• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.239-254
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• 2015

Little information on HUmic-Like Substances (HULIS) in ambient particulate matter has been reported yet in Korea. HULIS makes up a significant fraction of the water-soluble organic mass in the atmospheric aerosols and influence their water uptake properties. In this study 24-hr $PM_{2.5}$ samples were collected between December 2013 and October 2014 at an urban site in Gwangju and analyzed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble OC (WSOC), HULIS, and ionic species, to investigate possible sources and formation processes of HULIS. HULIS was separated using solid phase extraction method and quantified by total organic carbon analyzer. During the study period, HULIS concentration ranged from 0.19 to $5.65{\mu}gC/m^3$ with an average of $1.83{\pm}1.22{\mu}gC/m^3$, accounting for on average 45% of the WSOC (12~ 73%), with higher in cold season than in warm season. Strong correlation of WSOC with HULIS ($R^2=0.91$) indicates their similar chemical characteristics. On the basis of the relationships between HULIS and a variety of chemical species (EC, $K^+$, $NO_3{^-}$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and oxalate), it was postulated that HULIS observed during summer and winter were likely attributed to secondary formation and primary emissions from biomass burning (BB) and traffics. Stronger correlation of HULIS with $K^+$, which is a BB tracer, in winter ($R^2=0.81$) than in summer ($R^2=0.66$), suggests more significant contribution of BB emissions in winter to the observed HULIS. It is interesting to note that BB emissions may also have an influence on the HULIS in summer, but further study using levoglucosan that is a unique organic marker of BB emissions is required during summer. Higher correlation between HULIS and oxalate, which is mainly formed through cloud processing and/or photochemical oxidation processes, was found in the summer ($R^2=0.76$) than in the winter ($R^2=0.63$), reflecting a high fraction of secondary organic aerosol in the summer.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.642-655
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• 2013

In this study, semi-continuous measurements of $PM_{2.5}$ mass, organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), black carbon (BC), and ionic species concentrations were made for the period of April 03~13, 2012, at a South Area Supersite at Gwangju. Possible sources causing the high concentrations of major chemical species in $PM_{2.5}$ observed during a haze episode were investigated. The measurement results, along with meteorological parameters, gaseous pollutants data, air mass back trajectory analyses and PSCF (potential source contribution function) results, were used to study the haze episode. Substantial enhancements of OC, EC, BC, $K^+$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO{_3}{^-}$, $NH{_4}{^+}$, and CO concentrations were closely associated with air masses coming from regions of forest fires in southeastern China, suggesting likely an impact of the forest fires. Also the PSCF maps for EC, OC, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, and $K^+$ demonstrate further that the long-range transport of smoke plumes of forest fires detected over the southeastern China could be a possible source of haze phenomena observed at the site. Another possible source leading to haze formation was likely from photochemistry of precursor gases such as volatile organic compounds, $SO_2$, and $NO_2$, resulting in accumulation of secondary organic aerosol, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO{_3}{^-}$. Throughout the episode, local wind directions were between 200 and $230^{\circ}C$, where two industrial areas are situated, with moderate wind speeds of 3~5 m/s, resulting in highly elevated concentration of $SO_2$ with a maximum of 15 ppb. The $SO{_4}^{2-}$ peak occurring in the afternoon hours coincided with maximum ambient temperature ($24^{\circ}C$) and ozone concentration (~100 ppb), and were driven by photochemistry of $SO_2$. As a result, the pattern of $SO{_4}^{2-}$ variations in relation to wind direction, $SO_2$ and $O_3$ concentrations, and the strong correlation between $SO_2$ and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ ($R^2=0.76$) suggests that in addition to the impact of smoke plumes from forest fires in the southeastern China, local $SO_2$ emissions were likely an important source of $SO{_4}^{2-}$ leading to haze formation at the site.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.96-106
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• 2017

