Abstract
This paper is focused on the comprehensive and detailed interpretation for the chemical transformation of individual Asian dust (hereafter called "AD") particles during long-range transport from source regions to receptor area. A multi-stage particle sampler was operated at a ground-based site in Taean, Korea directly exposed to the outflow of air masses from China during AD period in April 2003. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses for size-classified individual particles were carried out by a microbeam X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method and a microbeam Particle Induced X-ray Emission (micro-PIXE), respectively. Among major characteristic elements, the elemental masses of soil derived components, sulfur, and chloride varied as a function of particle size showing the monomodal maximum with a steeply increasing at 3.3-4.7 <TEX>${\mu}m$</TEX> particle size. Although the details on chemical composition of AD particle collected on a straight line from source area to our ground-based site are needed, a large amount of Cl coexisted in and/or on AD particles suggests that AD particles collected in the present study might be actively engaged in chemical transformation by sea-salt and other Cl containing pollutants emitted from the China's domestic sources. Through the statistical analyses it was possible to classify individual AD particles into six distinct groups. The internally mixed AD particles with Cl, which has various sources (e.g., sea-salt, coal combustion origin HCl, gaseous HCl derived from the adsorption of acids to sea-salt, and Cl containing man-made particles) were thoroughly fractionated by the elemental spectra drivened by the double detector system of micro-PIXE.
Highlights
During long-range transport of air masses containing AD particles over China continent, Yellow Sea, and Korea Peninsula, AD particles can encounter gaseous or particulate matters and react with each other, leading to a chemical transformation (Hwang et al, 2008; Roth and Okada, 1998; Iwasaka et al, 1988)
The Meteorological Data Explorer (METEX) (Center for Global Environmental Research, 2010) backward trajectories (1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 m heights of air parcel) for 72 hours trajectory length started at our sampling site at 09 UTC, April 12, 2003 is displayed at center of Fig. 2
It was extended to the Korean Peninsula after passing through the Yellow Sea
Summary
During long-range transport of air masses containing AD particles over China continent, Yellow Sea, and Korea Peninsula, AD particles can encounter gaseous or particulate matters and react with each other, leading to a chemical transformation (Hwang et al, 2008; Roth and Okada, 1998; Iwasaka et al, 1988). The AD particles mixed with various anthropogenic pollutants can be subject to long-distance transport to the receptor areas in East Asia as well as the Pacific Ocean. Coal-fired power stations produce large quantities of waste ash and fly ash. These coal plants worsen air quality and create acid rain which hurts soil quality and food safety. When one assesses the chemical transformation of AD particles he must consider these various by-products of coal combustion
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