• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.373-392
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• 2018

The emission of air pollutants in China has increased rapidly as its economy expanded over the last decades. The Chinese government has recently acknowledged the seriousness of the resulting air pollution and is trying to improve air quality in many ways. Here, we review the air quality control and management policies in China, one of our closest neighbors, because these policies may also influence the air quality in Korea. This study examined the recent policies on $PM_{2.5}$ reduction and analyzed the variation in air quality and air pollutant emissions in China. The ambient air quality and emission standards in China have been strengthened, based on China's Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan of 2013. As a result, the annual mean concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ in 2015 in 74 large Chinese cities declined by 23.6% compared with 2013 values. Coal consumption in China also has been reduced by more than 10% per year since 2013. Furthermore, the laws controlling atmospheric emissions were revised again in 2016, and an air pollution forecasting and warning system was implemented to help manage air pollution problems. At present, the Chinese government is trying to evaluate its policies on $PM_{2.5}$ and find a new paradigm to mitigate ongoing $PM_{2.5}$ pollution. In this context, a joint study between Korea and China has been initiated to investigate the characteristics and sources of ambient $PM_{2.5}$ and to identify factors contributing to the high $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in northeast China. We expect that this academic collaboration will benefit both countries in their search for new policies for $PM_{2.5}$ reduction.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.322-329
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• 2017

Perturbation in ambient particulate matter ($PM_1$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$) and black carbon (BC) concentrations was studied during a firecracker bursting episode in Diwali (Festival of Lights) celebrations in Nagpur, India. Firecracker bursting resulted in greater escalation in fine particulates over coarse particulates while $PM_{2.5}$ was found to be dominated by $PM_1$ concentration. On the Diwali day, daily mean concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ exceeded Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards by over 1.8 and 1.5 times, respectively, while daily mean BC concentration on the same day was almost two times higher than the previous day. The BC/$PM_1$ ratio reduced remarkably from about 0.26 recorded before fire-cracker bursting activity to about 0.09 during fire-cracker bursting on Diwali night in spite of simultaneous escalation in ambient BC concentration. Such aberration in BC/$PM_1$ was evidently a result of much higher escalation in $PM_1$ than BC in ambient air during firecracker bursting. The study highlighted strong perturbations in ambient $PM_1$, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$ concentrations and BC/$PM_1$ during the firecracker bursting episode. Altered atmospheric BC/$PM_1$ ratios could serve as indicators of firecracker-polluted air and similar BC/$PM_1$ ratios in local and regional air masses might be used as diagnostic ratios for firecracker smoke.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 2017

China is suffering from severe air pollution especially fine $PM_{2.5}$ pollution. In 2015, the annual average $PM_{2.5}$ concentration of the 338 municipal cities was $50{\mu}g/m^3$, 78% cities at or above the prefectural level failed to comply with the $PM_{2.5}$ concentration standards. The $13^{th}$ Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development set the goal that the annual average concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ in the municipal cities which failed to attain the ambient air quality standards shall be decreased by 18% by 2020 (CCCPC, 2016). In this study, an air pollution control scenario during the $13^{th}$ Five-Year Plan period was proposed and the $SO_2$, $NO_x$ and PM emission reductions in response to different measures in 31 provincial-level regions mainland China by 2020 were estimated. The air quality in the target year (2020) was simulated using the WRF-CMAQ model. The results showed that by 2020, the emissions of $SO_2$, $NO_x$ and primary PM in mainland China will be reduced by 4.19 million tons, 3.94 million tons and 4.41 million tons, a drop of 23%, 21% and 25% respectively compared with that in 2015, and the annual average concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ will decrease by 19%. Coal-fired power plant contributes the most pollutant emission reduction.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.331-345
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• 2001

The increase of carbon monoxide in the ambient air due to the emissions from point sources without control was estimated using three -dimensional numerical models. The target area was Ulsan where one of the largest industrial complexes was located. As a typical example using numerical models for air quality impact analysis of criteria pollutants that will determine whether the air quality standards would be exceeded or not, the following approaches were suggested. They include: (1) investigation of pre-existing atmospheric conditions, (2) identification of major factors causing high concentrations, (3) selection of episode days. (4) preparation of three-dimensional meteorological data, (5) confirmation of agreement between measured and predicted concentrations in the emission conditions of episode days, and (6) estimation of the impact due to changes of the emission conditions. In the present work, daily meteorological conditions for the specific period were classified into four clusters of distinctive features, and the episode days were selected individually from each cluster. Emphasis was placed on the selection of episodes representing meteorological conditions conducive to high concentrations especially for point sources that were sensitive to the wind direction variations.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2012