In this study, measurements of size-segregated particulate matter (PM) emitted from the combustion of rice straw, pine needles, and sesame stem were conducted in a laboratory chamber. The collected samples were used to analyze amounts of organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), humic-like substances (HULIS), and ionic species. The light absorption properties of size-resolved water extracts were measured using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. A solid-phase extraction method was first used to separate the size-resolved HULIS fraction, which was then quantified by a total organic carbon analyzer. The results show that regardless of particle cut sizes, the contributions of size-resolved HULIS ($=1.94{\times}HULIS-C$) to PM size fractions ($PM_{0.32}$, $PM_{0.55}$, $PM_{1.0}$, and $PM_{1.8}$) were similar, accounting for 25.2-27.6, 15.2-22.4 and 28.2-28.7% for rice straw, pine needle, and sesame stem smoke samples, respectively. The $PM_{1.8}$ fraction revealed WSOC/OC and HULIS-C/WSOC ratios of 0.51 and 0.60, 0.44 and 0.40, and 0.50 and 0.60 for the rice straw, pine needle, and sesame stem burning emissions, respectively. Strong absorption with decreasing wavelength was found by the water extracts from size-resolved biomass burning aerosols. The absorption ${\AA}ngstr{\ddot{o}}m $ exponent values of the size-resolved water extracts fitted between 300 and 400 nm wavelengths for particle sizes of $0.32-1.0{\mu}m$ were 6.6-7.7 for the rice straw burning samples, and 7.5-8.0 for the sesame stem burning samples. The average mass absorption efficiencies of size-resolved WSOC and HULIS-C at 365 nm were 1.09 (range: 0.89-1.61) and 1.82 (range: 1.33-2.06) $m^2/g{\cdot}C$ for rice straw smoke aerosols, and 1.13 (range: 0.85-1.52) and 1.83 (range: 1.44-2.05) $m^2/g{\cdot}C$ for sesame stem smoke aerosols, respectively. The light absorption of size-resolved water extracts measured at 365 nm showed strong correlations with WSOC and HULIS-C concentrations ($R^2=0.89-0.93$), indicating significant contribution of HULIS component from biomass burning emissions to the light absorption of ambient aerosols.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.157-163
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• 2015

To establish National Reference Method (NRM) for $PM_{2.5}$, operational performance of 5 different commercial gravimetric-based $PM_{2.5}$ measuring instruments was assessed at Bulkwang monitoring station from January 23, 2014 to February 28, 2014. First, physical properties, design, and functional performance of the instruments were assessed. Evaluation was carried out to determine whether operating method for the instruments and levels of QA/QC activities meet the data quality objectives (DQOs). To verify whether DQOs were satisfied, reproducibility of QA/QC procedures, accuracy, relative sensitivity, limit of detection, margin of error, and coefficient of determination of the instruments were also evaluated. Results of flow rate measurement of 15 candidate instruments indicated that all the instruments met performance criteria with accuracy deviation of 4.0% and reproducibility of 0.6%. Comparison of final $PM_{2.5}$ mass concentrations showed that the coefficient of determination ($R^2$) values were greater than or equal to 0.9995, and concentration gradient ranged from 0.97 to 1.03. All the instruments satisfied criteria for NRM with the estimated precision of 1.47~2.60%, accuracy of -1.90~3.00%, and absolute accuracy of 1.02~3.12%. This study found that one particular type of measuring instrument was proved to be excellent, with overall evaluation criteria satisfied.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2011

