Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer
Highly time-resolved chemical characterization of nonrefractory submicrometer particulate matter (NR-PM<sub>1</sub>) was conducted in Seoul, the capital and largest metropolis of Korea, using an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). The measureme...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2017-02-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2009/2017/acp-17-2009-2017.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819053908016758784 |
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| author | H. Kim Q. Zhang G.-N. Bae J. Y. Kim S. B. Lee |
| author_facet | H. Kim Q. Zhang G.-N. Bae J. Y. Kim S. B. Lee |
| author_sort | H. Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Highly time-resolved chemical characterization of nonrefractory submicrometer
particulate matter (NR-PM<sub>1</sub>) was conducted in Seoul, the capital and
largest metropolis of Korea, using an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight
aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). The measurements were performed
during winter, when elevated particulate matter (PM) pollution events are
often observed. This is the first time that detailed real-time aerosol
measurement results have been reported from Seoul, Korea, and they reveal
valuable insights into the sources and atmospheric processes that contribute
to PM pollution in this region.
<br><br>
The average concentration of submicron aerosol (PM<sub>1</sub> = NR-PM<sub>1</sub>+ black
carbon (BC)) was 27.5 µg m<sup>−3</sup>, and the total mass was
dominated by organics (44 %), followed by nitrate (24 %) and sulfate
(10 %). The average atomic ratios of oxygen to carbon
(O / C), hydrogen to carbon (H / C), and
nitrogen to carbon (N / C) of organic aerosols (OA) were
0.37, 1.79, and 0.018, respectively, which result in an average organic
mass-to-carbon (OM / OC) ratio of 1.67. The concentrations
(2.6–90.7 µg m<sup>−3</sup>) and composition of PM<sub>1</sub> varied
dynamically during the measurement period due to the influences of different
meteorological conditions, emission sources, and air mass origins. Five
distinct sources of OA were identified via positive matrix factorization
(PMF) analysis of the HR-ToF-AMS data: vehicle emissions represented by a
hydrocarbon-like OA factor (HOA, O / C = 0.06), cooking
activities represented by a cooking OA factor (COA,
O / C = 0.14), wood combustion represented by a biomass
burning OA factor (BBOA, O / C = 0.34), and secondary
organic aerosol (SOA) represented by a semivolatile oxygenated OA factor
(SV-OOA, O / C = 0.56) and a low-volatility oxygenated
OA factor (LV-OOA, O / C = 0.68). On average, primary OA
(POA = HOA + COA + BBOA) accounted for
59 % the OA mass, whereas SV-OOA and LV-OOA contributed 15 and 26 %,
respectively.
<br><br>
Our results indicate that air quality in Seoul during winter is influenced
strongly by secondary aerosol formation, with sulfate, nitrate, ammonium,
SV-OOA, and LV-OOA together accounting for 64 % of the PM<sub>1</sub> mass
during this study. However, aerosol sources and composition were found to be
significantly different between clean and polluted periods. During stagnant
periods with low wind speed (WS) and high relative humidity (RH), PM
concentration was generally high (average ±1<i>σ</i> = 43.6 ± 12.4 µg m<sup>−3</sup>) with enhanced fractions of nitrate (27 %)
and SV-OOA (8 %), which suggested a strong influence from local
production of secondary aerosol. Low-PM loading periods (12.6 ± 7.1 µg m<sup>−3</sup>) tended to occur under higher-WS and lower-RH
conditions and appeared to be more strongly influenced by regional air
masses, as indicated by higher mass fractions of sulfate (12 %) and
LV-OOA (20 %) in PM<sub>1</sub>. Overall, our results indicate that PM
pollutants in urban Korea originate from complex emission sources and
atmospheric processes and that their concentrations and composition are
controlled by various factors, including meteorological conditions, local
