Identification and interpretation of representative ozone distributions in association with the sea breeze from different synoptic winds over the coastal urban area in Korea

To aid the studies of long-term impact assessment of cumulative ozone (O3) exposures, the representative 8-hr O3 pollution patterns have been identified over the Greater Seoul Area (GSA) in Korea. Principal component analysis and two-stage clustering techniques were used to identify the representative O3 patterns, and numerical and observational analyses were also used to interpret the identified horizontal distribution patterns. The results yielded three major O3 distribution patterns, and each of the three patterns was found to have strong correlations with local and synoptic meteorological conditions over the GSA. For example, pattern 1, accounting for 46% of O3 concentration distributions, mostly occurred under relatively weak westerly synoptic winds. The predominant features of this pattern were infrequent high O3 levels but a distinct gradient of O3 concentration from the western coastal area to the eastern inland area that was mainly induced by the local sea breeze. Pattern 2, accounting for 31% of O3 concentration distributions, was found with higher O3 levels in the western coastal area but lower in the eastern inland area. This is due to the modified sea breeze under the relatively stronger easterly opposing synoptic wind, affecting the high O3 occurrence in the western coastal area only. However, pattern 3, accounting for 21% of O3 concentration distributions, showed significantly higher O3 concentrations over the whole GSA mainly due to the retarded and slow-moving sea-breeze front under the weak opposing synoptic flow. Modeling study also indicated that local and synoptic meteorological processes play a major role in determining the high O3 concentration distribution patterns over the GSA.     

Numerical simulation of an array of fences in Saemangeum reclaimed land

This paper discusses about the quantitative effect of windbreak fences on wind velocity in the reclaimed land at Saemangeum in South Korea. Windbreak fences were constructed in the reclaimed land to reduce the wind velocity to prevent the generation and diffusion of dust. However, up to this time, no in-depth studies were conducted to quantitatively measure the effect of the windbreak fences on wind velocity thus an optimum windbreak structure is not yet determined. Using CFD simulations, the effects of fence porosity, fence height, and the distance between the adjacent fences were investigated. A wind tunnel experiment was initially conducted and data gathered were used to develop the CFD models. From the experiments and CFD simulations, the overall percentage difference of the measured velocities was 7.20% which is generally acceptable to establishing the reliability of the CFD models. The reduction effect on wind velocity was measured in between the adjacent fences up to a height of 0.6 m from the ground surface. In terms of porosity ( = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6), 0.2 was found to be the optimum value. Conversely, the effect of fence height (0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 m) showed no significant difference; therefore, 0.6 m height is recommended. In addition, the reduction effect of distance between the adjacent fences (2, 4 and 6 m) on wind velocity having a 0.2 porosity has decreased to about 75% regardless of the distance. In the case of the reclaimed land in Saemangeum, a decrease of 75% can prevent the generation and diffusion of dusts. However, the source of dusts is very large. Therefore, constructing an array of windbreak with 6 m distance between them is deemed necessary.     

Effects of time-gap settings of adaptive cruise control (ACC) on driving performance and subjective acceptance in a bus driving simulator

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of time-gap settings and contents of secondary tasks on a fix-based bus driving simulator on drivers’ performance while reclaiming control from ACC in a car-following scenario of emergency brake by the lead vehicle. Thirty professional bus drivers drove on the simulator with the scenario of highway traffic flow under 12 random time-gap settings: from 0.64 s to 2.40 s with the interval of 0.16 s. As for the effects of secondary tasks, subjects were evenly divided into three conditions: no secondary task interference, simple secondary task, and complex task. The results demonstrated that different safety demarcations of time-gaps on subjective acceptance and driving performance can be found out. The integrated demarcations separated time-gaps into divisions that represented different levels of danger. It revealed that the safer time-gaps for different situations were: longer than 1.60 s for none-secondary task distraction and longer than 2.08 s for being continuously distracted by secondary tasks. The demand for simple tasks is relatively high, so a larger time-gap is needed for the driver to remain safe. This research has implications for the time-gap selection of ACC and effects of secondary task distraction on buses. A next logical step will focus on determining time-gaps for lead vehicles on curves or slopes, when multiple vehicles are present ahead, and modeling driver behavior and performance with ACC for cars, buses, and other types of vehicles.     

Effects of fine particulate matter and its constituents on emergency room visits for asthma in southern Taiwan during 2008–2010: a population-based study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This population-based study evaluated the short-term association between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and its constituents and...     

Effect of metal and glycol on mechanochemical dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

This paper assesses the potential of mechanochemical method with fine metal powder, glycol and alkali for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) removal from waste insulating oil. The effects of relevant parameters, such as kinds of chemicals, rate and time of milling were examined. After each run, the total PCBs content in waste insulating oil was measured. Polyethylene glycol 200, long chain-glycol was more effective than triethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, short chain-glycol as hydrogen donor in mechanochemical dechlorination of PCBs. A maximum of 99.9% PCBs removal (below 2ppm) and 94% total chlorine removal were achieved with the mechanochemical process for 2h.     

DIGITAL SIMULATION OF THE EFFECT OF THERMAL DISCHARGE ON STREAM WATER QUALITY1

A modified transient version of the Streeter-Phelps model along with the energy balance equation is employed to analyze the effects of waste heat discharge from power plants on stream water quality. Analysis is also made to examine the effects of the upstream water quality and stream velocity on the downstream DO concentration level. The resulting coupled nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations representing the energy, BOD and DO concentrations are solved by the method of characteristics and simulated on a digital computer. Final numerical results indicate that the allowable quantity of thermal discharge does heavily depend on the upstream quality.     

Nationwide monitoring of atmospheric PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in South Korea

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were measured in ambient air samples collected from different parts of South Korea in 2008, and the measured levels were used for assessing the spatial and temporal distribution of atmospheric PCDDFs and DL-PCBs in South Korea. The average concentrations of atmospheric PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs among the 37 sites were 28 fg I-TEQ m⁻³ (ND ∼ 617) and 1 fg WHO-TEQ m⁻³ (ND ∼ 0.016). Elevated atmospheric levels of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs observed at residential/industrial sites and in the north-west of Korea, indicated a potential contribution and impacts of anthropogenic sources of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs. These levels were similar or lower than those previously reported in other ambient air surveys. Average concentrations of PCDD/Fs showed small seasonal variations (ANOVA analysis, p = 0.144). The highest concentrations of PCDD/Fs were observed during winter, followed by spring, autumn and summer. Atmospheric PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in South Korea rapidly decreased during the last 10 years (1998-2008), demonstrating the efficiency of stricter regulations and the application of best available technologies/best environmental practices at emission sources. Comparison of the congener profiles and principal component analysis showed that current atmospheric PCDD/Fs are mostly influenced by industrial sources and PCBs from old commercial PCB uses. Nationwide POPs monitoring will continue and allows an effective evaluation of the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs.