• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.347-358
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• 2013

The aerosol number concentration have measured with an aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer(APS) at Gosan in Jeju Island, which is known as background area in Korea, from March 2010 to February 2011. The obtained results of asian dust events and non-asian dust period have been compared. The results show that the entire averaged aerosol number concentration from APS measurement during asian dust events and non-asian dust period are about 341 particles/$cm^3$ and 240 particles/$cm^3$, respectively. During asian dust events, the number concentration in small size ranges(${\leq}0.4{\mu}m$) are similar to non-asian dust period, however, those in large size ranges(${\geq}0.7{\mu}m$) are very higher than non-asian dust period. The contributions of the size resolved number concentration(23 channel in $0.25{\sim}10.0{\mu}m$) to total number concentration in that range are dramatically decreased with increased particle size. The contributions of smaller size ranges(${\leq}0.4{\mu}m$) during asian dust events are very low compared with non-asian dust period, on the other hand, those of larger size ranges(${\geq}0.4{\mu}m$) are higher than non-asian dust period. The number concentration in each size range are strongly correlated with the concentration in adjacent size range. And the total aerosol number concentration are depended on the number concentration in range of smaller than $0.58{\mu}m$ during non-asian dust period and asian dust events. On the other hand, $PM_{10}$ mass concentration has mainly affected with the number concentration in range of smaller than $1.0{\mu}m$ during non-asian dust period, however, during asian dust events, the mass concentration has mainly affected with the number concentration in range of $0.65{\sim}3.0{\mu}m$.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.491-498
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• 2017

Objective: Bacterial abundance and community compositions have been examined in Asian dust events, clarifying their impacts on public health. This study aims to determine the bacterial community compositions and viable bacteria in Asian dust particles in the Asian dust or non-Asian dust event of March 2016. Methods: The dust samples were collected using the high volume air sampler or high volume cascade impactor, and bacterial 16S rRNA genes were amplified using PCR, followed by pyrosequencing. Bacterial diversity index, richness estimate and community composition in the particles were analyzed from the sequencing data using Mothur software. Results: The results showed that the diversity and richness during Asian dust events were higher than them in non-Asian dust events. The total bacterial community analysis showed that at the phylum Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were the most dominant of Asian dust events and non-Asian dust events. In addition, the bacterial colony counts were higher during Asian dust event, comparing with non-Asian dust event. Conclusions: This study showed that bacterial community and richness of Asian dust samples was more complex and higher than non-Asian dust samples in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, which could affect public health and environment. Thus, the continuous monitoring of Asian dust could be an alternative for managing airborne bacteria.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.197-202
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• 2005

Objectives: During the spring of 2002, an unprecedented 2 Asian dust events were experienced in Seoul. On those days, the $PM_{10}$ was surprisingly increased, with daily $PM_{10}$ averages exceeding $600\;and\;700{\mu}g/m^3$ on March 21 and April 8, respectively. Accordingly, public concern relating to the possible adverse health effects of these dust events has increased, as the dust arrives in Korea after having flown over heavily industrialized eastern China. We investigated the effects of these Asian dust events on the mortality during the spring of 2002, in Seoul, Korea. Methods: The total number of deaths per day during the spring of 2002 in Seoul was extracted form the mortality records of the National Statistical Office. We constructed 14 Asian dust days (March 17-March 23, April 7-April 13) and 42 control days during the 56 day study period (March 3-April 27) with respect to the days of the week. The daily average numbers of deaths between the Asian dust and control days were analyzed, with adjustment for meteorological variables and pollutants. Results: The daily PM10 average during the Asian dust weeks was $295.2{\mu}g/m^3$, which was significantly higher than during the control days (p<0.001). The daily average number of deaths from all causes during the Asian dust days was 109.9; 65.6 for those aged 65 years and older, 6.7 from respiratory causes (J00-J99) and 25.6 from cardiovascular causes (I00-I99). The estimated percentage increases in the rate of deaths were 2.5% (95% CI=-5.0-10.6) from all causes; 2.2% (95% CI=-7.4-12.8) for those aged 65 years and older, and 36.5% (95% CI=0.7-85.0) from respiratory causes, but with a 6.1% (95% CI=-19.7-9.7) decrease in deaths from cardiovascular causes. Conclusion: The Asian dust events were found to be weakly associated with the risk of death from all causes. However, the association between dust events and deaths from respiratory causes was stronger. This suggests that persons with advanced respiratory diseases may be susceptible to Asian dust events.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.515-524
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• 2022

