• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

In this study, indoor $PM_{10}$ concentration was measured by different type of real-time instruments in public transport vehicles. Light-scattering method is widely used in measuring the size of particulate matters and there is two types of light-scattering methods; one is the nephelometer type which measures the light-scattering degree by aerosol cloud, the other is the spectrometer type which measures light-scattering degree by individual particle. We observed the variation of $PM_{10}$ in KTX, subway and express bus carriages by 1-minute resolution and found that there is similar tendency in pattern among 4 light-scattering devices but difference in absolute concentrations. By comparing gravimetric result in a subway cabin, the spectrometer type device, C, was chosen as a reference device. The conversion factors of nephelometer device A-1, A-2, and B were 1.666, 1.463 and 2.125 respectively.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.50-61
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• 2020

Background: This study aims to analyze the effects of air pollutants, such as particular matter, to the number of outpatient visits for allergic rhinitis in eup, myeon, and dong administrative boundaries. Methods: Dependent variable was the number of outpatient visits for allergic rhinitis per 10,000 people by region. Independent variables were air pollutants such as PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, O₃, CO₂, NO₂, and temperature that estimated by using Kriging analysis in all eup, myeon, and dong boundaries. Panel analysis was applied for the analysis to prove the relation between outpatient visits and the concentration of air pollutants. Results: Analysis results showed that particular matter concentration varied by regions and season. Panel analysis showed that outpatient visits for allergic rhinitis had positive relationships with PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, O₃, and CO₂ in all panel models. Conclusion: Regional variation of particular matter concentration should be considered in establishing regional policies for allergic rhinitis.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.59-68
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• 2011

The objective of the study was to investigate the main factors that contribute the variation of $PM_{10}$ concentration of Seoul and to quantify their effects using generalized additive model (GAM). The analysis was performed with 3 year air pollution data (2004~2006) measured at 27 urban sites and 7 roadside sites in Seoul, a background site in Gangwha and a rural site in Pocheon. The diurnal variation of urban $PM_{10}$ concentrations of Seoul showed a typical bimodal pattern with the same peak times as that of roadside, and the maximum difference of $PM_{10}$ level between urban and roadside was about $14{\mu}g/m^{3}$ at 10 in the morning. The wind direction was found to be a major factor that affects $PM_{10}$ level in all investigated areas. The overall $PM_{10}$ level was reduced when air came from east, but background $PM_{10}$ level in Gangwha was rather higher than the urban $PM_{10}$ level in Seoul, indicating that the $PM_{10}$ level in Gangwha is considerably influenced by that in Seoul metropolitan area. When hourly variations of $PM_{10}$ were analyzed using GAM, wind direction and speed explained about 34% of the variance in the model where the variables were added as a 2-dimensional smoothing function. In addition, other variables, such as diurnal variation, difference of concentrations between roadside and urban area, precipitation, month, and the regression slope of a plot of carbon monooxide versus $PM_{10}$, were found to be major explanatory variables, explaining about 64% of total variance of hourly variations of $PM_{10}$ in Seoul.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.324-332
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• 2016

Objectives: The annual average of PM10 in Seoul was $45{\mu}/m^3$, which surpasses the WHO annual guidelines ($20{\mu}/m^3$). Most previous analyses of the effects of PM exposure have been retrospective studies using single hospital data, and fewer studies have attempted to address the relationship of PM10 and hospital costs. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the concentration of PM10 on hospital visits, admissions and hospital costs in patients with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Methods: Medical data from the National Health Insurance Service and the monthly average of PM10 from National Institute of Environmental Research were used to identify the effects of PM10 on hospital visits, admissions and hospital costs. We applied Poisson regression and linear regression to perform the analysis. Results: The relative risks for admissions per $10{\mu}/m^3$ increase in PM10 were 23.11%, 10.2% and 6.9% increases for acute bronchiolitis, asthma and bronchitis, respectively. The relative risk for hospital visits per $10{\mu}/m^3$ increase in PM10 were 10.4%, 6.7% and 5.9% for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and chronic sinusitis, respectively. For cardiovascular disease, the relative risk for admissions per $10{\mu}/m^3$ increase in PM10 were 2.2% and 2.1% increases in angina and acute myocardial infarction, respectively. A $10{\mu}/m^3$ increase in the monthly average of PM10 corresponded to 170,723,000 won (95% CI: 125,587,000-215,860,000 won), 123,636,000 won (95% CI: 47,784,000-199,487,000 won) and 78,571,000 won (95% CI: 29,062,000-128,081,000 won) increases in hospital costs for asthma, acute tonsillitis and chronic sinusitis, respectively. Conclusion: Hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular disease were associated with PM10 levels. PM10 exposure is also associated with increased costs for respiratory diseases.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.767-778
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• 2017