anthropogenic emissions, and upwind sources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T12:43:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a102de5ae0c462c8d9b38450a456a6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T12:43:12Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a102de5ae0c462c8d9b38450a456a6e2022-12-21T19:03:43ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242017-02-011732009203310.5194/acp-17-2009-2017Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometerH. Kim0Q. Zhang1G.-N. Bae2J. Y. Kim3S. B. Lee4Center for Environment, Health and Welfare Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, KoreaDepartment of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USACenter for Environment, Health and Welfare Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, KoreaCenter for Environment, Health and Welfare Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, KoreaCenter for Environment, Health and Welfare Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, KoreaHighly time-resolved chemical characterization of nonrefractory submicrometer particulate matter (NR-PM<sub>1</sub>) was conducted in Seoul, the capital and largest metropolis of Korea, using an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). The measurements were performed during winter, when elevated particulate matter (PM) pollution events are often observed. This is the first time that detailed real-time aerosol measurement results have been reported from Seoul, Korea, and they reveal valuable insights into the sources and atmospheric processes that contribute to PM pollution in this region. <br><br> The average concentration of submicron aerosol (PM<sub>1</sub> = NR-PM<sub>1</sub>+ black carbon (BC)) was 27.5 µg m<sup>−3</sup>, and the total mass was dominated by organics (44 %), followed by nitrate (24 %) and sulfate (10 %). The average atomic ratios of oxygen to carbon (O / C), hydrogen to carbon (H / C), and nitrogen to carbon (N / C) of organic aerosols (OA) were 0.37, 1.79, and 0.018, respectively, which result in an average organic mass-to-carbon (OM / OC) ratio of 1.67. The concentrations (2.6–90.7 µg m<sup>−3</sup>) and composition of PM<sub>1</sub> varied dynamically during the measurement period due to the influences of different meteorological conditions, emission sources, and air mass origins. Five distinct sources of OA were identified via positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of the HR-ToF-AMS data: vehicle emissions represented by a hydrocarbon-like OA factor (HOA, O / C = 0.06), cooking activities represented by a cooking OA factor (COA, O / C = 0.14), wood combustion represented by a biomass burning OA factor (BBOA, O / C = 0.34), and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) represented by a semivolatile oxygenated OA factor (SV-OOA, O / C = 0.56) and a low-volatility oxygenated OA factor (LV-OOA, O / C = 0.68). On average, primary OA (POA = HOA + COA + BBOA) accounted for 59 % the OA mass, whereas SV-OOA and LV-OOA contributed 15 and 26 %, respectively. <br><br> Our results indicate that air quality in Seoul during winter is influenced strongly by secondary aerosol formation, with sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, SV-OOA, and LV-OOA together accounting for 64 % of the PM<sub>1</sub> mass during this study. However, aerosol sources and composition were found to be significantly different between clean and polluted periods. During stagnant periods with low wind speed (WS) and high relative humidity (RH), PM concentration was generally high (average ±1<i>σ</i> = 43.6 ± 12.4 µg m<sup>−3</sup>) with enhanced fractions of nitrate (27 %) and SV-OOA (8 %), which suggested a strong influence from local production of secondary aerosol. Low-PM loading periods (12.6 ± 7.1 µg m<sup>−3</sup>) tended to occur under higher-WS and lower-RH conditions and appeared to be more strongly influenced by regional air masses, as indicated by higher mass fractions of sulfate (12 %) and LV-OOA (20 %) in PM<sub>1</sub>. Overall, our results indicate that PM pollutants in urban Korea originate from complex emission sources and atmospheric processes and that their concentrations and composition are controlled by various factors, including meteorological conditions, local anthropogenic emissions, and upwind sources.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2009/2017/acp-17-2009-2017.pdf |
| spellingShingle | H. Kim Q. Zhang G.-N. Bae J. Y. Kim S. B. Lee Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer |
| title_full | Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer |
| title_fullStr | Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer |
| title_short | Sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in Seoul, Korea: insights from real-time measurements using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer |
| title_sort | sources and atmospheric processing of winter aerosols in seoul korea insights from real time measurements using a high resolution aerosol mass spectrometer |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2009/2017/acp-17-2009-2017.pdf |
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