Estimation of Source Apportionment for Filter-based PM2.5 Data using the EPA-PMF Model at Air Pollution Monitoring Supersites

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate PM2.5 source contributions using the filter-based PM2.5 data collected from the two air pollution monitoring supersites. The PM2.5 samples collected at Seoul supersite and central region supersite from January 2014 to December 2014. This study used EPA-PMF model to estimate the source profiles and their mass contributions. In the case of the Seoul supersite, the average mass was apportioned to secondary nitrate (24.3%), secondary sulfate (20.8%), vehicles (15.7%), wood/field burning (13.8%), incinerator (6.8%), coal combustion (6.7%), industry (4.2%), oil combustion (3.4%), soil (2.5%), and road emission (1.8%). In the case of the central region supersite, the average mass was apportioned to secondary nitrate (25.3%), secondary sulfate (20.7%), vehicles (14.1%), coal combustion (13.4%), wood/field burning (8.4%), soil (8.1%), oil combustion (4.4%), aged sea salt (4.0%), and industry (1.6%). As mentioned before, in order to prevent the occurrence of high concentration of PM2.5, it is necessary to intensive management of secondary nitrate and secondary sulfate. Although, the PMF model has many adventages, it also has several disadvantages. Currently, the standardization of the PMF modeling procedure is in progress, so it is suggest that researchers can accurately estimate the source contributions.