Under the Enforcement Rules of the National Health Promotion Act, smoking areas in coffee shops in Korea should be divided off from other areas. The effect on indoor air quality of different division types for smoking areas was evaluated. Using real-time monitors, fine particulate matter <2.5 ${\mu}m$ in diameter ($PM_{2.5}$) concentrations were measured simultaneously in the smoking and non-smoking areas of 30 coffee shops in Seoul. Average $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in smoking and non-smoking areas were 132 ${\mu}g/m^3$ and 52 ${\mu}g/m^3$, respectively; significantly different. Average $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in non-smoking areas were 39 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in the glass-wall type and 64 ${\mu}g/m^3$ in the separate-floor type. These $PM_{2.5}$ levels were above the US national ambient air quality standard of 35 ${\mu}g/m^3$. Although indoor $PM_{2.5}$ levels in non-smoking areas were reduced by the division, the rates of reduction were not significantly different by division type. Our results demonstrated that $PM_{2.5}$ from smoking areas can infiltrate into non-smoking areas. Therefore, a complete indoor smoking ban in coffee shops is the only way to protect customers and workers in non-smoking areas.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.177-190
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• 2013

Air pollution trends in Japan between 1970 and 2012 were analyzed, and the impact of air pollution countermeasures was evaluated. Concentrations of CO decreased from 1970 to 2012, and in 2012, the Japanese environmental quality standard (EQS) for CO was satisfied. Concentrations of $SO_2$ dropped markedly in the 1970s, owing to use of desulfurization technologies and low-sulfur heavy oil. Major reductions in the sulfur content of diesel fuel in the 1990s resulted in further decreases of $SO_2$ levels. In 2012, the EQS for $SO_2$ was satisfied at most air quality monitoring stations. Concentrations of $NO_2$ decreased from 1970 to 1985, but increased from 1985 to 1995. After 1995, $NO_2$ concentrations decreased, especially after 2006. In 2012, the EQS for $NO_2$ was satisfied at most air quality monitoring stations, except those alongside roads. The annual mean for the daily maximum concentrations of photochemical oxidants (OX) increased from 1980 to 2010, but after 2006, the $98^{th}$ percentile values of the OX concentrations decreased. In 2012, the EQS for OX was not satisfied at most air quality monitoring stations. Non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) concentrations generally decreased from 1976 to 2012. In 2011, NMHC concentrations near roads and in the general environment were nearly the same. The concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) generally decreased. In 2011, the EQS for SPM was satisfied at 69.2% of ambient air monitoring stations, and 72.9% of roadside air-monitoring stations. Impacts from mineral dust from continental Asia were especially pronounced in the western part of Japan in spring, and year-round variation was large. The concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ generally decreased, but the EQS for $PM_{2.5}$ is still not satisfied. The air pollution trends were closely synchronized with promulgation of regulations designed to limit pollutant emissions. Trans-boundary OX and $PM_{2.5}$ has become a big issue which contains global warming chemical species such as ozone and black carbon (so called SLCP: Short Lived Climate Pollutants). Cobeneficial reduction approach for these pollutants will be important to improve both in regional and global atmospheric environmental conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.118-128
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• 2016

As the interest on the air-pollution is gradually rising up at home and abroad, automotive and fuel researchers have been working on the exhaust emission reduction from vehicles through a lot of approaches, which consist of new engine design, innovative after-treatment systems, using clean (eco-friendly alternative) fuels and fuel quality improvement. This research has brought forward two main issues : exhaust emission and PM (particulate matter) particle emissions of gasoline vehicle. Exhaust emission and PM particle of automotive had many problem that cause of ambient pollution, health effects. In addition, researcher studied the environment problems of the MTBE contained in the fuel as oxygenate additives. The researchers have many data about the health effects of ingestion of MTBE. However, the data support the conclusion that MTBE is a potential human carcinogen at high doses. Based on the oxygenated fuel additive types (MTBE, Bio-ETBE, Bio-ethanol, Bio-butanol), this paper discussed the influence of oxygen contents on gasoline fuel properties and evaporative emission characteristics. Also, this paper assessed the acceleration and power performance of gasoline vehicle for the fuel property.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1349-1368
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• 2016

