title: Chemical characterisation of organic functional group compositions in PM2.5 collected at nine administrative provinces in northern Thailand during the Haze Episode in 2013.
abstract: Along with rapid economic growth and enhanced agricultural productivity, particulate matter emissions in the northern cities of Thailand have been increasing for the past two decades. This trend is expected to continue in the coming decade. Emissions of particulate matter have brought about a series of public health concerns, particularly chronic respiratory diseases. It is well known that lung cancer incidence among northern Thai women is one of the highest in Asia (an annual age-adjusted incidence rate of 37.4 per 100,000). This fact has aroused serious concern among the public and the government and has drawn much attention and interest from the scientific community. To investigate the potential causes of this relatively high lung cancer incidence, this study employed Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) transmission spectroscopy to identify the chemical composition of the PM2.5 collected using Quartz Fibre Filters (QFFs) coupled with MiniVolTM portable air samplers (Airmetrics). PM2.5 samples collected in nine administrative provinces in northern Thailand before and after the "Haze Episode" in 2013 were categorised based on three-dimensional plots of a principal component analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation. In addition, the incremental lifetime exposure to PM2.5 of both genders was calculated, and the first derivative of the FTIR spectrum of individual samples is here discussed.
authors.affiliation: NIDA Research Center of Disaster Prevention Management, School of Social and Environmental Development, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. pongpiajun@gmail.com
authors.forename: Siwatt
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pongpiachan
authors.forename: Chomsri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Choochuay
authors.forename: Jittipan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chalachol
authors.forename: Panatda
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kanchai
authors.forename: Tidarat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Phonpiboon
authors.forename: Sornsawan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wongsuesat
authors.forename: Kanokwan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chomkhae
authors.forename: Itthipon
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kittikoon
authors.forename: Phoosak
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hiranyatrakul
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Sombat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thamrongthanyawong
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011634:Public Health; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D052638:Particulate Matter