Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment最新文献

{"title":"Preliminary assessment of airborne microplastics: a case study of Bandung City, Indonesia","authors":"Aurellia Felita Shandy,&nbsp;Yusuke Fujii,&nbsp;Zhafira Anindya Tiaraputri,&nbsp;Shino Ishida,&nbsp;Windy Iriana,&nbsp;Puji Lestari,&nbsp;Yasuhiro Niida,&nbsp;Hiroshi Okochi","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00099-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00099-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Despite the growing concern surrounding airborne microplastics (AMPs), their size-dependent behavior in tropical urban environments remains poorly understood. This study provides a preliminary assessment of the concentration, polymer composition, morphology, and size-segregated aerodynamic distribution of AMPs in Bandung, Indonesia. Size-segregated aerosols collected during the rainy season were analyzed using a micro-Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection imaging approach. The mean AMP concentration was 6.81 particles m⁻³, with polyethylene accounting for 93.6% of identified particles, and AMPs detected across all size fractions. A discrepancy was observed between physical particle size (maximum Feret diameter) and aerodynamic classification, as many particles exceeded the nominal cut-off diameters of their sampling stages, indicating the influence of particle shape and density on aerodynamic behavior. Morphological analysis showed that fragments dominated (89%), suggesting that secondary fragmentation is the primary formation pathway of AMPs in the study area. These findings highlight the critical importance of integrating size-segregated aerodynamic sampling with morphological and chemical characterization to assess the atmospheric transport and potential human health risks of AMPs in tropical urban environments.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00099-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting sick building syndrome using machine learning and epidemiological data for Internet of Thing (IoT) Integration","authors":"Syazwan Aizat Ismail,&nbsp;Mohd Faiz Ibrahim,&nbsp;Björn Crüts,&nbsp;Sakshaleni Rajendiran,&nbsp;Noraishah Mohammad Sham,&nbsp;Muaz Mohd Zaini Makhtar","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00095-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00095-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a widespread occupational health issue traditionally diagnosed through reactive, subjective symptom questionnaires. This study addresses the critical need for real-time, objective mitigation strategies by developing an automated early warning system to predict multi-categorical SBS risk using machine learning. We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological study in a Malaysian educational institution, securing a unified dataset from 513 respondents across ten classrooms. Real-time physical environmental parameters and aerosol contaminants, specifically Particulate Matter (PM_2.5) and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), were captured at a seated breathing zone of 110 cm using high-precision occupational hygiene instruments. This environmental data was synchronized with self-reported health outcomes from a revised MM040NA questionnaire. To address the naturally low prevalence of severe symptoms and mitigate overfitting, our predictive modelling pipeline incorporated a 10-fold stratified cross-validation framework alongside the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) applied exclusively to training folds. We evaluated five classifiers: Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Random Forests, Support Vector Classifiers (SVC), K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN), and Logistic Regression (LR), optimizing probability thresholds via the F2-score to prioritize recall. The results demonstrate that General SBS symptoms can be predicted with exceptional sensitivity, with ANN, SVC, and LR models achieving recall rates exceeding 0.90. For predicting the aggregate risk of Total SBS, the distance-based KNN algorithm produced the most balanced F1-score (0.419), serving as a theoretical proof-of-concept for risk clustering. Finally, this research confirms the viability of deploying resource-efficient linear or neural network models onto resource-constrained microcontrollers, providing concrete memory and latency benchmarks for a scalable Internet of Things (IoT) architecture designed for proactive indoor environmental health monitoring.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div><div><p>Real-time SBS risk forecasting and automated MVAC actuation via edge AI</p></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00095-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical and optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during the 2024 El Niño event","authors":"In Ho Song,&nbsp;Jong Sung Park,&nbsp;Soyoung Jung,&nbsp;Jinju Jeong,&nbsp;Seung-Myung Park,&nbsp;Soyoung Kang,&nbsp;Hae-Jin Jung,&nbsp;Seung-Ha Lee,&nbsp;Dae-Il Kang,&nbsp;Jiwon Seong,&nbsp;Yong-Jae Lim","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00097-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00097-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study characterizes the chemical and optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols in urban Chiang Mai, Thailand, during an intensive monitoring period in March 2024. The campaign coincided with a strong El Niño event, resulting in extreme high temperatures and severe drought conditions. The mean PM_2.5 concentration was 64.3 µg/m³, exceeding the WHO 24-hour guideline (15 µg/m³) by approximately 4.3 times. High OC/EC ratios (mean 6.0) and a strong correlation with CO (<i>R</i> = 0.71, 924.5 ppb) indicated a strong influence of biomass burning on particulate air quality, while urban baseline emissions