Qualitative assessment to determine internal and external factors influencing the origin of styrene oligomers pollution by polystyrene plastic in coastal marine environments.

The objective of this study is to investigate the qualitative contribution of internal and external factors of the area contaminated by polystyrene (PS) in coastal marine environments. This study is based on the extensive results of monitoring the styrene oligomers (SOs) present in sand and seawater samples along various coastlines of the Pacific Ocean. Here, anthropogenic SOs is derived from PS during manufacture and use, and can provide clues about the origin of SOs by PS pollution. The monitoring results showed that, if the concentration of SOs in water is higher than those concentrations in beach sand, this area could be affected by PS plastic caused by an external factor. On the other hand, if the concentration of SOs is higher in the beach sand, the region can be mainly influenced by PS plastic derived from its own area. Unlike the case of an external factor, in this case (internal influence), it is possible to take policy measures of the area itself for the PS plastic problem. Thus, this study is motivated by the need of policy measures to establish a specific alternative to the problems of PS plastic pollution in ocean environments.

Synergetic analysis of springtime air pollution episodes over Gwangju, Korea.

The characteristics of springtime aerosols, including their optical and microphysical properties, were analyzed for the months of March to May of 2009 in Gwangju (35.23°N, 126.84°E), Korea. A high Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)-derived aerosol depolarization ratio (δ) of 0.25±0.04 was determined on dust particles during the observation period. The Ångström exponent values of the 440-870nm wavelength pair (Å440-870) and single-scattering albedo at 675nm (Ω675) measured by a CIMEL sun/sky radiometer were 0.77±0.19 and 0.95±0.01, respectively. The elevated dust layers reached a maximum elevation of 4km above sea level. Anthropogenic/smoke particles that originated from highly populated/industrialized regions could be distinguished by their relatively smaller particle size (Å440-870 ranged between 1.33 and 1.36) and higher light-absorbing (Ω675 of 0.92±0.01) characteristics. These aerosols are mostly distributed at altitudes <1.2km. The root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) between the aerosol optical depth (AOD, τ) derived from LIDAR (τLIDAR) and from the CIMEL sun/sky radiometer (τCIMEL) varied with respect to the surface PM10 concentration. The RMSD between τLIDAR and τCIMEL was as low as 13% under lower PM10 concentration levels (<100µg/m3). In contrast, the RMSD between τLIDAR and τCIMEL increased three times (~31%) under high surface PM10 concentration levels (>100µg/m3). These results suggest that the accuracy of τLIDAR is influenced by specific atmospheric conditions, regardless of its uncertainty.

Characterization and sources of black carbon in PM(2.5) at a site close to a roadway in Gwangju, Korea, during winter.

Continuous measurements of black carbon (BC) concentrations in PM2.5 were conducted using a single-wavelength aethalometer (@880 nm, Magee Sci., AE16) at a site close to a roadway (∼70 m from roadside) in Gwangju, Korea, during winter (December-February) to investigate the characteristics and sources of BC particles. The BC concentrations ranked in the order of January > December > February, probably due to lower boundary layer height, ambient temperature, and wind speed during January. Diurnal patterns in BC and carbon monoxide (CO) levels exhibited peak concentrations during the morning and evening hours coinciding with rush-hour traffic, with a strong correlation (R(2)) ranging from 0.52 (December) to 0.87 (January). It was found that wind speed was an important factor controlling BC concentrations at the site. Very high BC concentrations, up to ∼18.0 µg m(-3), were observed at wind speeds < 1.5 m s(-1). The BC concentrations acquired under weak wind conditions are highly correlated with CO with ΔBC/ΔCO (the slope of BC and CO correlation) of 0.0063 (R(2) = 0.55, p < 0.01) and 0.0065 (R(2) = 0.59, p < 0.01) µg m(-3) ppbv(-1) during day and night, respectively, suggesting no significant difference in the fraction of diesel vehicles between the daytime and nighttime periods. Two BC episodes, "A" and "B", were classified based on BC, PM2.5, and secondary SO4(2-) concentrations, and discussed to investigate the difference in the evolution of the BC observed. Episode "A" was associated with high BC and low PM2.5 and SO4(2-) concentrations, while episode "B" was associated with high concentrations of BC, PM2.5, and SO4(2-). Based on the temporal profiles of BC, NO, and NOx concentrations, CO/NOx ratio, and potential source contribution function map for BC, the BC observed during episode "A" was mostly attributed to locally produced emissions (e.g., traffic). However, the BC during episode "B" was influenced by long-range transport of air masses from China, as well as the local emissions.

Evaluating the applicability of a semi-continuous aerosol sampler to measure Asian dust particles.

