Air Quality in the Bandung Basin of Indonesia as Measured by Passive Sampler

Abstract

AbstractThe Greater Bandung or Bandung Basin is a metropolitan area surrounding Bandung City, the Capital of The West Java Province. It is a basin-shaped region surrounded by mountains and has more than 8.5 million population. Therefore, air quality degradation will significantly impact the regions’ sustainability. Air pollution monitoring is required to get information regarding air quality and its seasonal variability. We carried out a monthly sampling of ambient air using the Ferm-type passive gas sampler method adopted by CSIRO Australia at eleven monitoring points from 2014 to 2018. Air pollutant concentration values in urban site were determined by averaging concentration in Cikadut, Cipedes, Kopo, Kebon Kalapa, Martadinata Soreang and Padalarang, while in rural were in Ciparay, Lembang, Tanjung Wangi and Dago. The air quality parameters measured were NO2, SO2, and O3. The five-year mean NO2 and SO2 concentrations in urban (71.87 ± 35.36 and 6.72 ± 1.84 µg/m3) were relatively higher than in rural (35.06 ± 14.60 and 3.79 ± 1.27 µg/m3) sites. On the contrary, the mean O3 concentration was relatively more elevated in rural (21.86 ± 9.23 µg/m3) than in urban (17.60 ± 6.55 µg/m3) sites. The composition in ambient air from high to low was NO2 > O3 > SO2. The seasonal mean NO2 and O3 concentrations in the Bandung Basin were maximum during the transitional dry to wet season (SON) and minimum during the wet season (DJF). We reported that the annual mean NO2 concentrations in the urban site during the 2014–2018 period were above Indonesian National Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).KeywordsAir qualityBandung BasinPassive samplerUrbanRural