Steam, ships, and emissions

Abstract

On one of the highest spots in Gozo there proudly stands a lighthouse. Built in 1840, it continues to warn nearby ships away from the shallows. After a long night shift, the lighthouse has another crucial role to play. A team of researchers from the University of Malta, led by Prof. Raymond Ellul, has converted this historic piece of Malta’s heritage into a remote laboratory. It turns out this is the perfect spot for an air monitoring station. North of the island, in the seas between Gozo and Sicily, lies one of the busiest stretches of international waters on Earth, seeing approximately 85,000 cargo ships passing by annually. Each of these vessels constantly belches out masses of harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (NOx), and sulphur dioxide (SOx). High levels of sulphur dioxide are associated with respiratory disease, preterm births, and at very high levels, death. Nitrogen oxides also cause respiratory disease and headaches, reduce appetite, and worsen heart disease, leading to death. Prevailing winds carry these toxic gases towards the Maltese Islands.