WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

ROMANIA

Introduction

On April 27, 1993 the Romanian Government joined the international juridical system of ozone and ratified the Vienna Convention, the Protocol of Montreal. The Romanian Government has also accepted the amendment of this protocol adopted in London.

I.   MONITORING (1980 -1995):

I.1.   Monitoring total ozone layer:

I.1.1.   Measurements of total ozone in Romania are made regularly in Bucharest since 1980. The measurement instrument is the Dobson spectrophotometer of ozone No. 121 belonging to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. The instrument was last intercompared in July- August 1995 at Arosa - Switzerland, thanks to the WMO support and indicated good stability.

Observations are made daily, at three times (at sun hour 12 and at + 1 hour variance of this time in the winter time and at + 2 hours for the rest of the year). Daily averages are obtained and submitted monthly to the WMO World Ozone Data Centre Toronto .

Results of monitoring activity of total ozone in Romania from 1994 to 1995, annual and many-annual average values, monthly average deviations are presented in Appendix No. 1.

From January 1, 1980 till December 31, 1995, the total ozone layer decreased with -7,9% in the Bucharest area.

I.1.2.   Monitoring vertical structure of ozone. The issue was dealt with in a few theoretical studies because of the lack of funds for radiosondes of ozone and because of the inability to use the Umkehr method. Currently Romania is in possession of two radiosounding stations DigiCORA - Vaisala, compatible with radiosounding of ozone, possible basic elements of promoting the programme to determine the vertical structure of ozone; also if funds for sondes become available.

I.1.3   Participation to international programmed Since 1980, Romania was involved in international programmes of monitoring ozone layer through the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. Such programmes are: the WMO Global Ozone Observing System GO₃OS, European Experiment for Arctic Stratospheric Ozone EASOE and the second European Experiment for Arctic Stratospheric Ozone and of Middle Latitudes - SESAME.

I.2   Measurements of tropospheric ozone concentration and of main ozone precursors at the ground level (O₃, NO₂, SO₂ and occasionally NO, CO and COV), were made at:

-four main stations: St'na de Vale, Fundata, Semenic, Rar\u, located at over 1000m altitude that belong to BAPMON network;
-two zones of heavy traffic, Predeal and Sinaia on Prahova Valley -region pollution;
-urban zone, Bucharest.

II.   RESEARCH AND STUDIES

In 1993, the Ministry of Waters, Forests and Protection of Environment (MWFPE) in co-operation with other interested ministries and the Ministry of Research and Engineering (MRE) initiated a vast programme of scientific and technological research with the purpose to comply Romania with the provisions of the Vienna Convention and implementation of Montreal Protocol.

The National Research Programme for the protection of ozone layer, coordinated by the MWFPE, developed for three years (1994-1996), consists of several main directions (monitoring, mathematic modelling of total ozone structure, studies on kinetics of photochemical reactions, UV- B radiation impact on animal, plants and aquatic ecological health, chemical and technological alternatives at ODS in various industries, socio-economical aspects of phase-out ODS).

II. 1.   Subjects to deal with; list of research and designing institutes involved in monitoring ozone at ground level and research of climatic and biological effects caused by ozone layer changes in between 1994 and 1995, or that are currently made in 1996, are presented in Appendix No. 2 and 3 of the report that Romania made at the Third Meeting of the Ozone Research Managers, Geneva 1996.

II.2. 1.   Mathematic modelling; theoretical studies entitled "Theoretical Estimation of vertical distribution of ozone concentration through modelling and measurements at ground level" were made by NIMH.

In order to evaluate the 15 years of measurements of total ozone at ground level and to estimate vertical characteristics per month, occasionally or annually, vertical Umkehr profiles are suggested to be used from a station that provides comparable data. The research document presents the possibility of obtaining the vertical ozone profile in Bucharest through mathematic modelling, using the probes of Hohenpeissenberg station and ozone catalogues of information bank of Ontario -Canada.

II.2.2.   Laboratory studies. In order to determine the concentration of photochemical oxidizers and gases, ozone precursors, when only manual prelevatory of air tests are available, methods of using permeation tubes were created, tested and compared with reference methods (absorbtion UV-254 nm for ozone and chemiluminescent for Nox).

II. 3.   Studies on biological effects caused by ozone layer change and characteristics of UV-B radiation.

II. 3. 1.   On health
- Human health: A retrospect epidemiological study was made (in the last 10 years) of deaths of cutaneous cancer with/or without malign melanom.
- Animal health: Sun radiation on big animals (horses, cattle) and porcines, grazing on open field, in the summer time was surveyed; clinical health, nutritional-metabolic health, production, reproduction, incidence of illnesses and mortality losses, coming out and evolution of cutaneous deaseses were taken into account. A large variety of pathological conditions with negative effects on production and reproduction at cattle particularly were singled out. This imposes an ongoing researches to establish a precocious diagnostic of stress at light and the prophylactic and curative measures. The results validity may determine recommendations of changing classic methods of grazing.

II.3.2.   Productivity of aquatic ecological system

Research on making more active biochemical developments of sea ecosystem, activating enzymes alpha-amilaze and bromelin-proteaze by natural radiations, biochemical and histeoenzyme important changes produced by UV-B at fish and juvenile species of unvertebrates. Under the action of hydrolazes activated by free redoes produced by UV-B, tissues of various degrees of intensity may be destroyed from changes of membrane to subcellular structures disorder.

Research made by a group of scientists from IRCM Constanza, School of Biology from University Babes Bolyai of Cluj and Institute for Plants Protection of Bucharest confirms interesting hypothesis printed in professional publications. It seems that enzyme checks detected a discreet distribution of radiation UV-B infiltrated on 1 m distance in the sea, as a confirmation of discontinuity of substance in the universe. It is also confirmed that animals depend on luminous radiation as well as plants. Biological laser is confirmed.

