• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.239-254
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• 2015

Little information on HUmic-Like Substances (HULIS) in ambient particulate matter has been reported yet in Korea. HULIS makes up a significant fraction of the water-soluble organic mass in the atmospheric aerosols and influence their water uptake properties. In this study 24-hr $PM_{2.5}$ samples were collected between December 2013 and October 2014 at an urban site in Gwangju and analyzed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble OC (WSOC), HULIS, and ionic species, to investigate possible sources and formation processes of HULIS. HULIS was separated using solid phase extraction method and quantified by total organic carbon analyzer. During the study period, HULIS concentration ranged from 0.19 to $5.65{\mu}gC/m^3$ with an average of $1.83{\pm}1.22{\mu}gC/m^3$, accounting for on average 45% of the WSOC (12~ 73%), with higher in cold season than in warm season. Strong correlation of WSOC with HULIS ($R^2=0.91$) indicates their similar chemical characteristics. On the basis of the relationships between HULIS and a variety of chemical species (EC, $K^+$, $NO_3{^-}$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and oxalate), it was postulated that HULIS observed during summer and winter were likely attributed to secondary formation and primary emissions from biomass burning (BB) and traffics. Stronger correlation of HULIS with $K^+$, which is a BB tracer, in winter ($R^2=0.81$) than in summer ($R^2=0.66$), suggests more significant contribution of BB emissions in winter to the observed HULIS. It is interesting to note that BB emissions may also have an influence on the HULIS in summer, but further study using levoglucosan that is a unique organic marker of BB emissions is required during summer. Higher correlation between HULIS and oxalate, which is mainly formed through cloud processing and/or photochemical oxidation processes, was found in the summer ($R^2=0.76$) than in the winter ($R^2=0.63$), reflecting a high fraction of secondary organic aerosol in the summer.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.49-57
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• 2011

High concentration of PM10 was reported on late July, 2005 in Seoul along with high particulate ion concentrations in PM2.5. To identify the reason for the severe air pollution episode, time series analysis of the PM10 concentration in the monitoring sites over Korea, wind sector analysis, trend analysis of the ion concentrations, and air mass trajectory analysis were carried out. It was found that the episode could be classified into two separate periods; first one between July 22 and 27 and second one between July 28 and 31. During the first period, the PM10 concentrations at Seoul were in good correlation with the PM10 concentration three hours before at Chuncheon. Trajectory analysis showed that air mass moved from north and turned to west at Kangwon province to Seoul. The concentrations of PM10 mass and ionic species were lower than the second period. During the second period, air mass moved from northern China to Seoul directly and the PM10 concentrations all over the mid-Korean peninsula showed the same trend. These observations suggest that the air pollution during the second period was affected by direct transport of air pollutants from northern China. Thus, the air quality at Seoul during both periods were influenced by long-range transport from outside rather than by local sources, but with different transport patterns.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.543-553
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• 2010

Almost five million citizens a day are using subways as a means of traffic communication in the Seoul metropolitan. As the subway system is typically a closed environment, indoor air pollution problems frequently occurs and passengers complain of mal-health impact. Especially $PM_{10}$ is well known as one of the major pollutants in subway indoor environments. The purpose of this study was to compare the indoor air quality in terms of $PM_{10}$ and to quantitatively compare its source contributions in a Seoul subway platform before and after installing platform screen doors (PSD). $PM_{10}$ samples were collected on the J station platform of Subway Line 7 in Seoul metropolitan area from Jun. 12, 2008 to Jan. 12, 2009. The samples collected on membrane filters using $PM_{10}$ mini-volume portable samplers were then analyzed for trace metals and soluble ions. A total of 18 chemical species (Ba, Mn, Cr, Cd, Si, Fe, Ni, Al, Cu, Pb, Ti, $Na^+$, $NH_4^+$, $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Cl^-$, and ${SO_4}^{2-}$) were analyzed by using an ICP-AES and an IC after performing proper pre-treatments of each sample filter. Based on the chemical information, positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was applied to identify the source of particulate matters. $PM_{10}$ for the station was characterized by three sources such as ferrous related source, soil and road dust related source, and fine secondary aerosol source. After installing PSD, the average $PM_{10}$ concentration was decreased by 20.5% during the study periods. Especially the contribution of the ferrous related source emitted during train service in a tunnel route was decreased from 59.1% to 43.8% since both platform and tunnel areas were completely blocked by screen doors. However, the contribution of the fine secondary aerosol source emitted from various outside combustion activities was increased from 14.8% to 29.9% presumably due to ill-managed ventilation system and confined platform space.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2003

