 are presented with the ambitious project that aims to differentiate between natural factors and other situations due to the action of global change that induce changes in atmospheric chemistry and pollutants deposition.