Air particulate matter pollution in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: determination of composition, source contributions and source locations

Davy, Perry; Gunchin, Gerelmaa; Markwitz, A.; Trompetter, W.J.; Barry, B.; Shagjjamba, D.; Lodoysamba, Sereeter

doi:10.5094/apr.2011.017

Cited by 88 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Alternatively, Mongolia has the lowest emission of BC from diesel vehicle as 5.4%. The majority of their BC emissions are from home heating and cooking through the combustion of coal and biomass (Davy et al, 2011). In general, there is a mixture of biomass burning and traffic as the primary sources of the soot.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Variation between EC and BC in a Variety of Locations

Salako

Hopke

Cohen

et al. 2012

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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Despite intensive research over the past three decades, a generally accepted standard method to measure black carbon (BC) or elemental carbon (EC) still does not exist. Data on BC and EC concentrations are method specific and can differ widely. This work was motivated by the lack of any prior study that established the variability between these two measures of carbonaceous particulate matter. Measurements of BC and EC were performed at different locations across Asia and the South Pacific in both urban and suburban locations. Filter samples were collected during the winter of 2007 to the winter of 2010 and analyzed for both BC and EC. EC was measured using the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE_A) protocol. Black carbon was measured by the EELS reflectometer (Diffusion Systems, Ltd). Bangladesh had the highest correlation coefficient of 0.93. Bangkok, Thailand on the other hand had the lowest correlation coefficient of 0.34. A review of previously reported source apportionment of BC concentrations in these locations showed that New Zealand had the highest percentage (82%) of BC from biomass while Mongolia had the lowest percentage of 3.1%. The fraction of BC emissions from diesel vehicles was found predominant in Mumbai, India with values as high as 80%. Mongolia had the lowest emission of BC from diesel vehicle (5.4%) with coal-and biomass-combustion being the dominant sources.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Variation between EC and BC in a Variety of Locations

Salako

Hopke

Cohen

et al. 2012

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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“…The ambient PM 2.5 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter 2.5 mm) 24-hr standard is 50.0 µg m À3 and 1-yr standard is 25.0 µg m À3 (Mongolian Agency for Standardization and Measurement [MASM], 2008). There have been a number of studies conducted on air pollution and its sources, and on their adverse effect on mortality (Jung et al, 2010(Jung et al, , 2011Allen et al, 2011;Davy et al, 2011). However, very limited measurements on chemical characteristics of PM have been carried out.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical characteristics of fine particulate matters measured during severe winter haze events in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Batmunkh

Kim

Jung

et al. 2013

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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In order to investigate the chemical characteristics of atmospheric aerosol measured during a severe winter haze event, 12-hr PM 2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter 2.5 m) samples were collected at an urban site in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from January 9 to February 17, 2008. On average, 12-hr PM 2.5 mass concentration was 105.1 AE 34.9 g/m 3 . Low PM 2.5 mass concentrations were measured when low pressure developed over central Mongolia. The 12-hr average organic mass by carbon (OMC) varied from 6.4 to 132.3 g/m 3 , with a mean of 54.9 AE 25.4 g/m 3 , whereas elemental carbon (EC) concentration ranged from 0.1 to 3.6 gC/m 3 , with a mean of 1.5 AE 0.8 gC/m 3 . Ammonium sulfate was found to be the most abundant water-soluble ionic component in Ulaanbaatar during the sampling period, with an average concentration of 11.3 AE 5.0 g/m 3 . In order to characterize the effect of air mass pathway on fine particulate matter characteristics, 5-day back-trajectory analysis was conducted, using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. The haze level was classified into three categories, based on the 5-day air mass back trajectories, as Stagnant (ST), Continental (CT), and Low Pressure (LP) cases. PM 2.5 mass concentration during the Stagnant condition was approximately 2.5 times higher than that during the Low Pressure condition, mainly due to increased pollutant concentration of OMC and secondary ammonium sulfate.Implications: Mongolia is experiencing rapid rates of urbanization similar to other Asian countries, resulting in air pollution problems by the growing number of automobiles and industrialization. Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, is inherently vulnerable to air pollution because of its emission sources, topography, and meteorological characteristics. Very limited measurements on chemical characteristics of particulate matter have been carried out in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

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“…From 1995 to 2005, the number of vehicles in Ulaanbaatar increased from 30,000 to 75,000 (Asian Development Bank 2006), and Mongolia is 1 of only 17 countries where leaded gasoline is still legally available (HEI 2010). The city’s other major air pollution sources include three coal-fueled combined heat and power plants, approximately 400 heat-only boilers, and wind-blown dust (World Bank 2004; Davy et al 2011). A recent source apportionment study found that the majority of PM 2.5 in Ulaanbaatar is produced by coal combustion (Davy et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The city’s other major air pollution sources include three coal-fueled combined heat and power plants, approximately 400 heat-only boilers, and wind-blown dust (World Bank 2004; Davy et al 2011). A recent source apportionment study found that the majority of PM 2.5 in Ulaanbaatar is produced by coal combustion (Davy et al 2011). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An assessment of air pollution and its attributable mortality in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Allen

Gombojav

Baldorj³

et al. 2011

Air Qual Atmos Health

141

105

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Epidemiologic studies have consistently reported associations between outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution and adverse health effects. Although Asia bears the majority of the public health burden from air pollution, few epidemiologic studies have been conducted outside of North America and Europe due in part to challenges in population exposure assessment. We assessed the feasibility of two current exposure assessment techniques, land use regression (LUR) modeling and mobile monitoring, and estimated the mortality attributable to air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. We developed LUR models for predicting wintertime spatial patterns of NO2 and SO2 based on 2-week passive Ogawa measurements at 37 locations and freely available geographic predictors. The models explained 74% and 78% of the variance in NO2 and SO2, respectively. Land cover characteristics derived from satellite images were useful predictors of both pollutants. Mobile PM2.5 monitoring with an integrating nephelometer also showed promise, capturing substantial spatial variation in PM2.5 concentrations. The spatial patterns in SO2 and PM, seasonal and diurnal patterns in PM2.5, and high wintertime PM2.5/PM10 ratios were consistent with a major impact from coal and wood combustion in the city’s low-income traditional housing (ger) areas. The annual average concentration of PM2.5 measured at a centrally located government monitoring site was 75 μg/m3 or more than seven times the World Health Organization’s PM2.5 air quality guideline, driven by a wintertime average concentration of 148 μg/m3. PM2.5 concentrations measured in a traditional housing area were higher, with a wintertime mean PM2.5 concentration of 250 μg/m3. We conservatively estimated that 29% (95% CI, 12–43%) of cardiopulmonary deaths and 40% (95% CI, 17–56%) of lung cancer deaths in the city are attributable to outdoor air pollution. These deaths correspond to nearly 10% of the city’s total mortality, with estimates ranging to more than 13% of mortality under less conservative model assumptions. LUR models and mobile monitoring can be successfully implemented in developing country cities, thus cost-effectively improving exposure assessment for epidemiology and risk assessment. Air pollution represents a major threat to public health in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and reducing home heating emissions in traditional housing areas should be the primary focus of air pollution control efforts.

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Air particulate matter pollution in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: determination of composition, source contributions and source locations

Cited by 88 publications

References 32 publications

Exploring the Variation between EC and BC in a Variety of Locations

Exploring the Variation between EC and BC in a Variety of Locations

Chemical characteristics of fine particulate matters measured during severe winter haze events in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

An assessment of air pollution and its attributable mortality in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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