• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.751-765
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• 2017

This research investigates the characteristics of meteorological variation and fine particles ($PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$) for case related to the haze occurrence (Asian dust, long range transport, stationary) in Busan. Haze occurrence day was 559 days for 20 years (from 1996 to 2015), haze occurrence frequency was 82 days (14.7%) in March, followed by 67 days (12.0%) in February and 56 days (10.0%) in May. Asian dust occurred most frequently in spring and least in winter, whereas haze occurrence frequency was 31.5% in spring, 29.7% in winter, 21.1% in fall, and 17.7% in summer. $PM_{10}$ concentration was highest in the occurrence of Asian dust, followed by haze and haze + mist, whereas $PM_{2.5}$ concentration was highest in the occurrence of haze. These results indicate that understanding the relation between meteorological phenomena and fine particle concentration can provide insight into establishing a strategy to control urban air quality.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.722-729
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• 2004

To analysis on the degradation of the satellite communication signal due to Asian dust that appeared on Korean peninsula during March and April 2004, EIRPs of L, S, C, Ku and Ka frequency bands of the downlink of satellite communication link were measured by Satellite Signal Monitoring Center located in Icheon, Korea. The measured EIRP values were compared to the total dust density and dust particle distribution that were measured using PM 10 and OPC by the Korea Meteorological Administration, and the possible correlation between three sets data were analyzed.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2012

Asian dust storms originating in the arid desert of China and Mongolia usually occur from late winter through spring, and more than one million tons of dust per year is transported to the Korean Peninsula by the prevalent westerly winds. We supposed that these dust particles could include bioaerosols and act as carriers of microorganisms. In order to clarify the dynamics of microorganisms moving with these particles, the concentration and composition of microorganisms associated with settled particles were compared between samples collected during Asian dust events and those under non-dust periods. From February to April 2008, settled dust particles were collected at one location in Ulsan using rainfall meter of 200 mm diameter. During this period, there was one Asian dust event in Ulsan. The bacterial concentrations were higher in samples collected during Asian dust event than those under non-dust period, whereas fungal concentrations were rather similar regardless of the Asian dust event. We analyzed 16S rRNA gene sequences of 45 bacterial isolates obtained from the settled particle samples. These isolates belonged to either genus Bacillus or genus Streptococcus and were tentatively identified as B. amyloliquefaciens, B. aryabhattai, B. atrophaeus, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. methylotrophicus, B. pumilus, B. sonorensis, B. subtlis, B. vallismortis, S. epidermidis, and S. succinus. In cases of fungal isolates, genera such as Mucor, Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus were tentatively identified from samples collected at both Asian dust and non-Asian dust periods. It appears that endospore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus sp. rather than fungal spores are more likely to be associated with Asian dust particles.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.277-284
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• 2004

The chemical composition and properties of soil were determined at selected sites, such as Loess plateau, Gobi and sand deserts in northern China, where most dust storms occur. Although the transport of this sort of dust storms to Korean peninsula is a well-documented phenomenon, there is not enough information about the very source regions. In this reason, this study tried to measure the chemical composition, including soil elements, anthropogenic elements and ions for soil samples so that certain properties of some major source regions of Asian Dust can be provided. Furthermore, the results are classified into four types of soil like Loess, Loess & sand, Gobi, and sand in order to identify the characteristics and difference among the types. $(X/Al)_{crust}$ values for each soil type were also calculated in this study and compared with those of other references including Asian Dust material(ADM). The results indicated that Ca contribution was higher than Al in all the soil types of this study including ADM and, compared with the values of urban area, contribution of anthropogenic elements such as Cr, Pb, Zn was quite low. However, it must be noted that there is such a variation in the result of soil composition, but it is also certain that the very source region soil composition resolved from this study could support the enhanced study on Asian Dust phenomenon in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.240-244
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• 2003

Conidia of molds within the Asian dust were captured in the ambient air of mid-west Korea, in springtime of 2000~2002. An eight-stage Cascade impactor and 0.22 $\mu\textrm{m}$ pore size membrane filters were used for the dust samples. Several kinds of molds grown from the samples were identified to the genus level. Those are Aspergillus, Basipetospora, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Monotospora and Penicillium. Relatively diversified mycelia of hyphomycetes were grown on the fine dust sample (1.1~2.1 $\mu\textrm{m}$) in the first year Asian dust episode (23~24 March, 2000). On the other hand, some fluffy molds and dark molds aggregations were grown on even the backup particle sample less than 0.43 $\mu\textrm{m}$ during the second year episode (24~26 April, 2001). The result of the last year episode (21~22 March, 2002) showed various mycelia grown on the sample contained from 1.1 to 2.1 $\mu\textrm{m}$ sized particles, just like the result of the first year episode (23~24 March, 2000). These variations between the episodes might be caused by the difference of the dust origins.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.243-251
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• 2013