The atmospheric aerosols collected at the 1100 site located in Mt. Halla have been analyzed to investigate their compositions and chemical characteristics . The average concentrations of water-soluble cations were in the order of N $H_{4}$$^{+}$ > $Ca^{2+}$ > N $a^{+}$ > $K^{+}$ > $Mg^{2+}$ during the spring, showing high increase of $Ca^{2+}$ concentration with the value of 0.60 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ $m^3$, and N $H_{4}$$^{+}$> N $a^{+}$> $K^{+}$> $Ca^{2+}$ > $Mg^{2+}$ during the other seasons. The average concentrations of anions have shown in the order of S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$ > N $O_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ >C $l^{[-10]}$ for all seasons, and S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$ and N $O_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ had higher concentrations in spring with the values of 4.84 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ $m^3$ and 1.08 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ $m^3$, respectively. From the analytical data of size-segregated particles by cascade impactor sampling, the components of N $H_{4}$$^{+}$, S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$, N $O_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ and $K^{+}$ were distributed mainly in fine particles, but $Ca^{2+}$, N $a^{+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and C $l^{[-10]}$ were included mostly in coarse particles. The correlation coefficients of nss-S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$/N $H_{4}$$^{+}$, nss-S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$/ $K^{+}$ and N $O_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ /nss-C $a^{2+}$ showed quite high values with 0.871, 0.857 and 0.654, respectively Based on the study of enrichment factors, it is considered that N $a^{+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, C $l^{[-10]}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ components were delivered from oceanic and soil sources, but S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$, N $O_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ and N $H_{4}$$^{+}$ might have other source origins. The factor analysis study showed the aerosol at the 1100 site was influenced mainly by anthropogenic factors, followed by oceanic and soil factors. followed by oceanic and soil factors.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.431-446
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• 2018

In this study, chemical characteristics of $PM_{2.5}$ samples collected in an agricultural area in Nonsan of Korea were investigated focusing on of black carbon, 3 inorganic ions and 22 trace elements. It was found that the relative error and relative standard deviation of many trace elements fell below 10%, which indicates good analytical accuracy and precision. The mean values of $PM_{2.5}$ in an agricultural area were exceeded by new Korean air quality standard of March 2018. The concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ was well correlated with those of black carbon and ions. The concentrations of trace elements were in a wide range of seven orders of a magnitude. Based on these $PM_{2.5}$ data sets, a total of 6 sources were identified using PMF (Positive Matrix Factorization; secondary aerosol (34.4%), soil/road dust (20.1%), biomass burning (16.9%), incineration/fuel combustion (13.2%), vehicle exhaust(12.2%), sea-salt (3.17%). Results of our study indicate that it is very important to control illegal burning activities in agricultural area.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.507-518
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• 2006

