Comparison of particulate mass, chemical species for urban, suburban and rural areas in central Taiwan, Taichung

Aerosol samples for PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and TSP were collected from June to Sep tember 1998 and from February to March 1999 in central Taiwan, Ion chromato graphy was used to analyze the acidic anions: sulfate, nitrate and chloride in the Universal samples. The ratios of fine particle concentrations to co arse particle concentrations displayed that the fine particle concentration s are almost greater than that of coarse particle concentrations in Taichun g area. The average concentrations of PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and TSP in urban site s are higher than in suburban and rural sites at both daytime and night-tim e. Chloride dominated in the coarse mode in daytime and in fine mode in nig ht-time. Nitrate can be found in both the coarse and fine modes. Sulfate do minated in fine mode in both daytime and night-time, (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.