This research investigates the characteristics of metallic and ionic elements in $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ on haze day and non-haze day in Busan. $PM_{10}$ concentration on haze day and non-haze day were 85.75 and $33.52{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively, and $PM_{2.5}$ on haze day and non-haze day were 68.24 and $23.86{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Contribution rate of total inorganic water-soluble ion to $PM_{10}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 58.2% and 61.5%, respectively, and contribution rate of total water-soluble ion to $PM_{2.5}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 58.7% and 64.7%, respectively. Also, contribution rate of secondary ion to $PM_{10}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 52.1% and 47.5%, respectively, and contribution rate of secondary ion to $PM_{2.5}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 54.4% and 53.6%, respectively. AC (anion equivalents)/CE (cation equivalents) ratio of $PM_{10}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 1.09 and 1.0, respectively, and AC/CE ratios of $PM_{2.5}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 1.12 and 1.04, respectively. Also, SOR (Sulfur Oxidation Ratio) of $PM_{10}$ mass on haze day and non haze day were 0.32 and 0.17, respectively, and SOR of $PM_{2.5}$ on haze day and non haze day were 0.30 and 0.15, respectively. Lastly, NOR (Nitrogen Oxidation Ratio) of $PM_{10}$ on haze day and non haze day were 0.17 and 0.08, respectively, and NOR of $PM_{2.5}$ on haze day and non haze day were 0.13 and 0.06, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.100-113
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• 2016

In this study, the characteristics of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations were identified in two different functional areas including Chuncheon and Youngwol, Korea. Even though the anthropogenic emission rates of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ are approximately four times higher in Youngwol than in Chuncheon their atmospheric concentrations were statistically higher in Chuncheon. In Chuncheon, both $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations and the ratio of $PM_{2.5}/PM_{10}$ increased as relative humidity (RH) increased possibly because the inorganic and/or organic secondary aerosols were actively formed at high RH. This result was also supported by that $PM_{2.5}$ concentration was enhanced under the fog and mist conditions in Chuncheon. On the other hand, both $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations clearly increased with the southerly winds blown from the cement production facility in Youngwol. In addition, high $PM_{2.5-10}$ concentrations were observed with high wind speed, low relative humidity, and high $NO_2$ concentrations in Youngwol, suggesting that $PM_{2.5-10}$ was generated through the physical process including crushing and packing procedures followed by resuspension from cement and lime factory.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-28
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• 2012

The $PM_{10}$ concentration data is useful for indentifying intensity and a transport way of Asian dust. However, it is difficult to identify them properly due to the limited spatial resolution and coverage. Therefore, a methodology to estimate $PM_{10}$ concentration using visibility data obtained from synoptic observation was developed. To derive the converting function, correlation between visibility and $PM_{10}$ concentration is investigated using visibility and $PM_{10}$ concentration data observed at 20 stations in Korea from 2005 to 2009. To minimize bias due to atmospheric moisture, data with higher relative humidity over a critical value were eliminated while deriving $PM_{10}$-visibility relationship. As a result, an exponentially decreasing function of visibility is obtained under the condition that relative humidity is less than 82%. Verification of the visibility converting function to $PM_{10}$ concentration was carried out for the dust cases in 2010. It was found that spatial distributions of $PM_{10}$ calculated by visibility are in good agreement with the observed $PM_{10}$ distribution, especially for the strong dust cases in 2010. And correlation between the derived and observed $PM_{10}$ concentration was 0.63. We applied the function to obtain distributions of $PM_{10}$ concentration over North Korea, in which concentration data are not available, and compared them with satellite derived dust index, IODI distributions for dust cases in 2010. It is shown that the visibility function estimates quite similar patterns of dust concentration with IODI image, which suggests that it can contribute for prediction by indentifying transport route of Asian dust.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.355-366
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• 2014

Objectives: This study seeks to evaluate the vulnerability assessment of the human health sector for $PM_{10}$, which is reflected in the regional characteristics and related disease mortality rates for $PM_{10}$ in Busan over the period of 2006-2010. Methods: According to the vulnerability concept suggested by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), vulnerability to $PM_{10}$ is comprised of the categories of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The indexes of the exposure and sensitivity categories indicate positive effects, while the adaptive capacity index indicates a negative effect on vulnerability to $PM_{10}$. Variables of each category were standardized by the rescaling method, and each regional relative vulnerability was computed through the vulnerability index calculation formula. Results: The regions with a high exposure index are Jung-Gu (transportation region) and Saha-Gu (industrial region). Major factors determining the exposure index are the $PM_{10}$ concentration, days of $PM_{10}{\geq}50$, ${\mu}g/m^3$, and $PM_{10}$ emissions. The regions that show a high sensitivity index are urban and rural regions; these commonly have a high mortality rate for related disease and vulnerable populations. The regions that have a high adaptive capacity index are Jung-Gu, Gangseo-Gu, and Busanjin-Gu, all of which have a high level of economic/welfare/health care factors. The high-vulnerability synthesis of the exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity indexes show that Dong-Gu and Seo-Gu have a risk for $PM_{10}$ potential effects and a low adaptive capacity. Conclusions: This study presents the vulnerability index to $PM_{10}$ through a relative comparison using quantitative evaluation to draw regional priorities. Therefore, it provides basic data to reflect environmental health influences in favor of an adaptive policy limiting damage to human health caused by vulnerability to $PM_{10}$.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.445-455
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• 2020

Fine dust is one of the most critical environmental issues in Korea, and the government recognizes the need to establish customized reduction policies based on regional characteristics. Several studies on air pollutants investigate whether factories affect the distribution of fine dust in a particular region. However, understanding the impact of the entire industry sector requires further investigation. This study identifies the impacts of industrial characteristics on fine dust levels of 141 municipalities across Korea in 2016. A total of 23 variables were used, of which 12 referred to industries and 11 to general characteristics of each city. Due to the high correlation between independent variables, partial least squares (PLS) regression models were used. The analysis identified 14 significant variables for PM10 and 13 for PM2.5. Therefore, the results suggest that local industrial characteristics can significantly influence fine dust levels and provide suggestions for establishing customized reduction policies based on local characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.151-167
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• 2017

The main objective of this study was to investigate the climatic impact of $PM_{10}$ concentration on the temperature change pattern in Busan Metropolitan City(BMC), Korea during 2001~2015. Mean $PM_{10}$ concentration of BMC has gradually declined over the past 15 years. While the highest $PM_{10}$ concentration was observed in spring followed by winter, summer, and fall on average, the seasonal variations of $PM_{10}$ concentration differed from place to place within the city. Frequency analysis showed that the most frequently observed $PM_{10}$ concentration ranged from $20{\mu}g/m^3$ to $60{\mu}g/m^3$, which accounted for 64.6% of all daily observations. Overall, the west-high and east-low pattern of $PM_{10}$ concentration was relatively strong during the winter when the effect of yellow-dust events on the air quality was weak. Comparative analyses between $PM_{10}$ concentration and monthly temperature slope derived from generalized temperature curves indicated that the decreasing trend of $PM_{10}$ concentration was associated with increases of annual temperature range, and $PM_{10}$ concentration had a negative relationship with the temperature slope of warming months. Overall, $PM_{10}$ concentration had a weak correlation with the annual mean temperature, but it had a significant, positive correlation with the winter season, which had a dominant influence on the annual mean temperature. In terms of energy budget, it has been known that the change in $PM_{10}$ concentration contributes to the warming or cooling effect by affecting the radiative forcing due to the reflection and absorption of radiant energy. The correlation between $PM_{10}$ concentration and temperature changes in the study area was not seasonally and spatially consistent, and its significance was statistically limited partly due to the number of observations and the lack of potential socioeconomic factors relevant to urban air quality.