II 3.3.   Productivity of agricultural crops: Research considered the effect of radiation UV-B on growth and development of grains (corn, wheat, sunflower, barley), leguminous plants for beans (soya, green beans), technical and fodder plants in the early phases of vegetation. Seed germination and plants sprout it is not influenced, first symptoms of affection appear after complete development of cotiledonate components. Researchers established the most resistant species to luminous radiations.

Annex 1

I.1.2. Long-term, monthly, average values of total ozone in u.D.. and standard average deviations; Bucharest 1980-1995;

Month	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	I X	X	XI	XII	Annual average
Value	335	357	359	364	357	344	327	318	302	288	292	315	330
Monthly dev.	31.2	36.6	20.0	24.4	18.7	13.8	11.4	12.5	9.8	6.8	13.2	12.4

I.1.3   Monthly average values of total ozone in m atm cm; Bucharest 1993-1995;

Month	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	I X	X	XI	XII	annual average
1993	294	323	331	3 40	323	330	316	302	295	277	289	300	310
1994	338	379	348	3 54	367	333	321	317	289	286	291	314	328
1995	315	309	354	3 48	334	321	317	313	295	290	315	314	319

I.1.4   Standard deviations of the monthly average values of the total ozone, Bucharest, 1993-1995.

i) m atm cm

Month	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	I X	X	XI	XII
1993	-41	-34	- 28	24	-34	-14	-11	- 16	-7	-11	-4	-15
1994	-3	+22	-11	- 10	+10	-11	-6	-1	- 13	-2	-1	-1
1995	-20	-48	-5	- 16	-23	-23	-10	-5	- 7	+2	+23	-1

ii) in percent (%)

Month	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	I X	X	XI	XII
1993	-12.2	-9.5	- 7.8	-6.6	-9.5	-4.1	- 3.4	-5.0	-2.3	-3.8	- 1.4	-4.8
1994	+0.9	+6.2	+3.1	-2.7	+3.0	-3.2	-1.8	- 0.3	-4.3	-0.7	-0.3	- 0.3
1995	-6.0	-13.4	- 1.4	-4.4	-6.4	-6.7	- 3.1	-1.6	- 2.3	+0.7	+7.9	-0.3

Analyse of the total ozone values in Bucharest, in 1993-1995 years

The year 1993 was marked by average values of total ozone less than the long- term ones. In May 1993, difference of total ozone [-34 u.D.] is circa equal with two standard deviations; when the sun is high, increase of UV-B radiation may be significant .

In 1994 there is a balance regarding the average values, with deviations of positive and negative ozone less than monthly standard deviations. Exception was September when negative deviation was - 4.3%, corresponding to a difference of - 13m atm cm which exceeded the average standard deviation of 9.8 m atm cm.

The year 1995 is interesting regarding total ozone deviations. Besides November and October in all the months negative deviations of total ozone versus multi-annual average appeared. In February the lowest total ozone level in the history of measurements in Romania [ 48 m atm cm] is recorded, a difference of 13.4% versus the long-term average. Special attention deserves the decrease of total ozone in May and June, -6.4% and -6.7% that can bring increases of UV-B radiation of 10% under conditions of sun heights over Romania.

Positive values of total ozone deviation of + 7.9% in November 1995, collaborated with negative values of -1.4% in 1993 and - 0.3% in 1994 have meteorological explanations.

Annex no.2

Subjects of studies and research made in the national Programme of research on ozone layer changes and impact on biological ecosystems.

Nr.	Subjects of the research works	Rumanian name of institute
1.	Studies and research works of total ozone; Theoretical estimation of vertical distribution of ozone concentration through mathematic modelling and measurements at ground level.	Institutul national de meteorologie si hidrologie (INMH)
2.	Measurements to determine concentration of photochemical oxidizers and gases, ozone precursors, monitoring tropospheric ozone.	Institutul de cercetari si ingineria mediului (ICIM)
3.	Studies on biological impact of ozone layer depletion and characteristic changes of UV-B, on human and animal health.	Institutul de igieha si sanatate publica (IISP); Institutul "Pasteur"
4.	Studies regarding the impact of UV-B changes on crops productivity.	Institutul de cercetari pentru cultura plantelor tehnice "Fundulea"
5.	Studies regarding the impact of UV-B on aquatic eco-systems.	Institutul Roman de cercetari marine-Constanta (IRCM); Facultatea de biologie de la Universitatea Babes-Bolyai din Cluj; ICCPT-Bucuresti.

Annex no. 3

List of research institutes involved in monitoring total ozone at ground level and research of climatic and biological effects of ozone layer depletion and their coordinates.

No.	Name of institute	Address	Telefon/Fax
1.	INMH-Institutul national de meteorologie si hidrologie	Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti nr. 97; Bucuresti, sector 1, cod 71 552	+(40 1) 679 3240/ +(40 1) 312 8553
2.	ICIM - Institutul de cercetari si ingineria mediului		+(401) 637 3020/ +(401) 312 1393
3.	IISP - Institutul de igiena si sanatate publica, Departamentul Igiena mediului	Str. Dr. Leonte nr. 1-3, Bucuresti	+(401) 638 4010/ +(401) 312 3426
4.	Institutul national de medicina veterinara- PASTEUR	Calea Giulesti nr. 333 Bucuresti-sector 6	+(401) 618 5485/ +(401) 618 5803
5.	ICCPT-Institutul de ercetari pentru cultura plantelor tehnice "Fundulea"	comuna Fundulea	+(401) 311 8722
6.	IRCM-Institutul Roman de cercetari marine- Constanta	B-dul Mamaia nr. 300 Constanta	+(404) 164 3288/ +(404) 183 1274