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Urban Air Pollution in Taiwan before and after the Installation of a Mass Rapid Transit System
Author(s) -
Ding PeiHsiou,
Wang GenShuh,
Chen BingYu,
Wan GwoHwa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2015.08.0432
Subject(s) - metropolitan area , air quality index , air pollution , environmental science , urbanization , pollution , particulates , pollutant , environmental protection , environmental engineering , geography , meteorology , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry , archaeology , economic growth , economics , biology
Urbanization causes air pollution in metropolitan areas, coupled with meteorological factors that affect air quality. Although previous studies focused on the relationships of urbanization, air pollution, and climate change in Western countries, this study evaluated long‐term variations of air quality and meteorological factors in Taiwanese metropolitan areas (Taipei area, Taichung City, and Kaohsiung City) and a rural area (Hualien County) between 1993 and 2012. The influence of a mass rapid transit (MRT) system on air quality was also evaluated. Air pollutant concentrations and meteorology data were collected from Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA) air monitoring stations and Central Weather Bureau stations in the surveyed areas, respectively. Analyses indicate that levels of air pollution in metropolitan areas were greater than in the rural area. Kaohsiung City had the highest levels of O 3 , SO 2 , and particulate matter 2.5 or 10 µm in diameter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ). Clear downward trends for CO, NO 2 , PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and especially SO 2 concentrations were found in the surveyed areas, whereas O 3 showed no decrease. Both O 3 and PM concentrations showed similar bimodal seasonal distributions. Taiwan's air quality has improved significantly since 1993, indicating the effectiveness of promoting air pollution strategies and policies by the TEPA. Air pollution had an obvious improvement in Taipei area after the MRT system began operations in 1996. Because global climate may potentially affect urban air pollution in Taiwan, further study to clarify the mechanisms by which air pollution may affect human health and other biological effects is warranted. Core Ideas Levels of air pollution in metropolitan areas were greater than in the rural area in Taiwan. Clear downward trends for CO, SO 2 , NO 2 , PM 10 , PM 2.5 levels in the surveyed areas, but not for O 3 . Levels of NO 2 and CO in the Taipei area showed improvement after MRT system installation.