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http://dx.doi.org/10.5572/KOSAE.2018.34.1.001

Long-term Trend Analysis of Korean Air Quality and Its Implication to Current Air Quality Policy on Ozone and PM10  

Kim, Jeonghwan (Department of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Ghim, Young Sung (Department of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Han, Jin-Seok (Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Anyang University)
Park, Seung-Myung (Air Quality Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Shin, Hye-Jung (Air Quality Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Lee, Sang-Bo (Air Quality Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Kim, Jeongsoo (Air Quality Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Lee, Gangwoong (Department of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment / v.34, no.1, 2018 , pp. 1-15 More about this Journal
Abstract
Nation-wide systematic and comprehensive measurements of air quality criteria species have been made over 340 sites currently in Korea since 1990. Using these data, temporal and spatial trends of $SO_2$, $PM_{10}$, $NO_2$, $O_3$, CO and $O_x(NO_2+O_3)$ were analyzed to characterize and evaluate implementing efficiency of air quality policy and regulations. Due to strict and effective policy to use cleaner fuels in late 1980s and 1990s, the primary pollutants, such as $SO_2$, CO, and $PM_{10}$ decreased sharply by early 2000s in all parts of Korea. After this period, their concentrations declined with much lower rates in most parts of Korea. In addition, isolated but noticeable numbers of places, especially in major ports, newly developing towns and industrial parks, sustained high levels or even showed further degradation. Despite series of emission control strategies were enforced since early 1990s, $NO_2$ concentrations haven't changed much till 2005, due to significant increase in number of automobiles. Nevertheless, we confirmed that the staggering levels of $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ improved evidently after 2005, especially in Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), where enhanced regulations for $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ emissions was imposed to automobiles and large emission sources. However, their decreasing trends were much lessened in recent years again as current air quality improvement strategies has been challenged to revise further. In contrast to these primary species, annual $O_3$, which is secondary product from $NO_2$ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), has increased consistently with about 0.6 ppbv per year in every urban part of Korea, while yearly average of daily maximum 8-hour $O_3$ in summer season had a much higher rate of 1.2 ppbv per year. Increase of $O_3$ can be explained mainly by reductions of NO emission. Rising background $O_3$ in the Northeast Asia and increasing oxidizing capacity by changing photochemistry were likely causes of observed $O_3$ increase. The future air quality policy should consider more effective ways to lower alarming level of $O_3$ and $PM_{10}$.
Keywords
Air quality; Trends; Policy; Criteria pollutants; Monitoring;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 5  (Citation Analysis)
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