In many epidemiological studies, the dust extinction coefficient measured by light detection and ranging (LIDAR) is used as an indicator of exposure to Asian dust. However, few reports on the relationship between the distribution of total suspended particles (TSPs) near the ground surface and the dust extinction coefficient exist. In this study, we examined the relationship between the concentrations of TSPs near the ground surface, substances indicative of mineral content, and air pollutants that may be transported with Asian dust and dust extinction coefficients in two regions: Imizu and Yurihama-Matsue, from March to May in 2011 and 2013. In both years, large dust extinction coefficients were observed in Imizu and Matsue on days when the concentrations of TSPs and mineral content indicators were high near the ground surface in Imizu and Yurihama, and Asian dust was expected to be highly suspended. In both regions, the concentrations of TSPs and mineral content indicators were significantly positively correlated with the dust extinction coefficient. The concentrations of all air pollutants analyzed were significantly positively correlated with the dust extinction coefficient in each region in 2013, but not in 2011. These results suggest that the dust extinction coefficient is a useful indicator of Asian dust near the ground surface; however, as harmful air pollutants occasionally move with Asian dust, it is necessary to monitor these pollutants near the ground surface when conducting an epidemiological study on the health effect of airborne particles.
Keywords: Asian dust; air pollutant; airborne particle; epidemiological study; light detection and ranging.