FOREWORD
The MED POL Programme, initially designated as the environmental assessment
component of the Mediterranean Action plan, has been operational since 1975. Its first phase
(MED POL-Phase I) was implemented from 1975 to 1980 and it comprised seven basic baseline
studies covering the major marine pollution problems in the Mediterranean including the study of
pollutant-transfer processes at river/sea and air/sea interfaces.
An important role in initiating airborne pollution studies in the Mediterranean belonged to
the report on "Atmospheric Transport of Contaminants into the Mediterranean Sea" prepared in
1985 by the WMO-led GESAMP Working Group on the Interchange of Pollutants between the
Atmosphere and the Oceans. The report reviewed the knowledge on the levels of atmospheric
contaminants over the Mediterranean, emissions, climatology pertinent to atmospheric transport
and deposition. Despite a limited database existing at that time for the region it was possible to
conclude that the levels of atmospheric contamination over the Mediterranean were comparable
to those over other European regional seas. Since that time all the MED POL activities related to
the airborne pollution have been co-ordinated by the World Meteorological Oragnization (WMO).
Within MED POL-Phase II (1981-1996) the first MED POL airborne pollution monitoring
and modelling programme was prepared in November 1987 at the WMO/UNEP Workshop on
Airborne Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea held in Belgrade (MAP TRS No. 31). The major
goals of the programme were identified as follows: to evaluate the importance of the atmospheric
transport and deposition of land-based contaminants to coastal and open Mediterranean waters,
to asses the airborne contamination levels of potentially harmful substances, to identify sources
and source areas for these atmospheric contaminants, and to develop predictive models for
assessing airborne pollution load. For routine monitoring, the programme recommended by the
workshop included measurements of the following parameters: in precipitation - pH, conductivity,
SO4, NH4, NO3, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn; in air - Cd, Pb and total particulate matter,
and surface ozone. The second WMO/UNEP Workshop on Airborne Pollution of the
Mediterranean Sea held in Monaco in April 1991 (MAP TRS No. 64) recommended that the
priority measurement parameters should also include nutrients (N and P compounds) which may
cause eutrophication.
The Programme for the Assessment and Control of Pollution in the Mediterranean Region
(MED POL-Phase III) was adopted by the Extraordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the
Barcelona Convention held in Montpellier in July 1996. One of the specific objectives of this
programme is "to identify the sources, assess the present levels and keep under periodic review
the trends in the load of contaminants reaching the Mediterranean Sea from marine and landbased sources including point and non-point sources and airborne contaminants". The main
recommendations on the MED POL-Phase III activities related to monitoring, modelling,
assessment and control of pollution of the Mediterranean Sea through the atmosphere were
developed at the WMO/UNEP Expert Meeting on airborne Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea
held in Paris in October-November 1994 (ENV/MED POL/ AP/2). The objectives of these
activities were identified as follows: to assess airborne pollution of the Mediterranean Sea and its
sub-regions; to identify long-distance area sources of airborne pollution; to provide scientific
rational for formulation of regional measures to protect the sea against pollution through the
atmosphere; to monitor the trends of airborne pollution levels and inputs for evaluating the
compliance with the adopted control measures; to ensure the required quality of monitoring data,
and to promote the increased involvement of national institutions in the programme through direct
assistance, training and advisory expert missions. An amended measurement programme was
also developed as well as requirements for quality assurance and quality control and for further
research.

GESAMP = IMO/FAO/UNESCO-IOC/WMO/WHO/IAEA/UN/UNEP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific
Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection
During MED POL-Phase II and the beginning of MED POL-Phase III more than 30
national MED POL research projects and studies were supported from the Mediterranean Trust
Fund. The results of these studies and assessments were published in the Mediterranean Action
Plan Technical Reports Series:
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"Meteorological and climatological data from surface and upper measurements for the
assessment of atmospheric transport of pollutants in the Mediterranean Basin (MAP TRS No.
30),
"Assessment of airborne pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by sulphur and nitrogen
compounds and heavy metals" (MAP TRS No. 85),
"The input of anthropogenic airborne nitrogen to the Mediterranean Sea through its
watershed" (MAP TRS No. 118),
"Atmospheric input of mercury to the Mediterranean Sea" (MAP TRS No. 122),
"MED POL manual on sampling and analysis of aerosols and precipitation for major ions and
trace elements" (MAP TRS No. 123) and
"Atmospheric input of persistent organic pollutants to the Mediterranean Sea" (MAP TRS No.
130).
In the result of measurements, modelling and assessments of the atmospheric transport
and deposition of pollutants into the Mediterranean Sea and its sub-regions it was shown that the
atmospheric inputs of nutrients, some heavy metals and organic pollutants are equal or even
exceed the inputs of these pollutants through the rivers and that finding is of great importance not
only from the scientific point of view but primarily for the development of pollution control
measures. The importance of the atmospheric input of pollutants into the Mediterranean Sea and
its effects on the marine environment and biogeochemistry was also stressed by the MED POL
Consultation Meeting on the Identification of Mediterranean Environmental and Pollution
Emerging Issues held in Rome, Italy in May-June 2000 which recognised the atmospheric
deposition as one of the six presently emerging environmental issues in the Mediterranean
(UNEP(OCA)/MED WG.168/3).
The present publication contains five papers summarising the results of the research
projects implemented in some Mediterranean countries in 1999-2000 and supported from the
Mediterranean Trust Fund through WMO. They are devoted to the measurements and
assessments of atmospheric fluxes of some heavy metals, major ions, nutrients and the Sahara
dust to the western and eastern parts of the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea.