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

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.429-438
• /
• 2019

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM_2.5 were measured with Sunset Laboratory Model-5 Semi-Continuous OC/EC Field Analyzer by NIOSH/TOT method at Anmyeondo Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Regional Station (37°32'N, 127°19'E) in July and August, 2017. The mean values of OC and EC were 3.7 ㎍ m^-3 and 0.7 ㎍ m^-3, respectively. During the study period, the concentrations of reactive gases and aerosol compositions were evidently lower than those of other seasons. It is mostly due to meteorological setting of the northeast Asia, where the influence of continental outflow is at its minimum during this season under southwesterly wind. While the diurnal variation of OC and EC were not clear, the concentrations of O₃, CO, NOx, EC, and OC were evidently enhanced under easterly wind at night from 20:00 to 8:00. However, the high concentration of EC was observed concurrently with CO and NOx under northerly wind during 20:00~24:00. It indicates the influence of thermal power plant and industrial facilities, which was recognized as a major emission source during KORUS-AQ campaign. The diurnal variations of pollutants clearly showed the influence of land-sea breeze, in which OC showed good correlation between EC and O₃ in seabreeze. It is estimated to be the recirculation of pollutants in land-sea breeze cycle. This study suggests that in general, Anmyeondo station serves well as a background monitoring station. However, the variation in meteorological condition is so dynamic that it is primary factor to determine the concentrations of secondary species as well as primary pollutants at Anmyeondo station.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.143-149
• /
• 2018

Air quality conditions and pollution status have been evaluated in the industrial area between Sharjah and Ajman border in UAE. Daily concentrations of $O_3$, CO, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) and Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) have been monitored from Sept. 2015 to April 2016. The monthly average concentrations of $O_3$, CO, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, TVOC were within the UAE ambient air quality standards during the survey period. However, $PM_{10}$ and TSP levels exceeded the recommended limits in Sept. 2015, Oct. 2015 and March 2016. Temporal variations in air quality parameters showed highest levels in March 2016 for $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$, $NO_2$, TVOC and TSP, whereas $O_3$, $SO_2$ and CO showed relatively low values in this month. $PM_{2.5}$ levels in ambient air were above the EPA guideline of $35{\mu}g/m^3$ in all months. $PM_{2.5}$ was the critical ambient air pollutant with Index for Pollutant ($I_p$) values varying from 103-209, indicating Air Quality Index categories of unhealthy for sensitive groups (62.5%) to unhealthy (25%) to very unhealthy (12.5%). The $I_p$ average values of $PM_{2.5}$ decreased from Sept. 2015 to reach lowest value in Dec. 2015 before increasing gradually, peaking in March 2016. These results suggest the potential health risks associated with $PM_{2.5}$ is low in winter, where the prevailing meteorological conditions of lower temperatures, higher humidity, higher wind speed reduced particulate matter. The results revealed the industrial area is impacted by anthropogenic and natural sources of particulate matter.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.59 no.4
• /
• pp.75-83
• /
• 2017

Many parts of problems in livestock industry today are associated with organic dust. Endotoxin and toxic gasses on the surface of dust and dust itself can cause aesthetic displeasure and respiratory disease. It also reduces livestock productivity by suppressing immunity of animals and carrying microbes causing animal disease. However, dust level of cattle farm was rarely reported in Korea, and regulation for cattle farm worker does not exist. In this paper, dust concentration and environmental condition were regularly monitored in a commercial Korean native cattle farm. The measurement was conducted according to location and working activities. From the measurement, distribution of dust concentration was affected by wind environment, as the result of natural ventilation. TMR mixer was a major source of dust in target cattle house. The maximum inhalable dust concentration was 637.8 times higher than exposure limit as feed dropped into the TMR mixer. It was expected that dust generation could be affected by particle size and drop height of feed. This study suggests potential risk of dust in cattle farm, and necessity for latter study. Effect of aerodynamic condition and TMR processing should be investigated for dust reduction study.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.325-338
• /
• 2009

National parks provide recreation, health, and science to human being. The provision of beautiful landscape view of the national park improves an economic and social phase of a nation. However, visibility impairment frequently occurred in the national park area of Gyeongju. The purpose of this study is to investigate the physical and the chemical characteristics of visibility reduction observed at the national park area of Gyeongju. Optical, chemical, meteorological characteristics and scenic monitoring were performed at the visibility monitoring station of Gyeongju University located at the Seoak section of Gyeongju national park from April 28 to May 9, 2008. Light extinction, light scattering, and light absorption coefficients were continuously measured using a transmissometer, a nephelometer, and an aethalometer, respectively. In order to investigate the impact of aerosol chemistry on visibility impairment, size-resolved aerosols were collected at intervals of 2-hour (from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M.) and 14-hour (from 6 P.M. to 8 A.M.) interval each sampling day. The average light extinction coefficient and the average visual range were measured to be $270{\pm}135\;Mm^{-1}$ and $14.5{\pm}6.3\;km$ during the intensive monitoring period, respectively. It was revealed that sulfate particle was the largest contributor to the light extinction under hazy condition. Organic mass accounted for about 26% of the average light extinction. The mass extinction efficiencies for $PM_{1.0}$, $PM_{2.5}$, and $PM_{10}$ were estimated to be 9.0, 4.7, and $2.7\;m^2\;g^{-1}$ under the consideration of water growth function of hygroscopic aerosols, respectively.

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

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.217-226
• /
• 2013

The collection of TSP and $PM_{2.5}$ aerosols has been made at the Gosan Site of Jeju Island during 2008-2011, and their ionic and elemental species were analyzed, in order to examine the seasonal variation and characteristics of aerosol compositions. The anthropogenic components ($NH_4{^+}$, $nss-SO_4{^{2-}}$, $NO_3{^-}$, S, Zn, Pb) and the soil components ($nss-Ca^{2+}$, Al, Fe, Ca) showed high concentrations in spring as the prevailing westerly wind, but the concentrations of the sea-salt components ($Na^+$, $Cl^-$) were high in winter. In TSP, the neutralization by $NH_3$ increased in summer, but the neutralization by $CaCO_3$ increased in spring and fall seasons. The organic acids ($HCOO^-$, $CH_3COO^-$) contributed to the acidification of the aerosols by only 5.0%, so the acidification could be mostly contributed by the inorganic acids ($SO_4{^{2-}}$, $NO_3{^-}$). From the examination of the source origins by factor analysis, the compositions of TSP were influenced by the order of soil > anthropogenic > marine, on the other hand, those of $PM_{2.5}$ were by the order of anthropogenic > marine > soil. The backward trajectory analyses showed that the concentrations of $NH_4{^+}$, $nss-SO_4{^{2-}}$, $NO_3{^-}$ and $nss-Ca^{2+}$ increased highly when the air masses had moved from China continent into Gosan area of Jeju Island.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.211-222
• /
• 2018

Cloud droplet activation process is well described by $K{\ddot{o}}hler$ theory and several parameterizations based on $K{\ddot{o}}hler$ theory are used in a wide range of models to represent this process. Here, we test the two different method of calculating the solute effect in the $K{\ddot{o}}hler$ equation, i.e., osmotic coefficient method (OSM) and ${\kappa}-K{\ddot{o}}hler$ method (KK). To do that, each method is implemented in the cloud droplet activation parameterization module of WRF-CHEM (Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry) model. It is assumed that aerosols are composed of five major components (i.e., sulfate, organic matter, black carbon, mineral dust, and sea salt). Both methods calculate similar representative hygroscopicity parameter values of 0.2~0.3 over the land, and 0.6~0.7 over the ocean, which are close to estimated values in previous studies. Simulated precipitation, and meteorological variables (i.e., specific heat and temperature) show good agreement with reanalysis. Spatial patterns of precipitation and liquid water path from model results and satellite data show similarity in general, but on regional scale spatial patterns and intensity show some discrepancy. However, meteorological variables, precipitation, and liquid water path do not show significant differences between OSM and KK simulations. So we suggest that the relatively simple KK method can be a good alternative to the OSM method that requires various information of density, molecular weight and dissociation number of each individual species in calculating the solute effect.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.567-587
• /
• 2018

