Organic and elemental carbon characteristics in PM<inf>2.5</inf> across diverse landscapes

Abstract

Air pollution, particularly in urban and industrial areas, is affecting human health. Dust particles in the air are mostly composed of carbon particles, either organic carbon (OC) or elemental carbon (EC). In this study, carbon compositions of PM2.5 in different land use categories by Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) were evaluated. A sampling was carried out using the gravimetric method. The samples were analyzed for their organic and elemental carbon composition using thermal optical analysis following the U.S. EPA IMPROVE-A. The results indicate that organic carbon was dominant in all sampled areas. The OC/EC ratio in PM2.5 ranged from 3.20 to 3.38. It can be concluded that the main sources of PM2.5 are emissions from gasoline and LPG exhaust, which come from vehicle and industrial combustion. Moreover, this study can provide supporting information for effective management and control of air pollution in urban areas.