Abstract
The concentrations of ten inorganic (sodium, chloride, sulfate, ammonia, etc.) and three organic (acetate, formate, and MSA) ions associated with airborne particulate matter were measured from Cheju Island, Korea during the three field intensive campaigns conducted in (1) Sept./oct. 1997 (fall), (2) Dec. 1997 (winter), and (3) April 1998 (spring). The results of our measurements indicated that the concentration levels of most ionic species were decreasing significantly across the three experimental periods. The patterns of concentration reduction were clear as the sum of all cation and anion species changed dramatically across those periods such as 294> 144 > 65 and 193 >96>74 nequiv/m3, respectively. The changes were best explained in terms of the wind rose patterns of the study site. Since our sampling spot is located on the western-end point of Cheju Island, it is likely to reflect the effects of diverse sources such as natural, marine processes during NW and local non-maritime ones during SE winds. .Hence, the periodical changes in ionic concentrations may be accounted for by the comparable changes in wind direction. To further investigate environmental characteristics of these ionic components, correlation analysis was conducted not only between meteorological and ion data but between different ion-pairs. The results of these analyses confirm that the concentration levels of ionic species are strongly affected by wind speed and temperature and that there are certain patterns between ion species to which such effects apply. In light of the significance of the wind rose patterns in the area, we further extended these analyses into four data groups that were divided on the basis of wind direction. The results of these analyses showed that the strength of correlations between important pairs (e.g.:. between windspeed and most of major inorganic species including sodium and chloride) can be ranked on the distribution of major ions are very diverse, depending on data grouping scheme for such analysis. The results of this study thus suggest that environmental behavior of chemical components be analyzed in various respects, rather than simple standard, especially if measurements are made in complex environmental condition under which both natural and anthropogenic effects are competing each other.
