• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the use of polyurethane foam disk passive air samplers (PUF PAS) for better measurement of atmospheric polychlorinared dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) concentrations compared to PUF PAS combined with high volume air samplers (HVS). Methods: Air samples were collected by a low volume air sampler (LVS) and PUF PAS. A total of two pairs were continuously collected for six months, but the PUF was replaced every two months. Results: A good correlation was shown ($R^2=0.8595$, p<0.0001) between atmospheric PCDD/Fs concentration measured by the LVS and PUF PAS. The average air sampling rate ($1.5m^3/day-sampler$) of all PCDD/Fs congeners showed a middle of the means which were measured using a HVS by other researchers in different cities. In addition, the air sampling rates of the LVS for each congener made less difference than did those of the HVS. Conclusion: It was found that measurements using the LVS were less influenced by atmospheric peak PCDD/Fs concentrations. However, trace POPs such as PCDD/Fs may involve relatively large analytical errors in measurement, and as a result the air sampling rate of the respective PCDD/Fs isomer is also likely to involve errors. The method of using a regression straight line between the concentrations obtained from the LVS and those from the PUF PAS was judged higher than the method using the air sampling rate, since the former compensated for the experimental errors in the process of evaluation of atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations using the PUF PAS.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 2013

The realtime monitoring of radon ($^{222}Rn$) concentrations has been carried out from Gosan site, Jeju Island for three years of 2006~2008, in order to evaluate the background level and timely variational characteristics of atmospheric radon. The mean concentration of radon measured during the studying period was $2965mBq/m^3$ with its annual mean values in the range of $2768{\sim}3124mBq/m^3$. The relative ordering of the seasonal mean concentrations was seemed to vary such as winter ($3578mBq/m^3$) > fall ($3351mBq/m^3$) > spring ($2832mBq/m^3$) > summer ($2073mBq/m^3$). The monthly mean concentrations were in the order of Jan>Feb>Oct>Nov>Dec>Mar> Sep>Apr>May>Jun>Aug>Jul, so that the highest January value ($3713mBq/m^3$) exceeded almost twice as the July minimum ($1946mBq/m^3$). The hourly concentrations in a day showed the highest level ($3356mBq/m^3$) at around 7 a.m., increasing during nighttime, while reaching the lowest ($2574mBq/m^3$) at around 3 p.m. From the backward trajectory analysis for a continental fetch of radon, the high concentrations (10%) of radon matched with the air mass moving from the Asia continent to Jeju area. In contrast, the low concentrations (10%) of radon were generally correlated with the air mass of the North Pacific Ocean. In comparison by sectional inflow pathways of air mass, the radon concentrations were relatively high from the north China and the Korean peninsula.

• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.225-235
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• 2008

Sulfur hexafluoride ($SF_6$), man-made compound, has been paid attention as a potent greenhouse gas. After Kyoto Pototcol on Climate Change in 1997, nations established the policy aimed at minimizing release of $SF_6$ to atmosphere. We have developed and operated an automatic analytical system for monitoring atmospheric $SF_6$ using gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and packed separate-column. Here, we report and discuss 4-month record of atmospheric $SF_6$ concentrations monitored at Seoul National University (SNU) pilot station near the Kwanak Mountain, Seoul. Most of observed $SF_6$ concentrations were excessively high compared with Northern Hemisphere (NH) background trend obtained from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) monitoring stations. And the observed $SF_6$ showed extremely wide variability ranging from 4.6 pptv to $1.1{\times}10^3$ pptv, which may be affected by local sources placed nearby. Simultaneous wind data with $SF_6$ measurements show that relatively high values of $SF_6$ correspond to weak wind as well as southerly. There are many engineering installations to the south of the station. The regional value of the atmospheric $SF_6$ estimated from the data selection by wind conditions is about 6.8 pptv. This value, which is similar to concentrations of urban areas, is higher than NH background concentration.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.573-584
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• 2015

