Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea
Thermal power plants (TPPs) and national industrial complexes (NICs) are widely known as being among the major causes of changes in the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>). However, little is known about the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/2/344 |
| _version_ | 1797622423272554496 |
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| author | Jongsik Ha Nankyoung Moon Jihyun Seo |
| author_facet | Jongsik Ha Nankyoung Moon Jihyun Seo |
| author_sort | Jongsik Ha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Thermal power plants (TPPs) and national industrial complexes (NICs) are widely known as being among the major causes of changes in the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>). However, little is known about the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration caused by the operation of these facilities in South Korea and the health burden attributable to them, including early death. There were two purposes to this study. The first was to quantitatively evaluate the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration caused by TPPs and NICs in Korea. The second was to estimate the number of early deaths as a health burden attributable to such changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration. The changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration caused by the operation of TPPs and NICs were investigated within TPPs in 2013 and within NICs in 2015. The number of early deaths in 2015 caused by changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration was estimated using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). Nationwide, the annual average concentration of PM<sub>2.5</sub> caused by the operation of TPPs and NICs was estimated to increase by 0.611 μg/m<sup>3</sup> and 1.245 μg/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively, suggesting that NICs contributed about twice as much to this concentration as TPPs. The same trend was also observed regarding the number of early deaths, with TPPs and NICs accounting for 1017 and 2091 early deaths per year, respectively, indicating that the operation of NICs causes a health burden about twice as high as that caused by TPPs. However, the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration were found to be high near TPPs and NICs, while the health burden caused by exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> varied according to the level of population distribution and mortality in each air (quality) control zone (ACZ) to which one is exposed. The findings of this study are expected to be utilized as reference data when setting goals to strengthen air quality management (AQM) in each ACZ in Korea. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:10:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-842e7481159b4a448a32e4e5267b8c73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:10:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-842e7481159b4a448a32e4e5267b8c732023-11-16T19:03:32ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-02-0114234410.3390/atmos14020344Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South KoreaJongsik Ha0Nankyoung Moon1Jihyun Seo2Environmental Assessment Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Republic of KoreaEnvironmental Assessment Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Republic of KoreaEnvironmental Assessment Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Republic of KoreaThermal power plants (TPPs) and national industrial complexes (NICs) are widely known as being among the major causes of changes in the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>). However, little is known about the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration caused by the operation of these facilities in South Korea and the health burden attributable to them, including early death. There were two purposes to this study. The first was to quantitatively evaluate the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration caused by TPPs and NICs in Korea. The second was to estimate the number of early deaths as a health burden attributable to such changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration. The changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration caused by the operation of TPPs and NICs were investigated within TPPs in 2013 and within NICs in 2015. The number of early deaths in 2015 caused by changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration was estimated using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). Nationwide, the annual average concentration of PM<sub>2.5</sub> caused by the operation of TPPs and NICs was estimated to increase by 0.611 μg/m<sup>3</sup> and 1.245 μg/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively, suggesting that NICs contributed about twice as much to this concentration as TPPs. The same trend was also observed regarding the number of early deaths, with TPPs and NICs accounting for 1017 and 2091 early deaths per year, respectively, indicating that the operation of NICs causes a health burden about twice as high as that caused by TPPs. However, the changes in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration were found to be high near TPPs and NICs, while the health burden caused by exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> varied according to the level of population distribution and mortality in each air (quality) control zone (ACZ) to which one is exposed. The findings of this study are expected to be utilized as reference data when setting goals to strengthen air quality management (AQM) in each ACZ in Korea.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/2/344fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>)early deaththermal power plants (TPPs)national industrial complexes (NICs) |
| spellingShingle | Jongsik Ha Nankyoung Moon Jihyun Seo Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea Atmosphere fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) early death thermal power plants (TPPs) national industrial complexes (NICs) |
| title | Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea |
| title_full | Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea |
| title_fullStr | Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea |
| title_short | Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea |
| title_sort | fine particulate matter concentration and early deaths related to thermal power plants and national industrial complexes in south korea |
| topic | fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) early death thermal power plants (TPPs) national industrial complexes (NICs) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/2/344 |
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