• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was carried out in order to estimate atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and sources using pine needles as a passive air sampler (PAS) in urban (Pyeongtaek), semirural (Anseong) and rural (Jincheon) sites. Methods: One-year-old pine needles were collected for analysis of their PAH concentrations ($C_{p,n}g/g$ dry) at the end of December. PAHs concentrations in the ambient air ($C_a$, $ng/m^3$) were calculated with a $Log(C_p/C_a)-LogK_{oa}$ correlational equation. Results: PAHs concentrations in ambient air ($C_a$) were high, in the order of urban ($114.03ng/m^3$), semirural ($105.17ng/m^3$) and rural ($61.91ng/m^3$) sites. However, distributions of PAH isomer concentrations were very similar. PAHs of which molecular weight is smaller than 228.30 (AcPy, Acp, Flu, Phen, Ant, Flt, Pyr, BaA, Chry) made up most of the PAHs in the ambient air (96.6-98.5%). Conclusion: At urban, semirural and rural sites, it was concluded that the main source of PAHs in the ambient air ratio of each PAH isomer concentration was cars, especially diesel vehicles.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.360-368
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• 2012

Objective: This study was carried out to use pine needles as a passive air sampler (PAS) of atmospheric Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). Methods: PCB concentrations in ambient air ($C_a$, ng/$m^3$) and deposited on pine needles ($C_p$, ng/g dry) were analyzed simultaneously from June 1 to December 31. Air samples were taken using a low volume PUF active air sampler and the overall average air volume was about 900-1,000 $m^3$. Pine needles were collected at the end of August and December near the air sampler. Results: $C_a$ were higher at higher air temperature and lower chlorinated PCB congeners, but $C_p$ showed irregular distribution. The average PCB sampling rates from air to pine needles were 0.116 (0.002-0.389) $m^3$/day - g dry. Conclusions: A poor correlation was shown between $C_a$ and $C_p$. However, a good correlation was shown between the logarithm of octanol-air partitioning coefficient ($logK_{oa}$) and log ($C_p/C_a$), and the interrelation was better with longer sampling time (June to December) than shorter sampling time (June to August). The average PCB sampling rates from air to pine needles were the lowest with respect to PUF disk, XAD-2 resin and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) PAS. The average ratio ($C_{a-calc}/C_{a-meas}$) of calculated ($C_{a-calc}$) and measured ($C_{a-meas}$) PCB concentration was 0.69 with a shorter sampling time and 1.24 with a longer, so $C_{a-calc}$ was close to $C_{a-meas}$. It was found that pine needles can be used as PAS of atmospheric PCBs, and are especially suitable for long-time PAS.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2008

The characteristics of PAHs accumulated on pine needles which were used as passive samplers of atmospheric POPs were studied. Atmospheric PAHs were accumulated on pine needles. The absorbed rate of PAHs was higher in gaseous state than in particulate and is not constant. The accumulation rate did not change too much among different classes of pine trees. Therefore young pine needles is better as a passive sampler of atmospheric PAHs for short monitoring period.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.500-509
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• 2009

Passive samplers have been used for many years for the sampling of organic vapors in work environment atmospheres. Currently, all passive samplers used in domestic occupational monitoring are foreign products. This study was performed to evaluate variable parameters for the development of passive organic samplers, which include the geometry of the device and diffusive length for the sampler design. Four prototype diffusive lengths; A-1(4.5 mm), A-2(7.0 mm), A-3(9.5 mm), A-4(12.0 mm) were tested for adsorption performances to a chemical mixture (benzene, toluene, trichloroethylene, and n-hexane) according to the US-OSHA's evaluation protocol. A dynamic vapor exposure chamber developed and verified by related research was used for this study. The results of study are as follows. The results in terms of sampling rate and recommended sampling time test indicate that the most suitable model was A-3 (9.5 mm diffusive lengths on both sides) for passive sampler design in time weighted average (TWA) assessment. Sampling rates of this A-3 model were 45.8, 41.5, 41.4, and 40.3 ml/min for benzene, toluene, trichloroethylene, and n-hexane, respectively. The A-3 models were tested on reverse diffusion and conditions of low humidity air (35% RH) and low concentrations (0.2 times of TLV). These conditions had no affect on the diffusion capacity of samplers. In conclusion, the most suitable design parameters of passive sampler are: 1) Geometry and structure - 25 mm diameter and 490 $mm^2$ cross sectional area of diffusion face with cylindrical form of two-sided opposite diffusion direction; 2) Diffusive length - 9.5 mm in both faces; 3) Amount of adsorbent - 300 mg of coconut shell charcoal; 4) Wind screen - using nylon net filters (11 ${\mu}m$ pore size).

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.124-132
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• 1998

The Korean-made passive samplers were evaluated at the working environment for field testing. Tested materials were n-hexane, toluene and trichloroethylene. The performance of passive samplers depended on types and concentrations of organic vapors. Sampling rates were not steady until certain concentrations. The optimum concentration for determination of airborne toluene by passive samplers was equal to or over 10 ppm which is 1/10 of the Korean occupational exposure limit. Optimum concentration of n-hexane was equal to and over 1 ppm which is 1/50 of Korean occupational exposure limit. But for trichloroehtylene, coefficient of variation was 53.5 %. Passive samplers may be used for determination of n-hexane. For other materials, further study on the performance of Korean-made passive samplers is required.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.18 no.E2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2002

The nationwide NO$_2$monitoring program has been carried out using the passive sampler in Korea since 1993. During the sixteenth periods of measurement, total 26,474 sites of data were collected through eight years. In this paper, the roadside NO$_2$concentration of six major cities were analyzed. As results, the most frequent NO$_2$concentration of Seoul, Incheon, and Daegu ranged from 40 to 60 ppb, and that of Pusan, Kwanju, and Daejeon was from 20 to 40 ppd. Despite that the automobile number of Incheon was less than that of Daegu and Pusan, the exceedence rate of Korean national ambient air quality standard and ninetieth percentile concentration of Incheon were almost the same level as Seoul. In addition, the mean and standard deviation of roadside NO$_2$concentration of Seoul and Incheon was also appeared to be higher than that of other cities. These results indicates that NO$_2$concentration on roadside was affected by the traffic volumes and the traffic flow conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.313-314
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• 2001

현재까지 국내에서 주로 사용되고 있는 이산화질소 측정법은 Saltzman법, Jacobs-Hochheiser법과 같은 실험실적 분석방법과 연속측정이 가능한 자동 Saltzman법, 화학발광법 등이 대표적이다. (대기오염연구회, 2000) 그러나, 이러한 측정 방법은 상대적으로 기술적, 경제적 및 시ㆍ공간적인 제약에 의해 광범위한 지역에 대한 이산화질소 오염 현상을 규명하기 어렵다. 그러나, 분자확산에 기초하여 대기 중의 이산화질소만을 선택적으로 채취하는 passive sampler법은 전원 및 기타장비, 기술 등이 필요치 않아 광범위한 지역에 대한 동시 측정의 목적으로 최근 관심이 증대하고 있다.(UNEP/WHO, 1994) (중략)

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.793-801
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• 2004

A passive sampler has been developed for measuring formaldehyde in air using methyl yellow and methyl orange indicator. It is based on the color change of the TLC plate on reaction with formaldehyde. TLC plates impregnated with three kinds of solutions containing methyl orange, methyl yellow, mixing of methyl yellow and methyl orange were shown rectilinear response to formaldehyde concentration at constant exposure time. The color change of impregnated TLC plate with criteria air pollution, such as NO$_2$, SO$_2$, CO, $O_3$ was investigated. The color change of TLC plate with $O_3$ is larger than other gases.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.116-125
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• 2015

Objective: This study was carried out to use pine needles as a passive air sampler (PAS) for atmospheric polychlorinared dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs). Methods: PCDD/Fs concentrations in ambient air ($C_a$, $pg/m^3$) and deposited pine needles ($C_p$, pg/g dry) were analyzed simultaneously from June 1 to December 31. Air samples were taken using two low volume PUF active air samplers with an overall average air volume of approximately $1,200Sm^3$. Pine needles were collected the end of December near the air sampler. PCDD/Fs was analyzed by HRGC/HRMs. Results: A good correlation was shown ($R^2=0.6357$, p=0.0001) between $C_a$ and $C_p$, but a better correlation ($R^2=0.7372$, p<0.0001) existed between the logarithm of octanol-air partitioning coefficient ($LogK_{oa}$) and Log($C_p/C_a$). The average PCDD/Fs sampling rates from air to pine needles were 0.045($0.018-0.185m^3/day-g\;dry$). Conclusion: It was found that pine needles can be used as PAS for atmospheric PCDD/Fs, and they are especially suitable for long time PAS compared to PUF disk PAS.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.481-494
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• 2005

The monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the atmosphere is a basis for the study of the fate of POPs in multimedia environments. Recently, passive air samplers (PASs) for POPs have been developed. In this paper, we deal with the principle, properties, and applications of the PAS. The principle of PAS, which has no pump, is physical sorption of semi-volatile organic chemicals on various sorbent materials. The PAS is much smaller than a high-volume air sampler and does not need electricity. These properties of the PAS make it possible to conduct various-scaled environmental monitoring all over the world including the Arctic and Antarctic, but the major disadvantage of PAS is its long sampling periods up to 2 years. To date, four kinds of PAS have been developed: polyurethane foam (PUF), polymer-coated glass (POG), semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs), and XAD resin-based PAS. Among them, SPMDs have been commercialized and are most widely used now. Meanwhile, the POPs emitted from China have a large potential to influence the levels and fates of POPs in Korea. Since characteristics of PAS are quite useful to monitor long-range transport of POPs, the use of PAS is highly recommended.