This study investigated characteristics of meteorological parameters and ionic components of PM_2.5 during Asian dust events on November 28 and 30, 2018 at Busan, Korea. The seasonal occurrence frequencies of Asian dust during 1960~2019 (60 years) were 81.7% in spring, 12.2% in winter, and 6.1% in autumn. Recently, autumn Asian dust occurrence in Busan has shown an increasing trend. The result of AWS (automatic weather station), surface weather chart, and backward trajectory analyses showed that the first Asian dust of Nov. 28, 2018, in Busan came with rapid speed through inner China and Bohai Bay from Mongolia. The second Asian dust of Nov. 30, 2018, in Busan seems to have resulted from advection and deposition of proximal residual materials. These results indicated that understanding the characteristics of meteorological parameters and ionic components of PM_2.5 during Asian dust events could provide insights into establishing a control strategy for urban air quality.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.191-197
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• 2023

Radioactivity concentrations for natural radionuclides were determined from fine dust samples collected in Jeju, Korea according to atmospheric events (Asian dust, haze, fog-mist, and non-event), and radium equivalent activity was calculated. The mean atmospheric radioactivity concentrations for ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in 127 fine dust samples were 0.49, 0.24, and 7.23 µBq m^-3, respectively, and the radium equivalent activity was 33.25 Bq kg^-1. The mean concentrations of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th in the fine dust during the Asian dust period were 1.31 and 1.60 µBq m^-3, respectively, above the global average, while the values for the other three atmospheric events were lower. The ratio of ²³²Th/²³⁸U radioactivity during the Asian dust period was 1.22, higher than the ratio for the other three atmospheric events.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2013

The characteristics of Asian dust (AD) in Korea between 1997 and 2005 were investigated, focusing on peak 1-hour $PM_{10}$ concentrations during AD events at seven cities over the Korean Peninsula. The frequency of AD events decreased from Seoul to Busan, indicating the major pathway of AD in Korea was from northwest to southeast. AD events were most frequent in 2001 while peak concentrations during AD events were much higher in 2002. Recent works show that the trajectories from northerly directions increased during the 2000s and later (Chun, 2009; Kim, 2008). In this work, the fraction of trajectories from the northwest was the largest on the whole, although trajectories from each direction varied by city and year. It is presumed that high concentrations of $PM_{10}$ during AD events are generally associated with trajectories from the northwest rather than from the source region.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.1642-1647
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• 2009

Changes in aerosol characteristics during 2006 ${\sim}$2008 Asian dust events in Cheoan were investigated by measuring mass, ion and elemental concentrations of fine and coarse particles. The average mass concentrations of daily TSP, PM10, PM2.5 were 214.9, 160.3, and 95.9${\mu}\;g/m^3$during Asian dust events, which were 3.08, 2.58, and 1.95 times higher than Non-asian dust events. The maximum concentrations of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 were 850.1, 534.4, and 233.3${\mu}\;g/m^3$, which were 12.19, 8.60, and 4.76 times higher, respectively. Increases in ion concentrations were not significant during Asian dust events, but elemental concentrations including soil components such as Fe, Al, Ti increased by 17.1 and 43.4 times for fine and coarse particles, respectively. The results clearly indicate that metallic components from soil constituents were the major components in Asian dusts sampled at Cheonan.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.245-257
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• 2012