The radiation at $11{\mu}m$ absorbed more than at $12{\mu}m$ when aerosols is loaded in the atmosphere, whereas it will be the other way around when cloud is present. The difference of the two channels provides an opportunity to detect aerosols such as Yellow Sand even with the presence of clouds and at night. However problems associated with this approach arise because the difference can be affected by various atmospheric and surface conditions. In this paper, we has analyzed how the threshold and sensitivity of the brightness temperature difference between two channel (BTD) vary with respect to the conditions in detail. The important finding is that the threshold value for the BTD distinguishing between aerosols and cloud is $0.8^{\circ}K$ with the US standard atmosphere, which is greater than the typical value of $0^{\circ}K$. The threshold and sensitivity studies for the BTD show that solar zenith angle, aerosols altitude, surface reflectivity, and atmospheric temperature profile marginally affect the BTD. However, satellite zenith angle, surface temperature along with emissivity, and vertical profile of water vapor are strongly influencing on the BTD, which is as much as of about 50%. These results strongly suggest that the aerosol retrieval with the BTD method must be cautious and the outcomes must be carefully calibrated with respect to the sources of the error.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.111-128
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• 2023

Chungcheongnam-do has various emission sources, including large-scale facilities such as power plants, steel and petrochemical industry complexes, which can lead to the severe PM pollution. Here, we measured concentrations of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and its metallic elements at a suburban site in Taean, Chungcheongnam-do from September 2017 to June 2022. During the measurement period, the average concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were 58.6 ㎍/m³ (9.6~379.0 ㎍/m³) and 35.0 ㎍/m³ (6.1~132.2 ㎍/m³), respectively. The concentration of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 showed typical seasonal variation, with higher concentration in winter and lower concentration in summer. When high concentrations of PM_2.5 occurred, particulary in winter, the fraction of Zn and Pb components considerably increased, indicating a significant contribution of Zn and Pb to high-PM_2.5 concentration. In addition, Zn and Pb exhibited the highest correlation coefficient among all other metallic elements of PM_2.5. A backward trajectory cluster analysis and CPF model were performed to examine the origin of PM_2.5. The high concentration of PM_2.5 was primarily influenced by emissions from industrial complexes located in the northeast and northwest areas.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.249-259
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• 2014

This paper investigates the characteristics of high $PM_{2.5}$ episodes occurred at Anmyeondo area in spring time, 2009. The monthly mean $PM_{2.5}$ concentration during April was the highest in the year and especially, high levels of $PM_{2.5}$ exceeding standard regulation level were sustained consecutively during 5 to 13 April. To analyze more detailed $PM_{2.5}$ characteristics, numerical simulations were carried out using CMAQ(Community Multi-scale Air Quality) with IPR(Integrated Process Rate) and DDM-3D(Decoupled Direct Method). $PM_{2.5}$ level was lower in daytime than that in nighttime due to vigorous vertical mixing during daytime. The chemical composition was showed that ratio of primary ion components such as sulfate($SO_4{^{2-}}$), nitrate($NO_3{^-}$) and ammonium($NH_4{^+}$) were nearly half of total amount of $PM_{2.5}$. Aerosol and transport process dominantly contributed to $PM_{2.5}$ concentration in Anmyeondo area and contribution rate of local emissions was nearly zero since Anmyeondo area has rare anthropogenic PM emission sources. DDM-3D analysis result showed that $PM_{2.5}$ in Anmyeondo area was influenced by emissions from Shanghai and Shandong region of China.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.282-293
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• 2012

This study aimed to show the chemical characteristics of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ during Asian dust (AD) events and high PM episodes observed in Seoul. Time-resolved chemical composition of $PM_{10}$ or $PM_{2.5}$ was monitored in 1 hour interval using ambient ion monitor, semi-continuous carbon monitor, and on-line XRF spectrometer at Seoul intensive monitoring site in 2009. Considering that AD events were classified into three different cases according to the source area and pathway, the concentrations of ammonium-sulfate and trace metal components were relatively high when the AD were occurred in Gobi and inner-mongolia and transported across the Bohai bay. In addition, the influence of alkaline dust, which carried from saline land located in the northeastern China, was observed when the AD was originated from Gobi, inner-mongolia, and Manchuria. Except AD events, the high PM episodes observed in Seoul were impacted by various anthropogenic sources such as biomass burning, motor vehicle, oil combustion and road dust.