Abstract
In order to analyze the characteristics and long-term trend levels of PM2.5 in Tainan City, Taiwan, Mesoscale Modeling System Generation 5 (MM5) and Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (MM5-CMAQ) modelling as well as box plots and time series analysis, were utilized in this study. The long-term trend analysis shows that the levels of PM2.5 (averaged at 38.3 µg m–3 and ranged between 33.1 and 41.9 µg m–3) in Tainan City for ten years (2005–2014) were above the yearly average standards of 15 µg m–3, showing non-attainment status. Overall, the results show a decreasing trend (from 41.9 µg m–3 in 2005 to 35.0 µg m–3 in 2014) in the levels of PM2.5 in Tainan atmosphere in the ten year period. The results of the MM5-CMAQ air quality modeling, indicate that the highest contribution on PM2.5 in Tainan City was from trans-boundary pollution from neighbouring cities (34.2%), while long-range transport and local emissions from Tainan each contributed a fraction of approximately 32.9%. In terms of local sources, the highest influence is from area sources (18.6%), followed by line sources (7.7%) and point sources (6.6%). Thus, to control PM2.5 in Tainan City, the focus should be on construction, road dust, and residential activities.
Highlights
Particulate matter is basically aerosols existing as suspensions of solid or liquid particle in a gas
The results of the Modeling System Generation 5 (MM5)-Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) air quality modeling, indicate that the highest contribution on PM2.5 in Tainan City was from trans-boundary pollution from neighbouring cities (34.2%), while long-range transport and local emissions from Tainan each contributed a fraction of approximately 32.9%
To control PM2.5 in Tainan City, the focus should be on construction, road dust, and residential activities
Summary
Particulate matter is basically aerosols existing as suspensions of solid or liquid particle in a gas. The aerodynamic diameters of PM2.5 are from ~0 to 2.5 μm, while those of PM10 ranges from ~0 to 10 μm (Chow et al, 2015) Both PM2.5 and PM10 are made up of other subclasses of pollutants with the major ones being water soluble ions such as SO42–, NH4+, and NO3– and metal elements as minor constituents (Tsai et al, 2011; Xu et al, 2012; Chang et al, 2013) as well as carbonaceous species such as the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) (Chang et al, 2013; Ho et al, 2006) and volatile organics (Cheruiyot et al, 2015). Its fine size allows it to penetrate the gas-exchange membranes and even transfer across the circulatory system causing collapse of organs
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