Three-season field study was conducted to investigate the distribution of monoterpene(10) and air anion in ambient air at five forests. ${\alpha}$-Pinene, camphene, sabinene, ${\beta}$-pinene, myrcene, terpinolene, limonene, 1,8-cineol, linalool, and camphor were quantified in the samples collected. The highest 4-hour mean concentration of total monoterpene were ${\beta}$-pinene+myrcene as 958 pptv at Juknokwon dominated by bamboo and ${\alpha}$-pinene (524 pptv), limonene (445 pptv) at Wood Land and Suncheon Bay, respectively. The seasonal means were observed to peak during spring with their maximum at Wood Land and Seonam Temple and during summer at Juknokwon and Suncheon Bay. The 24 hour concentration mean of atmosphere standards were found with much lower values than those by law. The highest concentrations of air anion were measured $400{\sim}3,000ea{\cdot}mL^{-1}$ through the sites. There is no significant correlation between the concentration of monoterpene and air anion.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the concentrations of TSP, Pb, Zn and Fe in ambient air adjacent to the heavy traffic road side in Seoul from October 1 to October 31, 1997. The results were as follows 1. The concentrations of TSP were 260 $\mu g/m^3$, 184 $\mu g/m^3$, 147 $\mu g/m^3$ in Chongro, Chungkechun and Kangnam-terminal, respectively. The concentration of TSP was correlated with the traffic volume of the sampling sites (r=0.77). 2. The concentrations of Pb were 638 ng/m$^3$, 335 ng/m$^3$, 233 ng/m$^3$ in Chungkechun, Kangnam-terminal and Chongro, respectively. The concentration of Pb was correlated with the Truck (over 1.4 ton) volume of the sampling sites (r=0.71). The Pb contents among these sites were significantly different (p < 0.05). 3. The concentrations of Zn were 535 ng/m$^3$, 461 ng/m$^3$, 439 ng/m$^3$ in Chongro, Kangnam-terminal and Chungkechun, respectively. The concentration of Zn was badly correlated with the traffic volume of the sampling sites (r=0.23). 4. The concentrations of Fe were 5.32 $\mu g/m^3$, 4.51 $\mu g/m^3$ and 3.18 $\mu g/m^3$ in Chongro, Kangnam-terminal and Chungkechun, respectively. The concentration of Fe was correlated with the traffic volume of the sampling sites (r=0.83). The Fe contents among these sites were significantly different (p < 0.05). 5. The concentrations of TSP, Pb, Zn, Fe investigated didn't exceed the Korean Ambient Air Quality Standards, but more researches in relation to these will be required in considering people working in these sites suffered from cough, asthma and chronic headache.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1413-1419
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• 2008

The Kyoto Protocol, that had been in force from February 16, 2005, requires significant reduction in $CO_2$ emissions for all anthropogenic sources containing transportation, industrial, commercial, and residential fields, etc, and automotive emission standards for air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides $(NO_x)$ become more and more tight for improving ambient air quality. This paper has briefly reviewed homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion technology offering dramatic reduction in $CO_2,\;NO_x$ and PM emissions, compared to conventional gasoline and diesel engine vehicles, in an effort of automotive industries and their related academic activities to comply with future fuel economy legislation, e.g., $CO_2$ emission standards and corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) in the respective European Union (EU) and United States of America (USA), and to meet very stringent future automotive emission standards, e.g., Tier 2 program in USA and EURO V in EU. In addition, major challenges to the widespread use of HCCI engines in road applications are discussed in aspects of new catalytic emissions controls to remove high CO and unburned hydrocarbons from such engine-equipped vehicles.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.574-589
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• 2006

Although concentrations of hazardous air pollutants(HAPs) are very low in the atmosphere, a growing attention has been paid on such compounds due to their high toxicity and bioaccumulation potentials into human body. In order to control and manage the amount of these materials in ambient air, it is necessary to construct monitoring system of them and to know the current concentration level of HAPs above all. In this work, a wide range of HAPs has been measured in metropolitan area to recognize the present state of HAPs in this area. The measured concentration of VOCs was higher in order of Jeonnongdong, Jeongdong, and Yangsuri. The regional difference of VOCs concentration was also highest in spring. Its total VOCs was ranged from $15.17{\sim}41.45$ ppb. Benzene $0.43{\sim}2.32$ ppb showed similar concentration level with the result of previous researches in Seoul. This value is a little higher than the average concentration 0.92 ppb for national ambient air quality standards in Japan. The concentration of aldehydes in this study was lower than those of other researches. Previous works in Seoul metropolitan area showed that the concentration of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were higher than 5 ppb. The concentration of gaseous and particulate PAHs was high in order of winter, spring, and summer More than 90% of PAHs with low molecular weight such as 2-rings and 3-rings PAHs existed in gas phase. On the other hands, PAHs with high molecular weight more than 5-rings PAHs almost existed in particulate. In spring, the concentration of gaseous PAHs was 24.38 $ng/m^3$ in Jeongdong. Among the particulate PAHs, the concentrations of Naphthalene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, and Benzo(g, h, i)perylene were higher than others. Especially, the concentration of Benzo(a)pyrene, a important carcinogenic pollutant, was highest in winter 0.5 $ng/m^3$ and ranged from 0.03 to 0.3 $ng/m^3$ in spring and summer, which is lower than the monitoring result in 90's. These components were mainly originated from the vehicle exhaust or heating equipment use.

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

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.222-228
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• 2000

A detector for monitoring carbon monoxide (CO) in ambient air by nondispersive infrared (NDIR) spectroscopy has been developed and investigated its sensitivity and stability. The essential parts of the absorption cell are three spherical concave mirrors so as to improve the sensitivity by increasing the light path length in the cell. The radius and center of curvature of mirrors and position in the cell was calculated by computer simulation in order that the light path length may be 16m into the 50cm cell. The number of traversals and optical path properties were confirmed by laser beam alignment in transparent absorption cell. The photoconductive type lead selenide (PbSe) was used as CO sensing material, which was cooled to increase the responsibility by thermoelectric cooling method. The detection limit and span drift of the developed CO detector was 0.24ppm and 0.03ppm(v/v) respectively.