Spatio-temporal Distribution of PM10 and PM2.5 in Gangwon Province of South Korea Using Air Pollution Monitoring Network Data

초록

Fine particulate matter (PM) is proven to be strongly linked to human health. Although the emissions of PM from anthropogenic sources are relatively low in Gangwon Province, the atmospheric concentrations of both PM2.5 and PM10 were reported to be very high. In this study, spatio-temporal distributions of PM2.5 and PM10 were identified based on the hourly concentrations obtained from national air pollution monitoring network. Gangwon Province can be divided into four regions with different weather and emission characteristics. All monitoring sites showed a decreasing trend in both PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations from 2015 to 2019. There were statistically higher concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 in the western area than in the eastern area. The correlation of PM2.5 between western and eastern regions was relatively low, indicating that the emissions and/or formation pathways affecting PM2.5 were different in two regions. The difference between PM2.5 in the western and eastern regions was large in winter and small in summer. This result possibly indicates that PM2.5 in western area is likely to be affected by regional- or long-range transport of PM2.5 or its precursors emitted from metropolitan and industrial areas of Korea and China when the westerly winds are predominant in winter. Similar diurnal patterns of PM2.5 and PM10 were shown at most monitoring sites; however, the morning and evening peaks due to traffic rush hour were observed in relatively large cities while the diurnal variation was relatively unclear in small cities.

키워드