Composition Variation of Atmospheric Fine Particulate Matters in Accordance with Air Mass Transport Pathways at Background Site of Korea in 2013

Abstract

The collection of fine particulate matter samples was made at Gosan site of Jeju Island, one of the background sites of Korea, during a year of 2013, and their water-soluble ionic species were analyzed in order to examine the chemical compositions and pollution characteristics. The concentrations of nss-SO 4 2-, NH 4 + + , NO 3 -, and K + + had occupied 66.0% of water-soluble ionic species in PM 10 , especially 94.3% in PM 2.5 fine mode, however the nssCa 2+ + and Na + + showed high concentrations in PM 10-2.5 coarse mode. NO 3 -/nss-SO 4 2-concentration ratios in PM 10 and PM 2.5 were 0.30 and 0.13, showing less significant effect from automobile and local pollution sources. The sulfate and nitrate compounds were presumed to be long-range transported to Gosan area by the relatively high SOR and NOR values. The trajectory cluster analysis showed the higher concentrations of the major secondary pollutants (nss-SO 4 2-, NO 3 -, NH 4 + + ) and nss-Ca 2+ + when the air masses had moved from China continent and Korean peninsula into Gosan area.