Abstract

To check the possible transportation of gaseous air pollutants with the particles of yellow sand in the movement of air masses during the Yellow Sand Phenomenon, the concentrations of such air pollutants as TSP, $SO_2, CO, NO_x, O_3 and N-CH_4$, and wind wpeed were measured during the Yellow Sand Phenomenon (April 8 $\sim 10, 1990) and they were compared with those during the normal times in Korea. Meanwhile dust color of the samples during the Yellow Sand Phenomenon was the color of sand, that during the normal times was dark-brown. The concentrations of dusts; water soluble components, and metallic components of soil-originated elements during the Yellow Sand Phenomenon were higher than those during the normal times. While the metallic components in the dusts during the Yellow Sand Phenomenon were from soil-originated elements, those during the normal times were of both soiloriginated and sea-originated elements. The change of hourly concentrations of air pollutants showed bi-modal distribution during the two periods. Generally, the concentration levels of air pollutants during the Yellow Sand Period were higher than those during the normal times. Although similarity was observed in the primary sources, differences were observed in the dynamics of the secondary sources due to chemical reactions of the air pollutants during the two periods.

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