Concentrations of fine particulate matter ($PM_{2.5}$) and several of its particle constituents measured outside homes in Houston, Texas, and Los Angeles, California, were characterized using multiple regression analysis with proximity to point and mobile sources and meteorological factors as the independent variables. $PM_{2.5}$ mass and the concentrations of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), benzo-[a]-pyrene (BaP), perylene (Per), benzo-[g,h,i]-perylene (BghiP), and coronene (Cor) were examined. Negative associations of wind speed with concentrations demonstrated the effect of dilution by high wind speed. Atmospheric stability increase was associated with concentration increase. Petrochemical source proximity was included in the EC model in Houston. Area source proximity was not selected for any of the $PM_{2.5}$ constituents' regression models. When the median values of the meteorological factors were used and the proximity to sources varied, the air concentrations calculated using the models for the eleven $PM_{2.5}$ constituents outside the homes closest to influential highways were 1.5-15.8 fold higher than those outside homes furthest from the highway emission sources. When the median distance to the sources was used in the models, the concentrations of the $PM_{2.5}$ constituents varied 2 to 82 fold, as the meteorological conditions varied over the observed range. We found different relationships between the two urban areas, illustrating the unique nature of urban sources and suggesting that localized sources need to be evaluated carefully to understand their potential contributions to $PM_{2.5}$ mass and its particle constituents concentrations near residences, which influence baseline indoor air concentrations and personal exposures. The results of this study could assist in the appropriate design of monitoring networks for community-level sampling and help improve the accuracy of exposure models linking emission sources with estimated pollutant concentrations at the residential level.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.19-30
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• 2020

The organic carbon in the ambient particulate matter (PM) is divided into primary organic carbon (POC) and secondary organic carbon (SOC) by their formation way. To regulate PM effectively, the estimation of the amount of POC and SOC separately is one of important consideration. Since SOC cannot be measured directly, previous studies have evaluated determination of SOC by the EC tracer method. The EC tracer method is a method of estimating the SOC value from calculating the POC by determining (OC/EC)pri which is the ratio of the measured values of OC and EC from the primary combustion source. In this study, three different ways were applied to OC and EC concentrations in PM_2.5 measured at Seoul for determining (OC/EC)pri: 1) the minimum value of OC/EC ratio during the measurement period; 2) regression analysis of OC vs. EC to select the lower 5-20% OC/EC ratio; 3) determining the OC/EC ratio which has lowest correlation coefficient value (R²) between EC and SOC which is reported as minimum R squared method (MRS). Each (OC/EC)pri ratio of three ways are 0.35, 1.22, and 1.77, respectively from the 1 hourly data. We compared the (OC/EC)pri ratio from 1hourly data with 24 hourly data and revealed that (OC/EC)pri estimated from 24 hourly data had twice larger than 1hourly data due to the low time resolution of sampling. We finally confirmed that the most appropriate value of (OC/EC)pri is that calculated by a regression analysis of 1 hourly data and estimated SOC amounts at PM_2.5 of the Seoul atmosphere.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.135-144
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• 2018

Based on a two-year measurement data, major sources for the ambient carbonaceous aerosols at the Anmyeon Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) station were identified by using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. The particulate matter less than or equal to $2.5{\mu}m$ in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) aerosols were sampled between June 2015 to May 2017 and carbonaceous species including ~80 organic compounds were analyzed. When the number of factors was 5 or 6, the performance evaluation parameters showed the best results, With 6 factor case, the characteristics of transported factors were clearer. The 6 factors were identified with various analyses including chemical characteristics and air parcel movement analysis. The 6 factors with their relative contributions were (1) anthropogenic Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA) (10.3%), (2) biogenic sources (24.8%), (3) local biomass burning (26.4%), (4) transported biomass burning (7.3%), (5) combustion related sources (12.0%), and (6) transported sources (19.2%). The air parcel movement analysis result and seasonal variation of the contribution of these factors also supported the identification of these factors. Thus, the Anmyeon Island GAW station has been affected by both regional and local sources for the carbonaceous aerosols.