Spring calibrations were made at the air quality measuring station in Äänekoski
"The Äänekoski has had very moderate concentrations"

Air quality experts from the Finnish Meteorological Institute Matias Saunamäki ja Toni Mattila did periodic calibrations at the measuring station of the Äänekoski fire station last week.
- Äänekoski's air quality has been monitored for almost 20 years. The monitoring started in Hiskinmäki in 2004 and since 2020 it has been organized in the yard of the fire station. Air quality monitoring in Äänekoski is handled by the so-called as a joint inspection involving Metsä Fiber Oy, the city of Äänekoski, Metsä Wood, Nouryon Chemicals Finland Oy, Kumpuniemi Voima Oy, Valio Oy, Valtra Oy and Äänekosken Energia, the environmental manager of the city of Äänekoski Hanna Ahonen tells. The current contract with the Finnish Meteorological Institute is valid until the end of 2024.

Quality assurance is an important part of measurement operations, and calibrations are performed at the measurement station every four months. Now the spring street dust can be seen in the measurement results, and it's not worth washing the windows yet, for example. The situation in Äänekoski and the more favorable window washing time can be monitored in real time on the website of the Finnish Meteorological Institute https://ilmanlaatu.fmi.fi/aanekoski/ . From there you can clearly see, for example, the street dust time, which is, however, quite short.
The measuring devices in use are used to measure e.g. concentrations of the following air pollutants: nitrogen oxides, respirable particles such as street dust, sulfur dioxide and smelly sulfur compounds. Nitrogen oxides and respirable particles are released especially from car traffic, and sulfur dioxide and smelly sulfur compounds are released from industrial production processes. The aim of air quality measurements is to map the concentration levels and momentary variation of these air pollutants.
- The measurement results are monitored in real time, and if a value pops up, we react to it. Äänekoski has had very moderate concentrations, says Matias Saunamäki.

Concentrations are measured with continuous automatic analyzers. Outside air is sucked into the measuring devices through the samplers located on the roof of the container. In order to interpret the results of air quality measurements, weather data is also measured at the station and there is also a weather sensor on the roof.
The sensors are sensitive and you can see the results if you drive a car next to the measuring station, even though the point is located along the busy Äänekoskentie. The measuring devices register if, for example, smells come from factories, even though the smell itself is a subjective experience. The meters in use do not measure pollen.
Real-time air quality measurement results can be followed on the website of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, in addition to Äänekoski, Heinola, Kemi and Rauma.
For more information:
Environmental manager
Hanna Ahonen
0400 893 683
hanna.ahonen@aanekoski.fi
News published 24.4.2023