Role of Chinese wind-blown dust in enhancing environmental pollution in Metropolitan Seoul.
A suite of rock magnetic experiments and intensive microscopic observations were carried out on Asian dust deposits in Seoul, Korea, collected on 19 and 23 March 2002, 9 April 2002 and 12 April 2003. Desert-sand and loess from the dust source regions in China were also analyzed as a comparison. Asian dust showed a higher magnetic concentration than the source region samples, indicating a significant influx of magnetic particles into Asian dust had occurred during its transportation. Electron microscopy identified carbon-bearing iron-oxides as the added material. These iron-oxides were likely to have been produced by anthropogenic pollution (fossil fuel combustion) while the wind-blown dusts passing across the industrial areas of eastern China and western Korea. Such wind-paths were confirmed by a simulation of the air-mass trajectories. The magnetic technique appears to be useful for determining the anthropogenic pollution of Asian dust.
Kim
Wonnyon
W
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Republic of Korea.
Doh
Seong-Jae
SJ
Yu
Yongjae
Y
Lee
Meehye
M
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D004391:Dust; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D007723:Korea; D008280:Magnetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014919:Wind
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; C000499:ferric oxide; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide