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Air Pollution Monitoring in East Asia — Japan’S Role As an Environmentally Advanced Asian Country — SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TRENDS QUARTERLY REVIEW No.18 / January 2006 5 Air Pollution Monitoring in East Asia — Japan’s Role as an Environmentally Advanced Asian Country — HIROKAZU FUKUSHIMA Environment and Energy Research Unit atmosphere, are carried across borders through 1 Introduction the general atmospheric circulation (seasonal winds, etc.), and this could have a serious impact As shown in Figure 1, primary energy on other countries. Given the ever-expanding consumption in East Asian countries -more economic activities in East Asia, transboundary than one third of the world’s population live air pollution is expected to pose a serious in- is surging with the rapidly growing regional problem in the near future, necessitating economy. However, oil has yet to replace coal as immediate measures. the primary energy source in these countries, This article describes the role of monitoring many of which are still dependent on coal with of ambient air quality and pollutant emission a high sulfur content. Meanwhile, with the rapid sources in solving air pollution problems, while motorization in China and in the other emerging providing an overview of Japan’s efforts to economies in the region, the atmospheric significantly reduce air pollutants, primarily concentrations of sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen through monitoring activities. The development oxides (NOx), suspended particulate matter of a regional monitoring network is critical (SPM) and ozone (O3) are on the rise, causing in addressing transboundary air pollution in serious air pollution. East Asia, where Japan, as an environmentally Air pollutants, once released into the advanced country, has a role to play. Figure 1 : Trends in primary energy consumption in Asian countries Source: The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan[1] 54 55 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TRENDS QUARTERLY REVIEW No.18 / January 2006 2 Possible impact on Japan 2-2 Tropospheric ozone concentrations of air pollutants originating over Japan Figure 2 shows the concentrations of NOx, in the Asian Continent non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC)*1 and photochemical oxidants*2 in Japan, while Figure 2-1 Acid rain in the region along 3 shows the number of days when photochemical the Sea of Japan oxidant warnings were issued in Tokyo. While According to a nationwide survey on acid rain NOx and NMHC concentrations have been stable conducted over the past two decades by the or declining in recent years, photochemical Ministry of the Environment (completed in 2002), oxidant concentrations are increasing across the the amounts of sulfate and nitrate ion deposits country. As a result, environmental standards*3 in acid rain vary both seasonally and regionally. for photochemical oxidant concentrations Specifically, they peak during the winter are not complied with in many areas, and the months in the central and northern regions number of warnings shows no sign of abating along the Sea of Japan and in the San-in region. in metropolitan areas. The Japan Agency for This observation suggests that SOx and NOx Marine-Earth Science and Technology analyzed originating in the Asian Continent were carried data on tropospheric ozone concentrations using aloft by the winter winds to reach the region backward trajectory analysis*4 in an effort to along the Sea of Japan[2]. explain this phenomenon. The results of this Meanwhile, the results of a numerical model analysis indicate that NOx originating in East Asia for the transport of transboundary air pollutants contributes to increasing tropospheric ozone during the high wind period (from January 15 to concentrations over Japan, which is located in the February 14, 1999) indicate that 62% and 16% of lee of East Asia, during the spring and summer the SOx deposits observed in Japan originate in months when photochemical reactions peak[4]. China and Korea, respectively. The air pollutants released in the Asian Continent could therefore 2-3 Brown clouds have a significant impact on Japan[3]. Brown clouds have been observed in recent Figure 2 : Trends in the average concentrations of nitrogen oxides, non-methane hydrocarbons and photochemical oxidants in Japan Source: Reference[5] 54 55 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TRENDS QUARTERLY REVIEW No.18 / January 2006 Figure 3 : Number of days where photochemical oxidant warnings were issued in Tokyo 3 The role of monitoring in addressing air pollution problems 3-1 Mechanisms of air pollution As shown in Figure 4, emissions from stationary sources (fossil fuel combustion gases) and mobile sources (tailpipe emissions) contain Source: Reference[6] pollutants such as SOx, NOx, particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). SOx