• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.152-160
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• 2013

Seven potentially harmful bifunctional carbonyls were measured in particulate and gaseous phases at a roadside site and a suburban site in an area about 30 km north-northwest from Tokyo metropolitan area in the Kanto region in Japan. For the first time, these compounds were measured in both phases with a time resolution of 2 h. We found that wind direction is an important parameter that affects the collection of these compounds near the source, and it can cover the effects of other important variables. Our results confirmed that motor vehicles and especially diesel fuelled vehicles are important sources of these compounds. Photochemical generation is also an important source of these compounds in the gaseous phase. Transportation from the urban area is also important, particularly in the aerosol phase.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2002

This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of atmospheric concentrations of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Korea. Target compounds included 1,3-butadiene, aromatics such as BTEX, and a number of carbonyl compounds. In this paper, as the second part of the study, the seasonal and locational concentrations of atmospheric VOCs were evaluated. Sampling was conducted seasonally at seven sampling sites. each of them representing a large urban area (commercial and residential), a small urban area (commercial and residential), an industrial area (a site within the complex and a residential), and a background place in Korea. In general, higher concentrations were found in the petro-chemical industrial site than other sites, while VOCs measured in commercial (heavy -traffic) sites were higher than residential sites. Seasonality of VOCs concentrations were not so much clear as other combustion related pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, indicating that the VOCs are emitted from a variety of sources, not only vehicle exhaust and point sources but fugitive emissions. Except the industrial site, the concentrations of VOCs measured in this study do not reveal any serious pollution status, since the levels did not exceed any existing ambient standards in the U.K. and/or Japan. However, the increasing number of petrol -powered vehicles and the rapid industrialization in Korea may result in the increased levels of VOCs concentrations in many large urban areas in the near future, if there is no appropriate programme implemented for the control of these compounds.