Nitrogen Dioxide
EU legal ceiling sits 4.0× the WHO 2021 guideline for Nitrogen Dioxide - upper gap tercile among sampled pollutants on this site.
EU limit value
40 µg/m³
annual mean. Directive 2008/50/EC.
WHO 2021 guideline
10 µg/m³
annual mean
Wide EU–WHO gap for Nitrogen Dioxide
Among pollutants with station rows here, Nitrogen Dioxide carries one of the larger EU-to-WHO multiples (4.0×). Binding Directive ceilings still sit well above the health-evidence guideline that WHO published in 2021.
Primary sources: Road traffic (especially diesel), power generation, industry.
Health impact: Inflames airways. Linked to asthma development in children, respiratory infections, and reduced lung function.
Measurement method: Reference: Chemiluminescence, EN 14211
Directive ceiling 40 µg/m³ versus WHO 2021 guideline 10 µg/m³ (4.0×). The October 2024 Directive revision schedules further tightening toward 2030.
Top stations measuring Nitrogen Dioxide
| Station | City | Country | Type | Annual mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan-Pascal | Milan | IT | traffic | 27.4 µg/m³ |
| Naples-Centro | Naples | IT | traffic | 27.4 µg/m³ |
| Warsaw-Marszalkowska | Warsaw | PL | traffic | 26.2 µg/m³ |
| Krakow-Krasinskiego | Krakow | PL | traffic | 26.2 µg/m³ |
| Bucharest-Cercul Militar | Bucharest | RO | traffic | 25.8 µg/m³ |
| Athens-Piraeus | Athens | GR | traffic | 25.4 µg/m³ |
| Rotterdam-Schiedamsevest | Rotterdam | NL | traffic | 25 µg/m³ |
| Sofia-Orlov most | Sofia | BG | traffic | 24.8 µg/m³ |
| London-Marylebone Road | London | GB | traffic | 24.6 µg/m³ |
| Birmingham-Centre | Birmingham | GB | traffic | 24.6 µg/m³ |
| Lyon-Centre | Lyon | FR | traffic | 23.7 µg/m³ |
| Prague-Legerova | Prague | CZ | traffic | 23.6 µg/m³ |
| Bratislava-Kamenne namestie | Bratislava | SK | traffic | 22.5 µg/m³ |
| Berlin-Neukolln Nansenstrasse | Berlin | DE | traffic | 22.3 µg/m³ |
| Barcelona-Eixample | Barcelona | ES | traffic | 21.7 µg/m³ |
| Vienna-Taborstrasse | Vienna | AT | traffic | 21.7 µg/m³ |
| Lisbon-Avenida da Liberdade | Lisbon | PT | traffic | 21.4 µg/m³ |
| Valletta-Msida | Msida | MT | traffic | 21.2 µg/m³ |
| Ljubljana-Center | Ljubljana | SI | traffic | 20.5 µg/m³ |
| Nicosia-Centre | Nicosia | CY | traffic | 20.5 µg/m³ |
How the EU–WHO gap closes by 2030 · All pollutants with station rows
Source: European Environment Agency, Average Exposure Indicator / Burden of Disease (wired extract, August 2026).
Source: World Health Organization Global Air Quality Guidelines, 2021 update.