A severe haze event occurred in October 2015 in Gwangju, Korea. In this study, the driving chemical species and the formation mechanisms of $PM_{2.5}$ pollution were investigated to better understand the haze event. Hourly concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$, organic and elemental carbon, water-soluble ions, and elemental constituents were measured at the air quality intensive monitoring station in Gwangju. The haze event occurred was attributed to a significant contribution (72.3%) of secondary inorganic species concentration to the $PM_{2.5}$, along with the contribution of organic aerosols that were strongly attributed to traffic emissions over the study site. MODIS images, weather charts, and air mass backward trajectories supported the significant impact of long-range transportation (LTP) of aerosol particles from northeastern China on haze formation over Gwangju in October 2015. The driving factor for the haze formation was stagnant atmospheric flows around the Korean peninsula, and high relative humidity (RH) promoted the haze formation at the site. Under the high RH conditions, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ were mainly produced through the heterogenous aqueous-phase reactions of $SO_2$ and $NO_2$, respectively. Moreover, hourly $O_3$ concentration during the study period was highly elevated, with hourly peaks ranging from 79 to 95ppb, suggesting that photochemical reaction was a possible formation process of secondary aerosols. Over the $PM_{2.5}$ pollution, behavior and formation of secondary ionic species varied with the difference in the impact of LTP. Prior to October 19 when the influence of LTP was low, increasing rate in $NO_3{^-}$ was greater than that in $NO_2$, but both $SO_2$ and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ had similar increasing rates. While, after October 20 when the impact of haze by LTP was significant, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ concentrations increased significantly more than their gaseous precursors, but with greater increasing rate of $NO_3{^-}$. These results suggest the enhanced secondary transformation of $SO_2$ and $NO_2$ during the haze event. Overall, the result from the study suggests that control of anthropogenic combustion sources including vehicle emissions is needed to reduce the high levels of nitrogen oxide and $NO_3{^-}$ and the high $PM_{2.5}$ pollution occurred over fall season in Gwangju.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.320-328
• /
• 2016

Among biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the natural ecosystem, monoterpenes, along with isoprene, play important roles in atmospheric chemistry and make significant impacts on air pollution and climate change, especially due to their contribution to secondary organic aerosol production and photochemical ozone formation. It is essential to measure monoterpene concentrations accurately for understanding their oxidation processes, emission processes and estimation, and interactions between biosphere and atmosphere. Thus, traceable calibration standards are crucial for the accurate measurement of monoterpenes at ambient levels. However, there are limited information about developing calibrations standards for monoterpenes in pressured cylinders. This study describes about developing primary standard gas mixtures (PSMs) for monoterpenes at about 2 nmol/mol, near ambient levels. The micro-gravimetric method was applied to prepare monoterpene (${\alpha}$-pinene, 3-carene, R-(+)-limonene, 1,8-cineole) PSMs at $10{\mu}mol/mol$ and then the PSMs were further diluted to 2 nmol/mol level. To select an optimal cylinder for the development of monoterpene PSMs, three different kinds of cylinders were used for the preparation and were evaluated for uncertainty sources including long-term stability. Results showed that aluminum cylinders with a special internal surface treatment (Experis) had little adsorption loss on the cylinder internal surface and good long-term stability compared to two other cylinder types with no treatment and a special treatment (Aculife). Results from uncertainty estimation suggested that monoterpene PSMs can be prepared in pressured cylinders with a special treatment (Experis) at 2 nmol/mol level with an uncertainty of less than 4%.