• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.533-542
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• 2010

The $PM_{10}$ concentrations in the underground should be monitored for the health of commuters on the underground subway system. Seoul Metro and Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation are measuring several air pollutants regularly. As for the measurement of $PM_{10}$ concentrations, instruments based on $\beta$-ray absorption method and gravimetric methods are being used. But the instruments using gravimetric method give us 20-hour-average data and the $\beta$-ray instruments can measure the $PM_{10}$ concentration every one hour. In order to keep the $PM_{10}$ concentrations under a healthy condition, the air quality of the underground platform and tunnels should be monitored and controlled continuously. The $PM_{10}$ instruments using light scattering method can measure the $PM_{10}$ concentrations every less than one minute. However, the reliability of the instruments using light scattering method is still not proved. The purpose of this work is to study the reliability of the instruments using light scattering method to measure the $PM_{10}$ concentrations continuously in the underground platforms. One instrument using $\beta$-ray absorption method and two different instruments using light scattering method (LSM1, LSM2) were placed at the platform of the Jegi station of Seoul metro line Number 1 for 10 days. The correlation between the $\beta$-ray instrument and the LSM2 ($r^2$=0.732) was higher than that between the $\beta$-ray instrument and the LSM1 ($r^2$=0.393). Thus the LSM2 was chosen for further analysis. Three different regression analysis methods were tested: Linear regression analysis, Nonlinear regression analysis and Orthogonal regression analysis. When the instruments using light scattering method were used, the data measured these instruments have to be converted to actual $PM_{10}$ concentrations using some factors. With these analyses, the factors could be calculated successfully as linear and nonlinear forms with respect to the data. And the orthogonal regression analysis was performed better than the ordinary least squares method by 28.45% reduction of RMSE. These findings propose that the instruments using light scattering method light scattering method can be used to measure and control the $PM_{10}$ concentrations of the underground subway stations.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.348-356
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• 2012

It is very important to investigate air pollutants and emissions emitted from open burning in order to control nonpoint sources effectively. In this study, we utilized incineration simulator proposed by U.S. EPA and investigated concentrations of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 from woods and household wastes burning to calculate emission factors and build emission inventories. The results of experiment with 15 kg of woods and 3 kg of household wastes using the incineration simulator were as follows: in case of woods burning, TSP concentration was $66.4mg/m^3$, PM10 concentration was $28.4mg/m^3$, PM2.5 concentration was $17.9mg/m^3$, respectively; in case of household wastes burning, TSP concentration was $118.4mg/m^3$, PM10 concentration was $66.8mg/m^3$, PM2.5 concentration was $55.2mg/m^3$, respectively. Concentrations from household burning, as stated above, were higher than those from woods burning. Emission factors (EFs) for woods and household wastes burning were calculated as 2.45 and 6.75 g/kg for TSP, 0.86 and 5.45 g/kg for PM10, 0.78 and 4.81 g/kg for PM2.5, respectively. EFs of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 calculated from household wastes burning were higher than those of woods burning. When we added PM emissions from woods burning and household wastes burning to Korean National Emission Inventory named as Clean Air Policy Support System (CAPSS), CAPSS annual emissions of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 were increased by 0.08~0.26% (An increase rate for TSP, PM10, PM2.5 were 0.08~0.10%, 0.16~0.20% and 0.18~0.26%, respectively). Note that we assumed that the 1% of household wastes is emitted by open burning.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.325-347
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• 2012

Long-term air and weather data monitored during the period of 2000 to 2009 were analyzed to quantitatively estimate the precipitation scavenging and wind dispersion contributions of ambient $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$ in Korea. Both air pollutants and meteorological data had been respectively collected from 120 stations by the Ministry of Environment and from 20 weather stations by the Korea Meteorological Administrations in all parts of Korea. To stochastically identify the relation between a meteorological factor and an air pollutant, we initially defined the SR (scavenging ratio) and the DR (dispersion ratio) to separately calculate the precipitation and wind speed effects on the removal of a specific air pollutant. We could then estimate the OSC (overall scavenging contribution) and the ODC (overall dispersion contribution) with considering sectoral precipitation and wind speed probability density distributions independently. In this study, the SRs for both $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$ were generally increased with increasing the amounts of precipitation and then the OSCs for $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$ were estimated by 22.3% and 15.7% on an average in Korea, respectively. However, the trend of the DR was quite different from that of SR. The DR for $PM_{10}$ was increased with increasing wind speed up to 2.5 m/s and further the DR for $NO_2$ showed a minimum in the range of $1<WS{\leq}1.5$. The ODCs for $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$ were estimated by 14.9% and 1.0% in Korea, respectively. Finally, we have also provided an interesting case study observed in Seoul.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.731-742
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• 2014

