Chemical composition and revolution of PM1.0 by aircraft-based measurement on the large point sources in Korea

On the west coast of Korea (South Chungcheong Province), large point pollution sources such as petrochemical complexes and industrial infrastructure, and thermal power plants for power supply to the metropolitan area and industrial complexes are located. Air pollutants emitted from this large point source can directly or indirectly affect not only nearby areas but also other remote areas depending on the weather conditions. Air pollutants are emitted during industrial and anthropogenic activities, but in order to minimize their impact on domestic air quality, the characteristics and spatial distribution of emitted air pollutants must be identified and continuously managed to improve air quality. It is more advantageous to actively track and observe the movement direction of air pollutants than to passively measure the spatial distribution and diffusion path of air pollutants emitted from large point sources. Aircraft-based measurement is suitable for analyzing complex air pollution in Korea because it can track and observe air pollution plumes in a wide area within a short time without being limited to a specific measurement location.

We are conducting aircraft-based measurements to identify air pollutant emission characteristics of large point sources (thermal power plant, petrochemical complex, steel mill) in the South Chungcheong province in Korea during 2020-2021. And the HR-ToF-AMS, PTR-ToF-AMS, CIMS, and gas monitors (NO2, CO, O3, NH3) were installed on Beechcraft 1900D for aircraft-based measurement.

This study analyzes the concentration and emission characteristics and chemical composition ratio (OM/OC, O/C, H/C) of PM1.0 for each large point source (thermal power plant, petrochemical complex, steel mill) and the degree of oxidation during diffusion of PM1.0 will be presented.

Acknowledgment: This research was supported by Technology Development Program to Solve Climate Changes through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT (2019M1A2A2103953), and funded by the Ministry of Education (2019R1A6C1020041).