also contributed. Furthermore, severe nighttime atmospheric stagnation trapped pollutants, exacerbating high-concentration episodes. Source apportionment via an Aethalometer model revealed that biomass burning-derived black carbon (BC_bb) drove the overall variability during these episodes. Notably, brown carbon (BrC) significantly enhanced shortwave light absorption at 370 nm, accounting for a campaign mean contribution of 35.1% and reaching an hourly maximum of 50.5% during the high-concentration episode. The strong correlation (<i>R</i> = 0.99) between BrC absorption and BC_bb mass concentration, despite shared optical input data, further reflects the dominant influence of biomass burning on shortwave light absorption. These results highlight how anomalous meteorological conditions—co-occurring with the regional 2024 El Niño background—coincided with intensified biomass burning and enhanced light absorption, providing insights into aerosol optics under extreme dry season weather. The findings emphasize the imperative need for integrated strategies to mitigate the escalating synergy between climate change and regional air quality.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div><div><p>Size-resolved black carbon characteristics, chemical composition, and brown carbon light absorption in the Chiang Mai basin during the 2024 El Niño event.</p></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00097-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Numerical-simulation-based improved measurement of submicron-sized particle charge distribution with high temporal resolution","authors":"Tatsuhiro Mori,&nbsp;Muhammad Aiman bin Mohd Nor,&nbsp;Ayumi Iwata,&nbsp;Kazunori Watanabe,&nbsp;Anthony Xavier Andrade,&nbsp;Ti Lin,&nbsp;Shih-Chen Hu,&nbsp;Tomoaki Okuda","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00098-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00098-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study designed an improved parallel-plate particle separator, the Keio Measurement System of Aerosol Charging State (K-MACS), using numerical simulations to achieve a stable laminar flow field in practical devices. Combined with optical particle counters (OPCs), the system enables high-temporal-resolution (20 s) measurements of number concentrations of positively charged, uncharged, and negatively charged particles, allowing estimation of charge distributions for submicron particles (0.3–0.5 µm). The average particle charge number (<i>p</i>_ave) and standard deviation (1<i>σ</i>) were obtained by fitting the distributions to a Gaussian function. Experimental evaluation demonstrated that multiply charged particles moved toward oppositely charged electrodes and identified an optimum voltage of approximately 5.4 kV, where experimental and theoretical charge distributions agreed well. Measurement uncertainties for 1<i>σ</i> and distribution amplitude were reduced to ~ 5%, significantly lower than ~ 15% in the previous system. An application to indoor air revealed that <i>p</i>_ave and charged particle number concentrations varied with ion concentrations, confirming the importance of ion–aerosol interactions. The high temporal resolution of the K-MACS/OPC system enables the capture of rapid changes in particle charging states, thereby providing a powerful tool for advancing our understanding of atmospheric electrical processes and their impact on particle deposition in the human respiratory system.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00098-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elemental characterisation, potential sources and health risk assessment of ambient PM10 in urban Ghana during the dry season","authors":"Francis Attiogbe,&nbsp;Godfred Safo-Adu,&nbsp;Francis Gorman Ofosu,&nbsp;Arkoful Sam,&nbsp;Owiredu Gyampo,&nbsp;Hyacinthe Ahiamadjie","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00096-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00096-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>PM₁₀ (particles with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm) is a carrier of toxic elements from diverse sources. This study examined the origin and potential health risks associated with trace elements in PM₁₀ during the dry season in Ghana. A Gent sampler, equipped with a Gast pump and a stacked filter unit, was employed to collect airborne particulates at the Winneba Highway Intersection (WHI) and the Apam Fish-smoking Community (AFC). Sampling was conducted three times per week from November 2022 to March 2023, with each session lasting 24 h. The particulate samples were analysed for elemental and Black Carbon (BC) concentrations using Ag-anode X-ray tube spectrometer and a smoke stain reflectometer, respectively. The US EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) and health risk assessment models evaluated air quality and elemental toxicity risks, respectively. Notably, the average levels of Chromium (77 ng/m³) and Nickel (210 ng/m³) at WHI, and Chromium (310 ng/m³) and Nickel (470 ng/m³) at AFC, exceeded the US EPA threshold limits. Pearson’s correlation model linked BC, sulphur, and potassium to combustion-related emission sources. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that PM₁₀ at WHI originated from fugitive dust and sea salt, vehicular emissions, and minor industrial activities, whereas sea salt, dust, biomass burning, and vehicular emissions contributed to PM₁₀ at AFC. AQI ratings indicated moderate air quality during December to February, implying potential health risks for sensitive populations. Cancer risk levels were relatively higher in adults than in children. Adopting clean fuels and sustainable transport is vital to reducing PM₁₀ health risks.