Relationships between spatial and temporal variabilities in airborne metal distributions in Won Ju City, Korea

Abstract

The relationship between temporal and spatial factors in controlling the metal distribution characteristics was investigated using the monthly metal concentration data collected from four distinctive sampling sites (grassland, residential, commercial, and industrial site) of Won Ju City, Kang Won province for approximately 4-year periods between 1991 and 1995. In order to compare the relative role of spatial and temporal factors, two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to these data sets. For the application of this method, temporal factors were investigated in terms of both annual and seasonal basis. The results of our data analysis indicated several interesting aspects of metal-to-metal distribution behavior such that: (1) Pb, Fe, and Cu tend to exhibit strong variabilities in both spatial and temporal scale, (2) the distribution variabilities for Mn are almost negligible in both temporal and spatial scale, (3) Cd is more variable in temporal, rather than spatial, sense, and (4) Cr and Ni can exhibit more variable patterns depending on temporal scale selected for data analysis. On the basis of this study, the relative roles of spatial and temporal factors are described in relation to each other and to different metal species.