Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the concentration distribution characteristics of air pollutants by the yellow sand from China. The concentrations and chemical properties of FPM contained in the yellow sand were compared with those of air pollutants when having no yellow sand in order to estimate the variation characteristics and the originated source of air pollutants moved by yellow sand. The concentrations of PM-2.5 and PM-10 contained in the yellow sand showed an increase of 2.3 to 2.7 times than usual, and the concentrations of NO2 and SO2 in the gaseous pollutants showed an increase of about 1.6 times by yellow sand, and thus the air contamination was much influenced by yellow sand phenomenon. The concentrations of inorganic elements contained in FPM from the yellow sand showed a higher concentration variation in the order of Al>Mg>Zn>Pb than usual. The concentration coefficient of air aerosol during the yellow sand period showed that Na, K, Ca, Mg and Fe were originated from natural source, and Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu and Zn were originated from artificial source for inorganic elements. The correlation analysis between FPM and inorganic elements showed in the descending order of Al>K>Pb>Mg, and thus the deposited amount of Pb was influenced by that of yellow sand. The average concentrations of PM-10 measured during the yellow sand period exceeded the Korea Air Environmental Standard and showed a excess rate of 3.4 times in the maximum but the average concentrations of PM-2.5 showed within the United States Air Environmental Standard.