Air pollution in Istanbul increased by approximately 3% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to a recent study conducted by Istanbul Technical University (ITU).

A study was conducted on the air pollution rate in Istanbul between 2022 and 2023 by ITU's Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Meteorological Engineering, professor Hüseyin Toros and ITU graduate student Yiğitalp Kara, who is a research assistant at Samsun University's (SAMÜ) Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Meteorological Engineering.

In this context, the rate of particulate matter (PM10) in the air recorded by the air quality measurement stations of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change was examined.

Accordingly, the average airborne particulate matter concentration in Istanbul in 2022 was measured as 36,003 micrograms per cubic meter. Air pollution, which was 36,958 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, increased by approximately 3% compared to the previous year.

Last year, the station where the highest particulate matter air pollution in Istanbul was measured was Kartal with 54,095 micrograms per cubic meter. Esenyurt followed this with 53,463, Mecidiyeköy with 51,815, and Yenibosna stations with 51,662 micrograms per cubic meter.

In the same period, the station with the lowest air pollution measurement was Büyükada with 17,782 micrograms per cubic meter, while particulate matter pollution was determined as 20,632 in the Şile station, 20,865 in Kumköy and 21,837 micrograms per cubic meter in Sarıyer.

The air pollution rate in Istanbul increased in 11 stations and decreased in 13 stations in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Last year, Yenibosna ranked first among the stations where air pollution increased the most compared to 2022, with 69.54% followed by Üsküdar with 19.77%, Bağcılar with 19.56%, Başakşehir with 19.46%, Kartal with 14.92% and Büyükada with 12.60%.

During the same period, the station where average air pollution decreased the most was Şile with 17.71%, followed by Çatlamışkapı with 17.36%, Şirinevler with 11.97%, Ümraniye with 11.42%, Maslak with 10.91% and Sarıyer with 10.48%.