The optical properties of long-range transported Asian dust were studied by the satellite observations and Sun/sky radiometer measurements from the Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET) in Northeast Asia. The movement of Asian dust from source regions to downwind areas was tracked by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument(OMI) derived aerosol product imagery. The optical properties of Asian dust were classified for geographical locations, which are source regions such as deserts area in Dunhuang and Inner Mongolia, downwind areas such as Yulin and Beijing, and long-range transported regions such as Korea(Anmyon and Gosan) and Japan(Noto). In general, relatively higher aerosol mass loadings with larger aerosol particles at desert regions were found. Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD) decreased significantly in downwind areas and long-range transported areas, which was accompanied by increased Angstrom exponents. This indicates the effects of aerosol mixing with various pollutants during transport of Asian dust plume on aerosol optical properties. Moreover, relatively high Single-Scattering Albedo(SSA) at 440 nm values ranging from 0.90 - 0.96 and increasing tendency of SSA with wavelength were observed at source region. The spectral dependence of SSA decreased during long-range transport.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.961-968
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• 2015

The production of highly concentrated $PM_{10}$ is in the spotlight as a social issue, and it increases the attack rate of Asthma. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of concentration and distribution for $PM_{10}$ from 2000 to 2011, and investigate its correlation with the death from Asthma. Furthermore, this study was designed to analyze it by dividing into two cases like including Asian dust and excluding Asian dust because it presented the high concentration when Asian dust was occurred in the spring. This study has found that the annual average concentration distribution of $PM_{10}$ in Seoul was higher in the central area than the peripheral area. The annual average concentration of $PM_{10}$ and death from asthma displayed the tendency to gradually decrease. The correlation coefficient for all period was 0.92(p=0.000), and the correlation was 0.84(p=0.001) in case of remove Asian dust. The monthly average concentration of $PM_{10}$ has increased in the winter and decreased in the summer. The death from Asthma and correlation coefficient for all period was 0.588(p=0.044) and 0.640(p=0.025) in case of removing Asian dust. Although the causes of Asthma had a great diversity, the similar tendency by a factor of $PM_{10}$ meant that the correlation was high.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.723-733
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• 2011

The ionic compositions were analyzed from the TSP samples collected at Gosan site in Jeju Island between 2000 and 2008, in order to examine the characteristics of atmospheric aerosols in accordance with the meteorological conditions. For the Asian Dust influence on the ionic compositions, the concentration ratios of $NH_4{^+}$, nss-${SO_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $K^+$ were about 1.2~2.3 during Asian Dust over Non-Asian Dust periods, noticeably that of nss-$Ca^{2+}$ was 6.8. Meanwhile the concentrations of nss-${SO_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $NH_4{^+}$ have increased as 1.8~4.4 times during the haze event periods, and 1.0~1.6 times during the fog and mist events. The ion balance has resulted that the anionic concentrations are relatively lower than the cationic concentrations, and the discrepancy appears more decidedly as a strong Asian Dust effect. The ammonium ion balance has shown that it exists as a mixture of $NH_4HSO_4$ and $(NH_4)_2SO_4$. The concentration ratios of nss-${SO_4}^{2-}/NO_3{^-}$ for Asian Dust, haze, fog-mist, and non-event periods were respectively 1.8, 5.9, 4.6, and 2.9, which were higher values compared to those in urban areas of China as well as other domestic regions. Especially, the high ratios of sulfur oxides could be presumed by the fact that the longrange transport of air pollutants from Asia continent might affect the atmospheric aerosols of Jeju Island.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.169-173
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• 2006

This study used loess from the source region of Asian dust (a desert area in China) to analyze the effects of Asian dust on fruiting and fruit quality in Korean fruit trees. Asian dust and loess from the source region were highly alkaline compared to average Korean field soil. Organic material contents of Asian dust were about three times as high as that of the average field soil. Loess was dusted onto the stigma of apple, pear, and peach trees. fruiting, seed number, fruit quality and pollen tube elongation were investigated. Pollination and fertilization were not influenced while pollen tube elongation was slightly influenced. Consequently, fruiting, seed number and fruit quality were not affected by the dusting treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.2
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• pp.84-92
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• 2012

Background: Asian dust storms can be transported across eastern Asia. In vitro, Asian dust particle-induced inflammation and enhancement of the allergic reaction have been observed. However, the fibrotic effects of Asian dust particles are not clear. Production of transforming growth factor ${\beta}_1$ (TGF-${\beta}_1$) and fibronectin were investigated in the bronchial epithelial cells after exposure to Asian dust particulate matter (AD-PM10). Methods: During Asian dust storm periods, air samples were collected. The bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to AD-PM10 with and without the antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Then TGF-${\beta}_1$ and fibronectin were detected by Western blotting. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by the measurement of dicholorodihydrofluorescin (DCF), using a FACScan, and visualized by a confocal microscopy. Results: The expression of TGF-${\beta}_1$, fibronectin and ROS was high after being exposed to AD-PM10, compared to the control. NAC attenuated both TGF-${\beta}_1$ and fibronectin expression in the AD-PM10-exposed the bronchial epithelial cells. Conclusion: AD-PM10 may have fibrotic potential in the bronchial epithelial cells and the possible mechanism is AD-PM10-induced intracellular ROS.