Mercury (Hg), which is mainly emitted from coal-fired power plants, remains one of the most toxic compounds to both humans and ecosystems. Hg pollution is not a local or regional issue, but a global issue. Hg compounds emitted from anthropogenic sources such as coal-fired power plants, incinerators, and boilers, can be transported over long distances. Since the last decade, many European countries, Canada, and especially the United States, have focused on technology to control Hg emissions. Korea has also recently showed an interest in managing Hg pollution from various combustion sources. Previous studies indicate that coal-fired power plants are one of the major sources of Hg in Korea. However, lack of Hg emission data and feasible emission controls have been major obstacles in Hg study. In order to achieve effective Hg control, understanding the characteristics of current Hg sampling methods and control technologies is essential. There is no one proven technology that fits all Hg emission sources, because Hg emission and control efficiency depend on fuel type, configuration of air pollution control devices, flue gas composition, among others. Therefore, a broad knowledge of Hg sampling and control technologies is necessary to select the most suitable method for each Hg-emitting source. In this paper, various Hg sampling methods, including wet chemistry, dry sorbents trap, field, and laboratory demonstrated control technologies, and international regulations, are introduced, with a focus on coal-fired power plants.

Relationship between the optimum soil water content and clay content on soil samples from mid-latitude European forest was tested. Soil samples from 4 different experimental sites (two forest sites in the Netherlands and a Danish forest) were collected, and analyzed for the soil physical and chemical characteristics. Water retention curves for the soil samples were determined according to the standard procedure ISO 11274, and pF decreased with increase in soil water contents. NO is simultaneously produced and consumed by microbiological processes, which comprise of nitrification and denitrification. NO consumption and production rates were determined from the soil samples and compared to their corresponding water retention curves in order to find the optimum soil water content and matric potential for maximum NO release from mid-latitude soils. NO consumption rate coefficient (k) in Hollandse Hout was significantly lower than those in other soil sites. Maximum NO production was observed at an intermediate soil moisture ($0.2{\sim}0.3kg/kg$) in all the soil samples. Resulting from the NO consumption and production rates for the soils, the empirical NO fluxes of the different soils were calculated in the laboratory.

In this study, a new PM (particulate matter) sampler was developed and fabricated to collect fine particles in the atmosphere, and laboratory and field tests were carried out to evaluate the performance of the sampler. The PM sampler, which was based on impingers, employed an aerosol condensation system as a PM magnifier to improve its collection efficiencies. Sodium chloride, ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate aerosols were used as test particles, because these components are rich in ambient aerosols. As a result, it was found that the collection efficiency of the novel PM sampler was very high. Thus, it is believed that the PM sampler is an effective device for sampling fine particles. In addition, it was demonstrated that this work could contribute to the collection or removal of fine particles and be applied to the semicontinuous sampling of ambient aerosols for chemical composition analysis.

Source samples were collected to construct source profiles for 9 different source types, including soil, road dust, gasoline/diesel-powered vehicles, a municipal incinerator, industrial sources, agricultural/biomass burning, marine aerosol, and a coal-fired power plant. Seasonal profiles for 'Chinese aerosol', aerosols derived from the urban area of China, were reconstructed from seasonal $PM_{2.5}$ compositions reported in Beijing, China. Ambient $PM_{2.5}$ at a receptor site was also measured during each of the four seasons, from April 2001 to February 2002, in Seoul. The Chemical Mass Balance receptor model was applied to quantify source contributions during the study period using the estimated source profiles. Consequently, motor vehicle exhaust (33.0%), in particular 23.9% for diesel-powered vehicles, was the largest contributor affecting the $PM_{2.5}$ levels in Seoul, followed by agricultural/biomass burning (21.5%) and 'Chinese aerosol' (13.1%), indicating contributions from long-range transport. The largest contributors by season were: for spring, 'Chinese aerosol' (31.7%); for summer, motor vehicle exhaust (66.9%); and for fall and winter, agricultural/biomass burning (31.1% and 40.1%, respectively). These results show different seasonal patterns and sources affecting the $PM_{2.5}$ level in Seoul, than those previously reported for other cities in the world.

This study was undertaken to measure the properties of individual mineral particles in an artificially saturated atmosphere at a vertical extinct mine with 430 m height. By synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) microprobe analysis, it was possible to determine the elemental composition of residual insoluble particles on individual cloud droplet replicas formed on the Collodion film. The XRF visualized elemental maps enabled us not only to presume the chemical mixing state of particles retained in cloud droplet, but also to estimate their source. Details about the individual mineral particles captured by artificial cloud droplets should be helpful to understand about the removal characteristics of dust particles such as interaction with clouds. Nearly all individual particles captured in cloud droplets are strongly enriched in Fe. Mass of Fe is ranged between 41 fg and 360 fg with average 112 fg. There is a good agreement between single particle analysis by SR-XRF and bulk particle analysis by PIXE.

Microbeam PIXE, often called micro-PIXE, is one of powerful tools for analyzing a wide range of elements for various samples. Moreover, it has important applications of interest to the atmospheric science. In the present study, a qualitative elemental imagination for various atmospheric environmental species was attempted using micro-PIXE. Especially, in combination with a novel individual droplet collection method and the micro-PIXE analytical technique, the chemical specification of various individual atmospheric samples could be carried out. Here, we briefly introduce the results of an application of micro-PIXE to the study of atmospheric environment. The detailed spatial resolution of multiple elements for various samples like individual ambient particles, individual raindrops, individual fog droplets, and individual snow crystals could be successfully achieved by scanning 2.6 MeV $H^+$ micro beam ($1{\sim}2{\mu}m$) accelerated by 3 MeV single-end accelerator.