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Status of Ambient PM2.5 Pollution in the Seoul Megacity (2020)
- Source :
- Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment, Vol 15, Iss 2, Pp 1-12 (2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Asian Association for Atmospheric Environment, 2021.
-
Abstract
- The Center for Air Quality &Control at the Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and the Environment (SIHE) has monitored changes in the concentration of fine dust in Seoul over the past 10 years and investigated meteorological factors as well as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in northeastern China and its contribution to the PM2.5 concentration in Seoul. The concentration of fine dust in Seoul in 2020 was 21 µg/m3, which is down 16% from 2019 and the lowest since 2010. In 2020, China’s emissions of pollutants such as NO2 have decreased significantly due to regional blockades, social distancing, and factory shutdowns caused by COVID-19. As a results, the concentration of precursors such as SO2 and NO2, and PM2.5 in northeastern China are also decreased, which contributed to the reduction in PM2.5 concentration in Seoul caused by westerly winds blowing. In addition, the ratio of east and south winds that usually contain low concentrations of pollutants was more than 30% of the total air currents into Seoul, which is the highest in the last three years. Moreover, the mean wind velocity and the amount of precipitation were also the highest recorded values of 2.4 m/s and 1651.0 mm, respectively. Calculations using Comprehensive Air quality Model with eXtensions (CAMx)-Particulate Source Apportionment Technology (PSAT) show that the contribution of external inflows to the PM2.5 concentration in Seoul was 65%. We believe that the reasons for the low PM2.5 concentration in 2020 are due to meteorological factors and a decrease in air pollution in northeastern China. Meanwhile, the major contribution of emissions in Seoul (resuspended road dust and non-exhaust dust) was high. When the concentration of PM2.5 was high, the contribution of resuspended road dust was reduced due to an increase of secondary generating materials. Currently, data on emission reduction due to the COVID-19 cannot be assessed, which we believe will enable more accurate contribution calculations in the future. © 2021
- Subjects :
- Pollution
Atmospheric Science
media_common.quotation_subject
Air pollution
Atmospheric sciences
medicine.disease_cause
complex mixtures
Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
CAMX
contribution
chemistry.chemical_compound
camx
medicine
Nitrogen dioxide
GE1-350
Precipitation
Air quality index
TD1-1066
General Environmental Science
media_common
Pollutant
Environmental sciences
Megacity
chemistry
Environmental science
pm2.5
seoul
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 22871160 and 19766912
- Volume :
- 15
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....ada9cf49db961fc22ab8536735e9d283