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00096-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling distribution and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound to PM2.5 in indoor and outdoor environments of urban primary schools","authors":"Mohamad Firdaus Ismail,&nbsp;Muhammad Fais Fadzil,&nbsp;Nur Nadrah Mohd Naim,&nbsp;Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof,&nbsp;Murnira Othman,&nbsp;Mohd Talib Latif,&nbsp;Nurul Bahiyah Abd Wahid,&nbsp;Noorlin Mohamad","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00094-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00094-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure in children has been associated with various health impacts, including increased risk of asthma, skin diseases and allergies. In this study, we investigated the distribution, possible sources, and potential health risks of PAHs bound to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) collected in urban primary school environments. PM_2.5 samples were collected using two identical low-volume samplers (LVS) equipped with quartz fibre filters (QMA) in both indoor and outdoor environments. The samples underwent ultrasonic extraction with a mixture of dichloromethane/n-Hexane (1:1) before analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed the mean total concentration of PAHs (∑PAHs) for indoor and outdoor environments were 4.34 ± 2.39 ng m^− 3 and 5.62 ± 2.39 ng m^− 3, respectively. High molecular weight (HMW) PAHs with five- and six-rings accounted for over 60% of outdoor and indoor ∑PAHs. Diagnostic ratio and source identification by principal component analysis revealed that traffic-related emissions from both gasoline and diesel-powered engines, as the primary contributors to ∑PAHs in school environments. The results of the total carcinogenic risk for children aged 7–12 years in all schools caused by the presence of PAHs compounds in outdoor environments was acceptable. In some indoor environments, the values at certain schools exceeded the standard threshold of 10^− 6-10^− 4, indicating potential health risks. Given that PAHs are primarily generated from transportation activities, it is necessary to monitor and control the sources of their emissions, particularly in schools that are significantly impacted by these pollutants.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00094-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Divers of ozone pollution across the Pearl River Delta during spring 2022: insights from observation and WRF-CMAQ","authors":"Jin Shen,&nbsp;Yan Zhou,&nbsp;Yujie Ye,&nbsp;Yuhong Zhai,&nbsp;Duohong Chen,&nbsp;Zhuangmin Zhong,&nbsp;Tingyuan Li,&nbsp;Chu Wu,&nbsp;Xinqi Xu","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00093-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00093-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ozone (O₃) pollution has emerged as a critical environmental issue in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), particularly during spring and autumn. This study employs the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system, a widely used tool for simulating atmospheric processes and chemistry, to investigate the drivers of O₃ pollution in May 2022, focusing on the impacts of meteorological variations and changes of other factors, including emission and ozone formation sensitivity variations. Results indicate that the 90th percentile of maximum daily average of 8-hour O₃ concentrations across the PRD cities increased by an average of 44.2% year-on-year. Model simulations reveal that meteorological changes contributed to a 30.6% rise in O₃ levels, while other factors accounted for a 13.6% increase—except in Huizhou and Shenzhen, where other factors led to a decline in O₃ concentrations. Adverse meteorological conditions, including reduced wind speeds, lower humidity, and increased sunshine duration, exacerbated ozone formation. Concurrently, the average concentrations of the ozone precursors— NO₂ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), increased overall in the PRD. However, NO₂ concentrations declined by 18.8% and 10.5% in Huizhou and Shenzhen, respectively, while VOCs concentrations fell by 20.5% in Huizhou. These observational findings align with model simulation, reinforcing their validity and highlighting the complex interplay between meteorology and other factors in shaping O₃ pollution trends. This study underscores the necessity of region-specific emission control strategies to effectively mitigate O₃ pollution.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00093-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148465667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proxy-based analysis of ozone formation and oxidant variability under conditional regimes in a rural rice paddy region","authors":"Min-Wook Kim,&nbsp;Hajeong Jeon,&nbsp;Dong-Hoon Ko,&nbsp;Woojun Kim,&nbsp;Chaehyeong Park,&nbsp;Seoyeong Choe,&nbsp;Myoungki Song,&nbsp;Jin-Ho Kim,&nbsp;Min-Suk Bae","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00092-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00092-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Tropospheric ozone (O₃) formation in rural environments is controlled by interactions among nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radical chemistry, and meteorology. This study investigated photochemical O₃ formation and oxidant variability at a rural agricultural site in Buan, South Korea, using three years (2023–2025) of continuous observations. Because direct VOC and radical measurements were unavailable, an observation-based proxy framework constrained by the oxidant indicator Ox (O₃ + NO₂) was applied using routinely measured NO, NO₂, O₃, temperature, and relative humidity. Ox was used to represent oxidant levels while reducing the influence of rapid NO titration. During the study period, annual mean NO₂ declined, whereas O₃ and Ox remained within relatively narrow ranges. O₃ and Ox showed clear seasonal cycles, with elevated levels from