In this study, the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material ($^{137}Cs$) was simulated with regard to its impact within a 50-km radius from the Kori Nuclear Power Plant (NKPP) based on two different types of models (the non-steady-state puff model CALPUFF and the lagrangian model HYSPLIT) during the spring of 2012 (May 2012). The dispersion distribution of $^{137}Cs$ calculated in the CALPUFF model was similar to that of the HYSPLIT model, but the magnitudes of differences in its spatio-temporal concentrations between the two models were different. The $^{137}Cs$ concentrations simulated by the CALPUFF were significantly lower than those of the HYSPLIT due to a limitation of puff models (e.g. puff size growth over time). The CALPUFF had the advantage of determining the dispersion of radioactive materials and their impacts on the surrounding regions, compared with the HYSPLIT that had high concentrations of $^{137}Cs$ in only small local areas with the movement of air masses along the local winds.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.E1
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• pp.45-48
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• 2006

Mass size distributions of atmospheric particles in Cheonan were determined using a high volume air sampler equipped with a 5-stage cascade impactor. Bimodal distributions that are typical for urban atmospheric particles were obtained. A MMD of the fine particle mode was $0.47{\pm}0.05{\mu}m$ with a GSD of $2.72{\pm}0.21$, and those of the coarse particles were $5.15{\pm}0.18{\mu}m\;and\;2.09{\pm}0.09$, respectively. The annual average concentrations of TSP, PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were 74.1, 67.5, 54.2, and $42.3{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Although the daily PM10 concentrations were under the current National Standard, the daily PM2.5 concentrations frequently exceeded the US Standard even in non asian dust periods. The fractions of PM 10, PM2.5, and PM1 in TSP were $0.905{\pm}0.013,\;0.723{\pm}0.022,\;and\;0.572{\pm}0.029$, respectively, and fine mode particles occupied $57{\sim}72%$ of the total particle mass. The results indicate that fine particles were at the concerning level, and should be the target pollutant for the regional air quality strategy in Cheonan.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.675-688
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• 2007

To characterize organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) contents, daily $PM_{2.5}$ measurements were performed in August 2006 (summer) and Jan $11{\sim}Feb$ 12 2007 (winter) at an urban site of Gwangju. Daily size-segregated aerosol samples were also collected for WSOC analysis. No clear seasonal variations in EC and WSOC concentrations were observed, while seasonal differences in OC concentration, and OC/EC and WSOC/EC ratios were shown. The WSOC/OC ratio showed higher value in summer (0.56) than in winter (0.40), reflecting the greater enhancement of secondary WSOC formation at the site in summer. Secondary WSOC concentrations estimated using EC tracer method were in the range $0.0{\sim}2.1\;{\mu}g/m^3$ (average $0.42\;{\mu}g/m^3$) and $0.0{\sim}1.1\;{\mu}g/m^3\;(0.24\;{\mu}g/m^3)$, respectively, accounting for $0{\sim}51.6%$ (average 16.8%) and $0{\sim}52.5%$ (average 13.1 %) of the measured WSOC concentrations in summer and winter. Sometimes higher WSOC/OC ratio in winter than that in summer could be attributed to two reasons. One is that the stable atmospheric condition often appears in winter, and the prolonged residence time would strengthen atmospheric oxidation of volatile organic compounds. The other is that decrease of ambient temperature in winter would enhance the condensation of volatile secondary WSOC on pre-existing aerosols. In summertime, atmospheric aerosols and WSOC concentrations showed bimodal size distributions, peaking at the size ranges $0.32{\sim}0.56\;{\mu}m$ (condensation mode) and $3.2{\sim}5.6\;{\mu}m$ (coarse mode), respectively. During the wintertime, atmospheric aerosols showed a bimodal character, while WSOC concentrations showed a unimodal pattern. Size distributions of atmospheric aerosols and WSOC with a peak in the size range $0.32{\sim}0.56\;{\mu}m$ were observed for most of the measurement periods. On January 17, however, atmospheric aerosols and WOSC exhibited size distributions with modal peaks in the size range $1.0{\sim}1.8\;{\mu}m$, suggesting that the aerosol particles collected on that day could be expected to be more aged, i.e, longer residence time, than the aerosols at other sampling periods.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.230-235
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• 1993

