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LA2338C - EPA - Five (5) Active Ambient Air Ammonia Monitoring Systems

Descriptions

This document constitutes an invitation to tender for five (5) Active Ambient Air Ammonia Monitoring Systems with Associated analysis.Under the EC National Emissions Ceiling Directive (NECD 2016/2284), EU member states are required to monitor (Article 9) and report (Article 10.4) air pollution pressure and impacts on ecosystems that are representative of each country’s freshwater, forest, natural and semi-natural habitats.The air pollution impacts of interest are in the first instance those relating to the substances for which reduction commitments are set in Annex II to the NECD (i.e., SO2, NOX, NMVOC and NH3), that is those contributing to acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems, and as precursors of ozone damage to vegetation growth and biodiversity changes.As part of the National Ecosystems Monitoring Network (NEMN), terrestrial ecosystem habitats were selected based on their sensitivity to air pollution, in particular N deposition and gaseous ammonia. Many of the habitat sites in the NEMN are of conservation importance in Ireland. The primary focus of the NEMN is to represent the different gradients and ranges in pressure from pollutant nitrogen (N), particularly the range in ammonia concentration, which is highly spatially variable. Nitrogen pollution is of particular concern for ecosystems in Ireland and globally. Ammonia has direct toxic effects, especially on sensitive bryophytes and lichens. Monitoring ammonia concentration allows this pressure to be characterised, and it also provides evidence useful for estimating total N deposition.