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Aerosol composition change between dust storm and non-dust storm periods in spring is studied using the total suspended particle data measured at Gosan, a background area in Korea. The concentrations of eight inorganic ions and 12 elements were analyzed for the TSP samples collected from March 1992 to May 2006. Two-step statistical analyses were carried out for the data: F test and t test. The concentrations of anthropogenic ionic species showed increasing trend since 2003. The absolute concentrations of most anthropogenic species such as sulfate or nitrate increased (from 7.33 to 9.25 µg m−3 and from 2.04 to 4.84 µg m−3, respectively) during the dust storm period. However, the enrichment factors or normalized concentrations based on Al of most anthropogenic species decreased during dust storm period (factor of 0.1–0.5). It suggests that, in general, relative importance of anthropogenic species during dust storm would be not high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The compositions of TSP between AD and NAD storm periods were compared to study their long-term variations and chemical characteristics. TSP samples were collected at Gosan site in Jeju Island of Korea from February to May of 1992–2004. The major ionic and elemental species of TSP aerosols were analyzed. During AD periods, the concentrations of crust components (nss-Ca2+, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Ti) increased remarkably, and the concentrations of anthropogenic components (nss-SO4 2−, NO3 −, S, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd), with the exception of NH4 +, increased weakly. The concentration ratios of all major components between AD and NAD periods showed ranges from 1.2 to 8.5, except for NH4 +. The slope of the linear regression indicated that the contribution of CO3 2− may have comprised up to 17% of the total anions. Our results suggested that the AD storm greatly influenced TSP compositions. Linear regression analyses indicated that NH4 + was not correlated with NO3 −, but highly correlated with nss-SO4 2− during both periods. The nss-SO4 2− was also correlated with NH4 +, K+, nss-Mg2+, and nss-Ca2+ during both periods. Interestingly, NO3 − was associated with nss-Ca2+ and nss-Mg2+ during AD periods. Of the metal elements, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ti, Mn, Ba, Sr, V, and Co were highly correlated with Al during both periods, signifying that these metals were mostly originated from soils. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aerosol composition change between dust storm and non dust storm periods is studied using the TSP (Total Suspended Particulate) data measured at Gosan, Korea between 1992 and 1999. The concentrations of elements measured between 1993 and 1996 and those of ions between 1992 and 1999 during dust storms are compared with those during non-dust storm periods in spring (March, April, and May). Among the analyzed ions, the concentrations of crustal species (potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride) and anthropogenic species (nitrate and non-sea salt (nss)-sulfate) increased when dust storm occurs while those of ammonium and sodium did not increase. Among the analyzed elements, the concentrations of crustal species (Fe, Al, Ca, Ti, and Zn) increased when dust storm occurs while those of anthropogenic species (Mn, V, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Cr) did not increase. The only anthropogenic element of which concentration increased during dust storm periods was Pb. It was found that the concentrations of nitrate and nss-sulfate were highest during spring. Also, the ratio of the yearly average concentrations of nitrate to nss-sulfate increases, probably due to the emission trend change in northeast Asia, especially, in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]