The measurements of ambient particulates (TSP, PM2.5, PM2.5-10), chemical component concentration variation, and mutagenicity study during 1998-2001 in central Taiwan.

During June 1998 and February 2001, the experiments of this study were conducted at four sampling sites (THUPB, THUC, HKIT and CCRT) with different characters (suburban, rural and traffic). The chemical components (Cl-, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe, Zn, Pb, Ni) in suspended particle were also analyzed simultaneously. The particulate mass concentrations are higher in the traffic site (CCRT) than the other sampling sites in this study. This is because that high traffic density flow characterized CCRT sampling site. Besides, the fine particle (PM2.5) concentration was the dominant species out of the total suspended particles in central Taiwan, Taichung. The same phenomenon is found in most of cities around the world. Moreover, chloride, nitrate sulfate and ammonium are higher in Taiwan than other sampling sites in the world. The results also indicated that the control of acidic and secondary aerosol pollutants have become an important issue in Taiwan. In addition, mutagenic assays on the organic extracts of airborne particulates at different sampling sites were also conducted in central Taiwan. The data obtained here also reflected that the mutagenicity of the suspended particulates are significantly higher in winter period than it occurred in summer period.