PM2.5 and Trace Elements in Underground Shopping Districts in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, Korea

Abstract

We measured PM2.5 in 41 underground shopping districts (USDs) in the Seoul metropolitan area from June to November 2017, and associated 18 trace elements to determine the sources and assess the respiratory risks. The PM2.5 concentrations were 18.0 ± 8.0 μg/m3 inside USDs, which were lower than 25.2 ± 10.6 μg/m3 outside. We identified five sources such as indoor miscellanea, soil dust, vehicle exhaust/cooking, coal combustion, and road/subway dust, using factor analysis. Almost 67% of the total trace element concentration resulted from soil dust. Soil dust contribution increased with the number of stores because of fugitive dust emissions due to an increase in passers-by. Vehicle exhaust/cooking contribution was higher when the entrances of the USDs were closed, whereas coal combustion contribution was higher when the entrances of the USDs were open. Although miscellanea and coal combustion contributions were 3.4% and 0.7%, respectively, among five elements with cancer risk, Cr and Ni were included in miscellanea, and Pb, Cd, and As were included in coal combustion. The excess cancer risk (ECR) was the highest at 67 × 10−6 for Cr, and the ECR for Pb was lower than 10−6, a goal of the United States Environmental Protection Agency for hazardous air pollutants.

Health risk analysis of heavy metal exposure bonded in PM2.5 at industrial area in Bandung Regency

“…Coal is one of the materials of the earth's crust, the footprint of coal combustion emissions can be characterized by other dominant elements in the ambient air of this region, such as Zn and Ti. Similar to the research conducted by [20], which also found Zn abundance in PM2.5 samples, this element can be predicted as a marker of fossil fuel combustion. In addition, it is known that Ti is the most dominant element in PM2.5, reaching 50% of the total elements characterized [20].…”

“…Similar to the research conducted by [20], which also found Zn abundance in PM2.5 samples, this element can be predicted as a marker of fossil fuel combustion. In addition, it is known that Ti is the most dominant element in PM2.5, reaching 50% of the total elements characterized [20]. Based on [17] and [19], Ti elements can come from soil dust or earth crust elemet.…”

Year-long evaluation of aerosol chemistry and meteorological implications of PM2.5 in an urban area of the Brahmaputra Valley, India

“…Exposure to most of these elements can severely affects human health, causing several cardiovascular diseases and other adverse health effects. [11][12][13] Furthermore, carbonaceous aerosol including organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) derived from the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass burning are another toxic components of PM 2.5 . 14,15 In addition, carbonaceous aerosol, especially EC, plays a vital role as a climate-forcing agent with strong warming potential.…”

Volatile Organic Compounds in Underground Shopping Districts in Korea

“…The law is known as the “Indoor Air Quality Control Act”, in which USDs are classified as “public-use facilities”, and hazardous materials such as formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 10 µm (PM 10 ) and <2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ), and CO 2 are designated as target substances with the objective of managing indoor air quality. Public-use facilities are defined as facilities that are utilized by unspecified groups of people [ 4 ]. In South Korea, public-use facilities are classified into 24 types, and the concentrations of hazardous substances are classified and managed based on the characteristics of each facility type.…”