Impact of inclement weather on the characteristics of volatile organic compounds in ambient air at the Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan.
This study describes continuous monitoring of the volatile organic air pollutants, acetone and toluene, in Hsinchu Science Park (HSP) during an occurrence of inclement weather, i.e., a typhoon. Using a lab-designed sampling system coupled with a continuous automated GC-MS analysis system, a total of 53 polar and nonpolar compounds were identified and quantified. The concentration of polar compounds dropped sharply from 41.4 ppbv before the typhoon to the stage of no detection during the storm, but rose again after the typhoon. The amount of nonpolar compounds remained unaffected during the storm. The polar compounds were more affected by both the rainfall and wind than were the nonpolar compounds. The severity of air pollution strongly correlates with the concentration of acetone released into the atmosphere by a wastewater treatment facility. The system used in this study has been proved reliable while working in inclement weather condition; in addition, the results can probably be applied in the monitoring of the environment during the typhoon season in high-tech research areas.
Nian
Hung-Chi
HC
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan, ROC.
Liu
Hsin-Wang
HW
Wu
Ben-Zen
BZ
Chang
Chih-Chung
CC
Chiu
Kong-Hwa
KH
Lo
Jiunn-Guang
JG
D000096:Acetone / Q000032:analysis*; D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis*; D000392:Air Movements; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004190:Disasters; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012621:Seasons; D013624:Taiwan; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis*; D014835:Volatilization; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014887:Weather
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000096:Acetone; D014050:Toluene