Istanbul’s air pollution rose 9 pct in February compared to last year: Study

ISTANBUL

Air pollution levels in Istanbul rose by around 9 percent in February compared to the same period last year, according to a study conducted by researchers at Istanbul Technical University (ITÜ).

The research, led by Professor Hüseyin Toros from the university’s Department of Climate Science and Meteorological Engineering, analyzed nitrogen dioxide concentrations recorded at air quality monitoring stations across the city.

Data collected by monitoring networks operated by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry and the Istanbul Municipality formed the basis of the assessment.

According to the findings, the average nitrogen dioxide concentration measured at 17 stations across Istanbul reached 44.1 micrograms per cubic meter in February 2026, compared with 40.4 micrograms during the same month in 2025, marking an increase of roughly 9 percent.

The highest nitrogen dioxide levels in February were recorded at the Beşiktaş monitoring station, where concentrations reached 73.5 micrograms per cubic meter. This was followed by Aksaray with 62 micrograms and Yenibosna with 56.6 micrograms.

By contrast, the lowest level of nitrogen dioxide pollution was measured in Beylikdüzü, where the concentration stood at 16.1 micrograms per cubic meter. Other districts such as Arnavutköy and Avcılar recorded relatively lower levels at 26.6 and 29 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.

Of the stations analyzed, seven registered a decline in nitrogen dioxide levels compared with February 2025, while ten recorded an increase.

The most significant decrease was observed in Aksaray, where pollution levels dropped by 16 percent. This was followed by Sancaktepe, Selimiye and Bağcılar stations, eac registering a decline of around 8 percent.

Meanwhile, the most pronounced increases were recorded at Çatladıkapı, where nitrogen dioxide levels surged by 94 percent, and Sarıyer, which saw a rise of 77 percent.

Toros emphasized that although vehicle emissions are among the major sources of urban air pollution, there were no significant changes in traffic volume, heating demand or industrial activity during February. Instead, he attributed the increase largely to meteorological conditions.

“When high-pressure dominates, pollutants cannot disperse and tend toaccumulate over the city,” he explained. “However, when low-pressure systems prevail, wind and rainfall help disperse pollutants and clean the air. In this sense, meteorological conditions play a crucial role in pollution levels.”

Toros stressed that an average person inhales between 10 and 15 kilograms of air per day, meaning poor air quality can have serious effects on respiratory health as well as cardiovascular and neurological systems.

Beyond its direct health impacts, Toros warned that air pollution also contributes to economic costs through lost productivity and increased healthcare expenditures.