In Katowice Province, air pollution monitoring has been carried out by the State Sanitary Inspectorate since 1958. Annual concentrations of some contaminants are many times higher than permissible levels, especially in large industrialized urban centers. There are especially high contaminations of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and suspended dust containing lead and benzopyrenes. Concentrations of most these substances exceed permissible twenty-four hour standards many times. Air quality in the region of Silesia might be improved by modernization of industry, but replacement of coal-fired furnaces by gas or electric ones is also required.
The distribution of arsenic in the region of Katowice is described. In the sedimentation velocity of arsenic different related from distance of distribution in rainy period and sun period. For the given direction wind the surface load of suspended dust were investigated. The concentration of arsenic in air and in fallout changed in relation to wind velocity and inversion layer height.