A Korean prototype semi-continuous aerosol sampler was used to measure Asian dust particles. During two dust-storm periods, concentrations of crustal and trace elements were significantly enriched. Dust storms are one of the most significant natural sources of air pollution in East Asia. The present study aimed to evaluate use of a Korean semi-continuous aerosol sampler (K-SAS) in observation of mineral dust particles during dust storm events. Aerosol slurry samples were collected at 60 min intervals using the K-SAS, which was operated at a sampling flow rate of 16.7 L min(-1) through a PM10 cyclone inlet. The measurements were made during dust storm events at an urban site, Gwangju in Korea, between April 30 and May 5, 2011. The K-SAS uses particle growth technology as a means of collecting atmospheric aerosol particles. Concentrations of 16 elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Ca, K, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ti, V, Ni, Co, As, and Se) were determined off-line in the collected slurry samples by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The sampling periods were classified into two types, based on the source regions of the dust storms and the transport pathways of the air masses reaching the sampling site. The first period "A" was associated with dust particles with high Ca content, originating from the Gobi desert regions of northern China and southern Mongolia. The second period "B" was associated with dust particles with low Ca content, originating from northeastern Chinese sandy deserts. The results from the K-SAS indicated noticeable differences in concentrations of crustal and trace elements in the two sampling periods, as a result of differences in the source regions of the dust storms, the air mass transport pathways, and the impact of smoke from forest fires. The concentrations of the crustal (Al, Ca, Ti, Mn, and Fe) and anthropogenic trace elements (Vi, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, and Pb) were enriched significantly during the two dust storm periods. However, the crustal elements were enriched more during dust storm period "A", whereas concentrations of the trace elements were higher during period "B". Higher concentrations of K during dust storm period "B" could be ascribed to smoke from forest fires, in addition to soil dust emissions. This result is supported by a strong correlation between the crustal elements and the K concentrations, higher K/Al and K/Fe ratios in period "B" than those detected in the soil samples from the Gobi desert regions and Chinese sandy deserts, and the smoke from forest fires. The results of this study indicate that the K-SAS is a good candidate for revealing the dynamics in the concentrations of elemental species in Asian dust particles, as well as in urban and industrial aerosols, and for developing insight into their sources.

Difference in production routes of water-soluble organic carbon in PM2.5 observed during non-biomass and biomass burning periods in Gwangju, Korea.

4 h integrated PM2.5 samples were collected from an urban site of Gwangju, Korea, for five days and analyzed for organic carbon and elemental carbon (OC and EC), total water-soluble OC (WSOC), hydrophilic and hydrophobic WSOC fractions (WSOCHPI and WSOCHPO), oxalate, and inorganic ionic species (sodium (Na(+)), ammonium (NH4(+)), potassium (K(+)), calcium (Ca(2+)), magnesium (Mg(2+)), chloride (Cl(-)), nitrate (NO3(-)), and sulfate (SO4(2-))) to investigate the possible sources of water-soluble organic aerosols. Two types of sampling periods were classified according to the regression relationship between black carbon (BC) concentrations measured at wavelengths of 370 nm (BC370nm) and 880 nm (BC880nm) using an aethalometer; the first period was traffic emission influence ("non-biomass burning (BB) period") and the second was biomass burning influence ("BB period"). The slope of the regression equation (BC370nm/BC880nm) was 0.95 for the non-BB period and 1.29 for the BB period. However, no noticeable difference in the WSOC/OC ratio, which can be used to infer the extent of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, was found between the non-BB (0.61, range = 0.43-0.75) and BB (0.61, range = 0.52-0.68) periods, due to significant contribution of primary BB emissions to the WSOC. The concentrations of OC, WSOC and K(+), which were used as the BB emission markers, were 15.7 µg C m(-3) (11.5-24.3), 9.4 µg C m(-3) (7.0-12.7), and 1.2 µg m(-3) (0.6-2.7), respectively, during the BB period, and these results were approximately 1.7, 1.7, and 3.9 times higher than those during the non-BB period. During the non-BB period, good correlations among WSOC, SO4(2-) and oxalate, and poor correlations among WSOC, EC, and K(+) suggest that SOA is probably an important source of WSOC (and WSOCHPI) concentration. For the WSOC fractions, better correlations among WSOCHPI, oxalate (R(2) = 0.52), and SO4(2-) (R(2) = 0.57) were found than among WSOCHPO, oxalate (R(2) = 0.23), and SO4(2-) (R(2) = 0.20), suggesting that a significant proportion of the WSOCHPI fraction of OC could be produced through processes (gas-phase and heterogeneous oxidations) such as SOA formation. However, during the BB period, the BB emission source accounted for the high correlations between total WSOC (and WSOC fractions) and other relevant atmospheric parameters (EC, Na(+), Cl(-), K(+), and oxalate), with higher correlations in WSOCHPI than in WSOCHPO. These results suggest a significant contribution of BB emissions to WSOC.

Resolving sources of water-soluble organic carbon in fine particulate matter measured at an urban site during winter.