The atmospheric aerosol samples during the Yellow Sand Phenomena in April 1993 were analyzed, and they were compared with those during the normal time. The conclusions are as follows: 1) TSP concentrations in the case of Yellow Sand Phenomena appeared to be 2.2times higher than those of normal conditions. 2) The concentration of aerosols; Inorganic components of soil-originated elements (Ca, Fe, Mn, Mg, K) during the Yellow Sand Phenomena were measured to be 1.9-2.1times higher than those during normal time. 3) During the Yellow Sand Phenomena the EF values of soil-originated metal contents except for elements Cd, Ni, Pb, Zn in the atmospheric aerosol were close to unity. 4) The concentrations of $Ca^{2+}, SO_4^{2-}, F^-$ in water soluble ionic components were higher than those during the normal time. 5) Washout factor by rain fall during the Yellow Sand Phenomena were estimated to 1268. 6) During the Yellow Sand Phenomina average deposition was 37.8ton/$km^2$.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.E3
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• pp.87-94
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• 2005

Wet scavenging by rain drops is a most important removal process of air pollutants. In order to study the scavenging mechanisms of aerosol particles, the characteristics of chemical components in the rain water were examined as a function of the amount of rainfall. Rain water were collected continuously and separated into the soluble and insoluble components. The elemental concentrations in both components were determined by a PIXE analysis. The physical and chemical characteristics of atmospheric aerosols during the rainfall events were measured simultaneously. The elemental concentrations in rain water decreased substantially just after rain started and then gradually declined in subsequential rain fall exceeding 1.0 mm. The large particles were scavenged more easily than the fine particles. Fe, Ti and Si in rain water were in high insoluble state. Contrarily, almost whole of S was dissolved in rain water.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.297-307
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• 2006

During January $2002{\sim}April\;2004$, hydrogen peroxide ($H_{2}O_{2}$) measurements were performed at the campus of Korea University, which is located in the northeastern part of Seoul. Gas phase hydroperoxide was collected in aqueous solution and separated by HPLC. Concentrations were determined by fluorescence using postcolumn enzyme derivatization. This measurement system was improved to be run automatically from sample collection at every 10 minutes through chemical analysis for data collection. Detection limits of $H_{2}O_{2}$ is $10{\sim}17\;pptv$, and the overall uncertainty of the measurements is better than 8%. Two-year measurements of $H_{2}O_{2}$ show typical seasonal variations. Concentrations of $H_{2}O_{2}$ were higher during $June{\sim}October$ and lower during $January{\sim}February$. Maximum concentration of 1-hour averaged $H_{2}O_{2}$ was 6.5 ppbv, which was observed in August and September. In general $H_{2}O_{2}$ concentrations were well correlated with $O_{3}$ concentrations and largely affected by meteorological factors such as temperature and wind direction.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.1159-1165
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• 2003

The Carbon Bond Mechanism IV has been developed for use in urban- and regional-scale oxidant models. The photochemical mechanism, CBM4, contains extensive improvements to earlier carbon bond mechanisms in the chemical representations of aromatics, biogenic hydrocarbons, peroxyacetyl nitartes, and formaldehyde. Ozone is produced mainly by nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon. By altering the initial concentrations of the mechanism, an analysis of the sensitivity of ozone concentrations to VOC/NO$\_$x/ ratios and VOC composition is conducted in this one-dimensional mechanism. Note that it is considered a chemical mechanism in order to understand the photochemical reactions within this mechanism. It analyzed the results of these simulations by applying a NO$\_$x/-sensitive and a VOC-sensitive regime. These sensitivity regimes are changed to match the relative contribution of VOC and NO$\_$x/ concentrations to ozone production in simulations of two sets.