Vehicle emissions and industrial pollution play a significant role in triggering poor air quality alerts in the nation’s south, the Ministry of Environment said yesterday, citing research by academics in Taiwan and the US.
NASA airplanes equipped with sophisticated sensors conducted three flyovers in 2024 in collaboration with Taiwanese academics to measure air pollution using LIDAR, drones, balloons and observation teams, the researchers told a news conference.
The US contributed significantly to the study, as the complex interaction of pollutants, meteorological events and terrain conditions could not be adequately studied from the ground, they said.
Photo: CNA
The data showed that seasonal winds and topography factors often trap pollution from domestic and foreign sources, including biomass burning in Indochina, in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, they said.
Emissions from industrial activity and transportation accounted for the majority of air pollution in the region, said Wang Sheng-hsiang (王聖翔), a professor of atmospheric sciences at National Central University.
Volatile organic compounds from vehicles were detected at 200m to 800m above sea level, Wang said.
Pollutants from vehicles were notable in measurements on days of dangerously poor air quality, showing the effect that private vehicles have on air pollution, said You Chih-yuan (游智淵), a scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Environment.
The findings might prompt the ministry to devote more resources to regulating air pollution generated by daily life, You said.
Surges in pollution from industrial sources might have tipped the balance during periods of poor or dangerously poor air quality, said Wang Chia-lin (王家麟), a professor of chemistry at the university.
Lai Hsin-chih (賴信志), a professor of chemistry at Chang Jung Christian University, said that improved understanding of vertical atmospheric structures has important implications for governance.
Sensors run by local authorities should take local topography into account, as pollutants are far more likely to form high-concentration pockets in areas with limited geographical horizon, he said.
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