The Asian dust (Hwangsa) forecasting model, Asian Dust Aerosol Model (ADAM) has been modified by using satelliate monitoring of surface vegetation, which enables to simulate dusts occuring not only in springtime but also for all-year-round period. Coupled with the Unified Model (UM), the operational weather forecasting model at KMA, UM-ADAM2 was implemented for operational dust forecasting since 2010, with an aid of development of Meteorology-Chemistry Interface Processor (MCIP) for usage UM. The performance analysis of the ADAM2 forecast was conducted with $PM_{10}$ concentrations observed at monitoring sites in the source regions in China and the downstream regions of Korea from March to December in 2010. It was found that the UM-ADAM2 model was able to simulate quite well Hwangsa events observed in spring and wintertime over Korea. In the downstream region of Korea, the starting and ending times of dust events were well-simulated, although the surface $PM_{10}$ concentration was slightly underestimated for some dust events. The general negative bias less than $35{\mu}g\;m^{3}$ in $PM_{10}$ is found and it is likely to be due to other fine aerosol species which is not considered in ADAM2. It is found that the correlation between observed and forecasted $PM_{10}$ concentration increases as forecasting time approaches, showing stably high correlation about 0.7 within 36 hr in forecasting time. This suggests the possibility that there is potential for the UM-ADAM2 model to be used as an operational Asian dust forecast model.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.509-517
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• 2006

We investigated the change of symptoms and preventive behaviors before and after the Asian Dust events among indoor workers (teachers) and outdoor workers (taxi drivers and bus drivers). On February 2004, we recruited 195 taxi drivers, 135 bus drivers and 93 school teachers. Symptoms and behaviors related the Asian Dust events during 1 week were questioned by self administrated questionnaires. We surveyed pre-event and post-event. The symptom were not changed in bus drivers during the events. In taxi drivers and teachers,'Bad or smoky smell on the air' and 'eye congestion' symptoms were increased during the events. The preventive behaviors were decreased or not changed in taxi drivers and bus drivers. In teachers,'close the window','diminishing the outdoor activities', 'diminishing the going out', 'wearing the sunglasses', 'washing the eyes after going out'. This results suggest that the outdoor worker's guideline during the Asian dust eventsneeds to be developed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.408-421
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• 2007

The concentration characteristics of atmospheric particle matters (PM) including $PM_{2.5},\;PM_{10}$, and TSP were evaluated through the measurement data of PM_{2.5}$ (fine particulate), PM_{10-2.5}$ (coarse particulate), and PM_{over-10}$ collected using a MCI (multi-nozzle cascade impactor) sampler of a three-stage filter pack in spring of 2006 in Iksan area. During the sampling period of 10-15 March and 24 days from 8 April to 2 May, 32 samples for PM of each size fractions were collected, and then measured for PM mass concentrations and water-soluble inorganic ion species. Average concentrations of $PM_{2.5},\;PM_{10}$, TSP were $57.9{\pm}44.1mg/m^3$, $96.6{\pm}89.1mg/m^3$, and $114.8{\pm}99.7mg/m^3$, respectively. Water-soluble inorganic ion fractions to PM mass were found to be 36.5%, 18.0%, and 11.1% for $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10-2.5}$ and $PM_{over-10}$, respectively. By showing the high concentrations of PM samples during Asian dust events, those three fractions of PM were distinguished between the samples of Asian dust event and the samples of no event. However, the increase of PM concentrations observed during Asian dust events showed a different pattern for some Asian dust events. The differences of those three fractions in the size distribution may depend on differences on place of occurrence of Asian dust storm and course of transport from China continent to Iksan area in Korea. However, the extent of PM mass contribution during Asian dust events was generally dominated by the coarse particles rather than the fine fraction of PM. The variations of water-soluble inorganic ion species concentration in those three PM fractions between the samples of Asian dust event and the samples of no event were also discussed in this study.