and NOx, when inhaled, cause respiratory years over the Asian region. Brown clouds, disease. They are converted to sulfuric acid averaging about 3 kilometers in thickness, are and nitric acid in the atmosphere, causing made up of high concentrations of aerosols*5 and acid rain. In addition, NOx and some VOCs yellow sand. These airborne particulates block (non-methane hydrocarbons), when exposed the sunlight, resulting in less sunlight reaching to strong ultraviolet radiation, are converted the earth’s surface — a phenomenon that has to photochemical oxidants, irritating the eyes a serious impact on crop production and may and respiratory organs. Very fine particulate have been implicated in recent unusual monsoon matter is suspended in the air, and hence is weather patterns in Asia. The United Nations called “suspended particulate matter (SPM)”. It Environment Programme (UNEP) launched is considered to cause respiratory disease and an international research project in 2003 to climate change. investigate brown clouds in Asia. 3-2 The role of air pollution monitoring 2-4 Transboundary air pollution problems The first step in instituting measures against As mentioned earlier, acid rain, photochemical air pollution is to have a clear picture of the oxidants and suspended particulate matter have current pollution situation through ambient air all proved to be transboundary air pollution monitoring. Such measurement values are a basis problems. Keeping track of the atmospheric for setting emission standards for environmental concentrations of SOx, NOx, ozone and SPM in measures. Ambient air monitoring plays a vital the whole of East Asia is considered a critical first role in assessing and reviewing environmental step towards solving these problems. measures, which are implemented by repeating the cycle of (1) understanding the current situation (through ambient air monitoring), (2) Figure 4 : Mechanisms of air pollution Source: 2004 Energy White Paper[7] 56 57 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TRENDS QUARTERLY REVIEW No.18 / January 2006 formulating and implementing specific measures, Figure 5 : Measures against air pollution and (3) reviewing achievements (through ambient air monitoring), as shown in Figure 5. (1) Ambient air monitoring Ambient air monitoring can be broadly categorized into (1) regional monitoring, which keeps track of local pollution, and (2) broad-based monitoring, which is not influenced directly by air pollution sources, and provides background measurements. Regional monitoring is conducted by monitoring stations around the world, each of which provides representative data for the Source: Prepared by STFC region in which it operates. In Japan, two types of monitoring stations are in operation: processes and the operation of desulfurization/de general ambient air monitoring stations nitrification facilities. (continuous monitoring of general air pollution), and automobile exhaust monitoring stations 3-3 Controlling the accuracy (continuous monitoring of air pollution caused by of ambient air monitoring automobile exhaust). Measurement values obtained from ambient Broad-based monitoring, meanwhile, is air monitoring should be accurate in order to designed to keep track of the medium to keep track of the pollution situation in the region long-range transport of air pollutants (several concerned. In other words, certain standards hundred to several thousand kilometers). It is should be set for measuring instruments, conducted in locations away from pollution and measurements should be conducted in sources such as Oki (Shimane Prefecture) and accordance with prescribed procedures. It is Hedo Cape (Okinawa Prefecture). therefore essential that operating procedures These monitoring systems, both essential in for the entire monitoring process (including keeping track of air pollution levels, should be calibration procedures using standard samples) integrated to establish a monitoring network. be established and accuracy assurance/control be implemented at each monitoring station. (2) Pollution source monitoring Specific approaches to ensure the accuracy of Long-range transport models are quite effective measurement values include: in shedding light on how air pollutants are transported over thousands of kilometers. (1) Preparation of high accuracy standard The development of such accurate transport samples models involves the identification of pollution (2) Establishment of a calibration system sources (factories, facilities, etc.) along with the (3) Regular cross-checking among monitoring types and amount of pollutants released into the networks atmosphere. This can be done by monitoring (4) Establishment of a data management system air pollution sources. In a situation where (5) Improvement of technical training for environmental measures are in place — with monitoring activities factories, facilites, etc. implementing measures
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