In this study, we developed a new algorithm which can construct model buildings used as a surface boundary in numerical models using GIS with latitudinal and longitudinal information of building vertices. The algorithm established the outer boundary of a building first, by finding segments passing neighboring two vertices of the building and connecting the segments. Then, the algorithm determined the region inside the outer boundary as the building. The new algorithm overcame the limit that the algorithm developed in the previous study had in constructing concave buildings. In addition, the new algorithm successfully constructed a building with complicated shape. To investigate effects of the modification in building shape caused by the building-construction algorithm on flows and pollutant dispersion around buildings, a computational fluid dynamics model was used and three kinds of building type were considered. In the downwind region, patterns in flow and pollutant dispersion were little affected by the modification in building shape caused. However, because of reduction in air space resulted from the building-shape modification, vortex structure was not resolved or smaller vortex was resolved near the buildings. The changes in flow pattern affected dispersion patterns of scalar pollutants emitted around the buildings.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.625-637
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• 2003

This study was performed to examine the relationship between air pollution exposure and mortality in Seoul for the years of 1998∼2001. Daily counts of death were analyzed by general additive Poisson model, with adjustment for effects of seasonal trend, air temperature, humidity, and day of the week as confounders in a nonparametric approach. Daily death counts were associated with CO (current day),O$_3$ (current day), PM$_{10}$ (current day), NO$_2$ (1 day before), SO$_2$ (1 day before). Increase of 41.71 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ (interquartile range) in PM$_{10}$ was associated with 1.3% (95% CI = 0.7∼1.9％) increase in the daily number of death. $O_3$ concentrations resulted in an increased risk of 1.3% for 23.86 ppb in all-aged mortality [RR = 1.013 (1.004-1.023)1. This effect was greater in children (less than 15 aged) and elderly (more than 65 aged). After ozone level exceeds 25 ppb, the dose-response relationship between mortality and ozone was almost linear. We concluded that Seoul had 1∼5％ increase in mortality in association with IQR (interquartile range) in air pollutants. Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in Seoul might have an adverse effect on daily mortality. These findings also support the hypothesis that air pollution, at levels below the current ambient air quality standards of Korea, is harmful to sensitive subjects, such as children or elderly.rly.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.393-405
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• 2018

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are representative air pollutants due to their detrimental effects on human health and their role in formation of secondary organic aerosols. Assessments and monitoring programs of VOCs using periodic grab sampling like Tedlar bags, canisters, and sorbent traps provide limited information, often with delay times of days or weeks. Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is an emerging analytical technique for the real-time quantification of VOCs in air. It relies on chemical ionization of the VOCs molecules in air introduced into helium carrier gas using $H_3O^+$, $NO^+$, and $O_2{^+}$ precursor ions. Real-time monitoring method of 60 VOCs in the ambient air was developed using TO-15 standard gas mixture. Calibration curves, method detection limit, and quantitation reproducibility of the target compounds were tested. Dynamic dilution system was used to dilute standard gas from 0.174 ppbv to 100 ppbv, where calibration curves showed good linearity with $r^2$> 0.95 in all target analytes. Limit of detection (LOD) all compounds were sub ppbv, and some halogenated compounds showed pptv levels. Seven consecutive analyses of target compounds showed good repeatability with relative standard deviation of less than 10%. One day monitoring of VOCs in ambient air was conducted in Geoje. Average concentration of target VOCs in Geoje were relatively lower than other regions, among which formaldehyde showed the highest concentration ($15.4{\pm}5.78ppbv$). SIFT-MS provided good temporal resolution data (1 data per 3.2 minute), which can be used for identifying ephemeral short-term event. It is expected that SIFT-MS will be a versatile monitoring platform for VOCs in ambient air.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.121-133
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• 2011

This study suggests criteria to conduct a risk assessment of VOCs and formaldehyde in uncontrolled public facilities. Pollutants and facilities were selected based on two years of monitoring data and exposure scenarios in 573 uncontrolled public facilities, composed of 10 types of public institutions. With the exception of social welfare facilities, lifetime ECRs of formaldehyde and benzene in each facility were higher in employees than in users, except in social welfare facilities. In social welfare facilities, the risk of benzene for users ($1{\times}10^{-5}$) was higher than that of workers ($1{\times}10^{-6}$) because facility users live in the facility 24 hours per day, compared to workers who spend an average of 8 hours per day in the facility. The risk of benzene to workers in restaurants, academies, performance halls, internet cafe and pubs were estimated as high as $1{\times}10^{-4}$ and the risk to workers in the theaters and karaoke bars were recorded as $1{\times}10^{-5}$. Because lifetime ECRs of carcinogens exceeded $1{\times}10^{-4}$ for workers and users in most facilities, risk management of formaldehyde and benzene in these facilities is necessary. Although HQs of toluene and xylenes did not exceed 1.0, their HQs did exceed 0.1 in some facilities, so they were evaluated as potentially harmful materials. Additionally, criteria for health protection in IAQ by facility are suggested at $60-100\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for formaldehyde, $400-500\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for TVOCs, $10-20\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for benzene, $150-170\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for toluene and $100\;{\mu}g/m^3$ for xylenes, based on the survey on IAQ and HRA methodology. The excess rates of IAQ to health protection criteria in all facilities were 16% for formaldehyde, 8% for TVOCs and benzene, 9% for toulene, and 5% for xylenes.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.395-405
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• 2001

