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Development and application of three-dimensional potential source contribution function (3D-PSCF)

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Abstract

A potential source contribution function (PSCF) can indicate the source areas of high air pollutant concentrations using backward trajectories. However, the conventional two-dimensional PSCF (2D-PSCF) cannot consider the emission and transport height of air pollutants. That missing information might be critical because injection height varies depending on the source type, such as with biomass burning. We developed a simple algorithm to account for the height of trajectories with high concentrations and combined it with the conventional PSCF to devise 3D-PSCF. We demonstrate the applicability of the 3D-PSCF by applying it to particulate PAH data collected from September 2006 to August 2007 in Seoul. We found variation in the results from 3D-PSCF with threshold heights from 3,000 to 1,500 m. Applying 2,000 m as the threshold height in the PSCF calculation most clearly determined the possible source areas of air pollutants from biomass fuel burning that were affecting the air quality in Seoul.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Korea (NRF-2014R1A2A2A05007038) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea (NRF-2011-0021504).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, Korea

    In Sun Kim, Daehyun Wee & Yong Pyo Kim

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, Korea

    Yong Pyo Kim

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, BK21 Team for Biohydrogen Production, Chosun University, 309, Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61452, Korea

    Ji Yi Lee

Authors
  1. In Sun Kim
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  2. Daehyun Wee
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  3. Yong Pyo Kim
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Correspondence to Daehyun Wee.

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Responsible editor: Marcus Schulz

Highlights

Injection height of air pollutants cannot be considered in the conventional PSCF

Injection heights differ depending on source types, such as with biomass burning

The proposed 3D-PSCF accounts for the height of trajectories

Possible source areas for biomass burning were more clearly determined using 3D-PSCF

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Kim, I.S., Wee, D., Kim, Y.P. et al. Development and application of three-dimensional potential source contribution function (3D-PSCF). Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 16946–16954 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6787-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6787-x

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