Sources of ambient air particulates and Hg(p) pollutants at Freeway, Industrial, Thermal power plant F.I.T. characteristic sites

Abstract

This study concerns the concentrations of particulates in ambient air, dry deposited particulates, particulate-bound mercury (Hg(p)), and Hg(p) that is dry deposited in both total suspended particulates and on a dry deposition plate at Long Cyuan Elementary School (LCYES), Lung Ching Elementary School (LCHES), and Long Shan Primary School (LSPS) in Longjing. The LCHES site had the highest particulate Hg(p) concentrations in October and November, and the least dry deposition of particulates in October. The LSPS site had the lowest Hg(p) dry depositions in October. The LCYES site had the lowest particulate and Hg(p) concentrations in November and October, and had the highest dry deposition of particulates and Hg(p) in November and December. These particulates originated from the northwest of Taiwan and were transported by way of mainland China in October. A back trajectory analysis supported this finding. Therefore, particulate concentrations in ambient air were highest in October and the major sources of particulate-bound mercury Hg(p) in ambient air were in mainland China, especially in October and December. Mainland China and Taichung Thermal Power Plant were the main sources of particles and Hg(p) in ambient air.