To make an assessment of the compatibility between DOAS and conventional point monitoring system (MCSAM-2: MS2), we investigated the concentrations of three criteria pollutants which include S $O_2$, N $O_2$, and $O_3$from a national monitoring station in Seoul during the periods of June 1999~August 2000. The average concentration values for the whole study period derived from hourly concentration data sets of those three species indicated that the mean differences between the two methods can be approximated as 18%. When the bias structure of two systems was evaluated through the computation of percent difference(PD) between the two such as ( $C_{DOAS}$- $C_{conventional}$ $C_{DOAS}$*100, differences between the two systems appeared to be quite systematic among different compounds. While the mode of bias peaked at 0~20% or 20~40% in terms of PD values, the cause of such positive bias mainly arised from generally enhanced concentration values of DOAS system. The structure of bias among different species was further assessed through linear regression analysis. Results of the analysis indicated that the dominant portions of differences observed from two monitoring systems can be accounted for by the systematic differences in their spanning and zeroing systems. S $O_2$(MS2)=0.6385 S $O_2$(DOAS)+2.0985($r^2$=0.7894) N $O_2$(MS2)=0.6548 N $O_2$(DOAS)+7.437($r^2$=0.7687) $O_3$(MS2)=1.0359 $O_3$(DOAS)-7.7885($r^2$=0.7944) The findings of slope values at around 0.64~0.65 from two species suggest that DOAS should respond more sensitively in upper bound concentration range. The offset values apart from zero indicate that more deliberate comparison needs to be made between these monitoring systems. However, based on the existence of strong correlations from at least 8,000 data points for each species of comparison, we were able to conclude that the compatibility of two monitoring systems is highly significant. With the improvement of calibration techniques for the DOAS system. its applicability for routine monitoring of airborne pollutant species is expected to be quite extendable.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.675-687
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• 2005

In this study, the cyclone/denuder/filter pack sampling system was used to measure the daily concentrations of water soluble inorganic compounds of fine ($D_{p}< 2.5\;{\mu}m$) and coarse ($D_{p}<10{\mu}m$m) size fractions of aerosol and related gases at Gosan super site during ABC-EAREX 2005. The mean concentrations for $HNO_{3},\;HNO_{2},\;NH_{3}$, were 0.39, 0.08, and $0.29\;{\mu}g/m^3$. respectively. Average concentrations of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium in $PM_{2.5}$ were 3.39, 1.06, and $1.04\;{\mu}g/m^3$, which occupied about $26\%$ of total $PM_{2.5}$ mass. In particular, more than half of these ionic species were found in size of less than $2.5\;{\mu}m$. Gas phase nitric acid concentrations have shown high correlation coefficient with $HNO_{2}$(R=0.80) and $O_{3}$(R=0.78), implying the active photochemical reactions from its precursors. Equivalent molar ratios between major ion components, $NH_{4}\;^{+}/nss\;SO_4\;^{2-},(0.83\;for\;PM_{2.5},\;0.86\;for\;PM_{10})$, revealed that the existing forms of the secondary aerosols were probably $(NH_{4})_{2}SO_{4}\;and\;(NH_{4})_{3}H\;(SO_{4})_{2}$. Especially, $(NH_{4}\;^{+}+K^{+}+Ca^{2+}+Mg^{2+})/(NO_{3}\;^{-}+nss\;SO_{4}\;^{2-}) (0.99\;for\;PM_{2.5},\;1.05\;for\;PM_{10})$ indicated that some of them existed not only as $NH_{4}NO_{3}$ but also as $CaSO_{4}\;or\;KNO_{3}$, which pointed out the probability of influences from the abundant soil components during Asian dust (AD) periods. These neutralized types of secondary aerosols showed that pollutants could be aged and transported from a distance.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.297-306
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• 2013

This study used long-term air and weather data from 2000 to 2009 as raw data sets to develop regression models in order to estimate precipitation scavenging contributions of ambient $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$ in Korea. The data were initially analyzed to calculate scavenging ratio (SR), defined as the removal efficiency for $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$ by actual precipitation. Next, the effective scavenging contributions (ESC) with considering precipitation probability density were calculated for each sector of precipitation range. Finally, the empirical regression equations for the two air pollutants were separately developed, and then the equations were applied to test the model validity with the raw data sets of 2010 and 2011, which were not involved in the modeling process. The results showed that the predicted $PM_{10}$ ESC by the model was 23.8% and the observed $PM_{10}$ ESCs were 23.6% in 2010 and 24.0% in 2011, respectively. As for $NO_2$, the predicted ESC by the model was 16.3% and the observed ESCs were 16.4% in 2010 and 16.6% in 2011, respectively. Thus the developed regression models fitted quite well the actual scavenging contribution for both ambient $PM_{10}$ and $NO_2$. The models can then be used as a good tool to quantitatively apportion the natural and anthropogenic sink contribution in Korea. However, to apply the models for far future, the precipitation probability density function (PPDF) as a weather variable in the model equations must be renewed periodically to increase prediction accuracy and reliability. Further, in order to apply the models in a specific local area, it is recommended that the long-term oriented local PPDF should be inserted in the models.