Measurements of daily PM2.5 were carried out during winter between January 11 and February 27, 2010 in an urban area of Korea, in order to better understand the influence of sources and atmospheric processing of organic aerosols. The aerosol samples were analyzed for organic carbon and elemental carbon (OC and EC), water-soluble OC (WSOC), eight ionic species, and oxalate. The water-soluble fraction of OC was between 33 and 58% with an average of 45%. Strong correlations among WSOC, sulfate (SO 4(2-)) (R(2) = 0.69), and oxalate (R(2) = 0.82) concentrations, and between potassium (K (+)) and WSOC concentrations (R(2) = 0.81) suggest that the observed WSOC could originate from similar oxidation processes to those for SO 4(2-) and oxalate, as well as biomass burning. Also moderate correlations of the WSOC with EC and carbon monoxide (CO) indicate that there was some contribution to WSOC from primary fossil fuel combustion. Results from a principle component analysis (PCA) indicate that in addition to the biomass burning and primary non-biomass burning emissions, the observed WSOC could be formed through production pathways similar to secondary organic carbon (SOC), SO 4(2-), and oxalate. Sources of WSOC inferred, based on the correlations, were confirmed by source categories identified by the PCA. Over the study period, three haze episodes exceeding a 24 h PM 2.5 concentration of 50 µg m(-3) were identified. Of the major components in PM 2.5, EC concentrations were elevated during episode I (18-19 January), while the secondary SO 4(2-) concentrations were enhanced during episodes II (30-31 January) and III (22-23 February). However, little difference in OC concentrations among the episodes was observed. It is suggested that the aerosol particles collected during episodes II and III were more aged than those during episode I. Estimates of fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, and SOC contributions to WSOC indicate that the fossil fuel combustion provided the highest contribution (62.3%) to WSOC in episode I, while the greatest contribution (60.6%) to WSOC from SOC was observed in episode II. The results demonstrate that the sampled aerosol particles were more aged or further processed during episodes II and III than during episode I.

Abundance and sources of hydrophilic and hydrophobic water-soluble organic carbon at an urban site in Korea in summer.

In this study, the characteristics of total water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and isolated WSOC fractions were examined to gain a better understanding of the pathway of organic aerosol production. 24 h PM(2.5) samples were collected during the summer (July 28-August 28, 2009) at an urban site in Korea. A glass column filled with XAD7HP resin was used to separate the filtered extracts into hydrophilic (WSOC(HPI)) and hydrophobic (WSOC(HPO)) fractions. The origins of air mass pathways arriving at the sampling site were mostly classified into three types, those originating over the East Sea of Korea that passed over the eastern inland urban and industrial regions (type I); those from the marine (western/southwestern/southern marine) and passed over the national industrial complex regions (type II); and those from northeastern China that passed through North Korea and metropolitan areas of South Korea (type III). Measurements showed an increase in the average WSOC fraction of total OC from the type II to III air mass (53 to 64%) periods. Also, higher SO(4)(2-)/SO(x) (=SO(2) + SO(4)(2-)) was observed in the type III air mass (0.70) than those in the types I (0.49) and II (0.43). According to the average values of WSOC/OC and SO(4)(2-)/SO(x), measurements suggest that the aerosols collected during the type III air mass period were more aged or photo-chemically processed than those during the types I and II air mass periods. The relationship between the SO(4)(2-)/SO(x) and WSOC/OC (R(2) = 0.64) suggests that a significant fraction of the observed WSOC at the site could be formed by an oxidation process similar to SO(4)(2-) aerosols, probably the oxidation process using OH radicals, or in-cloud processing. The photochemical production of WSOC(HPO) was also observed to significantly contribute to the total OC.

A study of bactericidal effect and optimization of pathogenic bacteria using TiO2 photocatalyst.

The photocatalytic degradation of Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in water by TiO2 catalysts was investigated in a batch reactor. After 30 min of irradiation with UV light in the presence of 1 mg/ml of TiO2, death ratio of S. choleraesuis subsp. and V. parahaemolyticus was 60% and 83%, respectively. And complete killing of the cells was achieved after 3 h of illumination in the presence of TiO2. We established the response surface methodology to investigate the effect of principal parameters on the pathogenic bacteria sterilization such as TiO2 concentration, pH and temperature. By applying response surface analysis to the bactericidal effect of S. almonella choleraesuis subsp. and V. parahaemolyticus, we found that the cell death ratio was influenced significantly by the first order term of TiO2 concentration.

Performance evaluation of an in situ nitrous acid measurement system and continuous measurement of nitrous acid in an indoor environment.