spring to early summer. Proxy-derived OH, VOC oxidation, HO₂, RO₂, and p(O₃) also exhibited pronounced warm-season maxima, indicating enhanced daytime photochemical activity under favorable conditions. Annual statistics of integrated daytime proxy p(O₃) and observed daytime oxidant enhancement (ΔOx) showed only modest interannual variability, with a slight decrease from 2023 to 2025. Regime filtering further identified a high-photochemistry regime under warm, relatively dry, and low-NO conditions, in which both integrated proxy p(O₃) and observed daytime ΔOx were substantially higher than under a contrasting low-photochemistry regime. These results indicate that local daytime oxidant enhancement at the Buan site was most clearly expressed under conditions favorable for radical production and photochemical processing. Although the proxy-derived variables do not represent absolute radical concentrations or ozone production rates, the framework provides a practical tool for diagnosing relative photochemical behavior in rural environments where direct VOC and radical measurements are unavailable.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00092-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148323342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial-temporal characteristics and meteorological drivers of ground-level ozone pollution in a Valley Basin City: a 5-year monitoring study in Heyuan, South China","authors":"Chu Wu,&nbsp;Jin Shen,&nbsp;Tingyuan Li,&nbsp;Liangxiong Luo,&nbsp;Xixi Cai","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00090-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00090-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Over the past decade, with the implementation of a series of prevention and control measures, the concentration of PM_2.5 at the surface in China has rapidly decreased. However, the issue of environmental ozone in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which is located in South China, has begun to stand out, becoming a key factor affecting air quality. Currently, research on ground ozone pollution primarily focuses on super city clusters with high pollutant emissions, while there is comparatively limited research on the cities with lower emissions on the outskirts of the Pearl River Delta. This study utilized continuous automatic monitoring data for air quality and meteorological conditions from 2019 to 2023 to summarize ground-level ozone pollution events in Heyuan, South China, with a focus on the characteristics of ozone pollution and associated weather types. Over the five-year study period, a total of 39 ozone pollution days were observed in Heyuan, which mainly occurred in spring and autumn. Specifically, the annual number of ozone pollution days was 7 in 2019, 6 in 2020, 11in 2021, 10 in 2022 and 5 in 2023, with an annual average of 7.8 days. Additionally, low-level pollution, characterized by AQI values between 101 and 110, comprised a significant proportion (53.8%), suggesting substantial potential for further reduction of pollution events. By summarizing the meteorological drivers of ozone pollution in specific valley basin cities, this research supports authorities in executing regional joint controls and emission reductions to safeguard citizen health and mobility.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00090-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148281489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of the National Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory (2022) in the Republic of Korea","authors":"Byeol Kang,&nbsp;Yumi Hong,&nbsp;Yuri Jang,&nbsp;Hyeonjeong Cho,&nbsp;Jeongpil Jang,&nbsp;Hyangkyeong Lee,&nbsp;Changhan Bae,&nbsp;Hyungcheon Kim,&nbsp;Hyeongdo Song,&nbsp;Chul Yoo","doi":"10.1007/s44273-026-00088-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44273-026-00088-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Republic of Korea estimates annual air pollutant emissions through the Clean Air Policy Support System (CAPSS), based on 260 types of basic data collected from approximately 150 institutions. These estimation results are published annually as national statistics and are used to formulate and evaluate national air quality policies. This study analyzed the emission characteristics by source type and administrative region using the 2022 Republic of Korea National Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory (NEI). The results were further categorized according to improvements compared with 2021—specifically in estimation methods, emission factors, policies, and socioeconomic conditions. In 2022, national emissions of major air pollutants were as follows: PM₂.₅, 59,459 tons; SOₓ, 126,743 tons; NOₓ, 857,026 tons; VOCs, 938,341 tons; NH₃, 242,227 tons; and CO, 921,783 tons. The primary emission sources for each pollutant were: fugitive dust for PM₂.₅ (26.1%), combustion in the manufacturing industry for SOₓ (32.4%), non-road transport for NOₓ (31.8%), solvents use for VOCs (54.9%), agriculture for NH₃ (83.6%), and biomass burning for CO (24.0%). Compared with 2021 levels, emissions of PM₂.₅ and CO increased by 2,142 tons (3.7%) and 226,966 tons (32.7%), respectively, while emissions of SOₓ, NOₓ, VOCs, and NH₃ decreased by 34,250 tons (21.3%), 27,427 tons (3.1%), 64,469 tons (6.4%), and 19,781 tons (7.5%), respectively. These fluctuations were primarily attributed to varying influencing factors: PM₂.₅ and NOₓ were strongly affected by socioeconomic activities and policy implementation, respectively, whereas changes in SOₓ, VOCs, NH₃, and CO were mainly driven by emission reduction improvements.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":45358,"journal":{"name":"Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44273-026-00088-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148281396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}