Nitrous acid (HONO) may cause adverse effects to mucous membranes and lung function when people are exposed to higher HONO concentrations than those present in typical indoor residential environments. Therefore, determination of HONO concentration in indoor environments is required to investigate occurrences of high HONO levels. In this work, a high-time-resolution measurement system was utilized to better understand the levels and dynamic behavior of HONO in an indoor environment. The performance of the in situ HONO analyzer applied to this work was evaluated using a 12-hr integrated annular denuder technique under ambient conditions. Both methods for the measurements of HONO were in good agreement, with a regression slope of 0.84, an intercept of 0.09, and correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.67. Indoor HONO and nitrogen oxide concentrations were also observed for approximately 5 days in winter in the living room of an apartment that had a gas range for cooking in the kitchen. Investigation of the relationships among nitric oxide (NO), nitrite (NO2), and HONO concentrations suggests that HONO production during combustion could be the result of direct emission, whereas the heterogeneous NO2 chemistry during the background period and after combustion was the possible pathway of HONO production. Controlled combustion experiments, performed at a burning rate of 50% valve setting, show peak HONO concentrations during the unvented combustion to be approximately 8-10 times higher than background levels depending on the time of day. At a burning rate setting of 50%, the peak concentration of HONO during unvented combustion was found to be 33-37% higher than those from "weak" (airflow = 340 m3/hr) and "strong" (airflow = 540 m3/hr) vented combustions. The decay rate of the HONO concentrations for the unvented combustion conditions was approximately 2-fold higher in the daytime than in the nighttime and significantly less than those of NO and NO2.

Characterization of PM2.5 aerosols dominated by local pollution and Asian dust observed at an urban site in Korea during aerosol characterization experiments (ACE)--Asia Project.

Daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5) samples were collected at Gwangju, Korea, during the Aerosol Characterization Experiments (ACE)-Asia Project to determine the chemical properties of PM2.5 originating from local pollution and Asian dust (AD) storms. During the study period, two significant events occurred on April 10-13 and 24-25, 2001, and a minor event occurred on April 19, 2001. Based on air mass transport pathways identified by back-trajectory calculation, the PM2.5 dataset was classified into three types of aerosol populations: local pollution and two AD aerosol types. The two AD types were transported along different pathways. One originated from Gobi desert area in Mongolia, passing through Hunshandake desert in Northern Inner Mongolia, urban and polluted regions of China (AD1), and the other originated in sandy deserts located in the Northeast Inner Mongolia Plateau and then flowed southward through the Korean peninsula (AD2). During the AD2 event, a smoke plume that originated in North Korea was transported to our study site. Mass balance closures show that crustal materials were the most significant species during both AD events, contributing -48% to the PM2.5 mass; sulfate aerosols (19.1%) and organic matter (OM; 24.6%) were the second greatest contributors during the AD1 and AD2 periods, respectively, indicating that aerosol properties were dependent on the transport pathway. The sulfate concentration constituted only 6.4% (4.5 microg/m3) of the AD2 PM2.5 mass. OM was the major chemical species in the local pollution-dominated PM2.5 aerosols, accounting for 28.7% of the measured PM2.5 mass, followed by sulfate (21.4%), nitrate (15%), ammonium (12.8%), elemental carbon (8.9%), and crustal material (6.5%). Together with substantial enhancement of the crustal elements (Mg, Al, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, Mn, Fe, Sr, Zr, Ba, and Ce), higher concentrations of pollution elements (S, V, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) were observed during AD1 and AD2 than during the local pollution period, indicating that, in addition to crustal material, the AD dust storms also had a significant influence on anthropogenic elements.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bulk PM2.5 and size-segregated aerosol particle samples measured in an urban environment.

To analyze polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at an urban site in Seoul, South Korea, 24-hr ambient air PM2.5 samples were collected during five intensive sampling periods between November 1998 and December 1999. To determine the PAH size distribution, 3-day size-segregated aerosol samples were also collected in December 1999. Concentrations of the 16 PAHs in the PM2.5 particles ranged from 3.9 to 119.9 ng m(-3) with a mean of 24.3 ng m(-3). An exceptionally high concentration of PAHs( approximately 120 ng m(-3)) observed during a haze event in December 1999 was likely influenced more by diesel vehicle exhaust than by gasoline exhaust, as well as air stagnation, as evidenced by the low carbon monoxide/elemental carbon (CO/EC) ratio of 205 found in this study and results reported by previous studies. The total PAHs associated with the size-segregated particles showed unimodal distributions. Compared to the unimodal size distributions of PAHs with modal peaks at < 0.12 microm measured in highway tunnels in Los Angeles (Venkataraman and Friedlander, 1994), four- to six-ring PAHs in our study had unimodal size distributions, peaking at the larger size range of 0.28-0.53 microm, suggesting the coagulation of freshly emitted ultrafine particles during transport to the sampling site. Further, the fraction of PAHs associated with coarse particles(> 1.8 microm) increased as the molecular weight of the PAHs decreased due to volatilization of fine particles followed by condensation onto coarse particles.