Spatial-temporal variability and heath impact of particulate matter during a 2019-2020 biomass burning event in Southeast Asia

Murnira Othman; Mohd Talib Latif; Haris Hafizal Abd Hamid; Royston Uning; Thipsukon Khumsaeng; Worradorn Phairuang; Zawawi Daud; Juferi Idris; Nurzawani Md Sofwan; Shih-Chun Candice Lung

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-11409-z

Spatial-temporal variability and heath impact of particulate matter during a 2019-2020 biomass burning event in Southeast Asia

Sci Rep. 2022 May 10;12(1):7630. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-11409-z.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. murnira@ukm.edu.my.
² Centre for Toxicology and Health Risk Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. murnira@ukm.edu.my.
³ Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁴ Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
⁵ Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 239, Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
⁶ Faculty of Geosciences and Civil Engineering, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan.
⁷ Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Parit Raja, 86400, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.
⁸ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sarawak Branch, Samarahan Campus, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
⁹ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
¹⁰ Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sarawak Branch, Samarahan Campus, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
¹¹ Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.

Abstract

To understand the characteristics of particulate matter (PM) in the Southeast Asia region, the spatial-temporal concentrations of PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and PM₁ in Malaysia (Putrajaya, Bukit Fraser and Kota Samarahan) and Thailand (Chiang Mai) were determined using the AS-LUNG V.2 Outdoor sensor. The period of measurement was over a year from 2019 to 2020. The highest concentrations of all sizes of PM in Putrajaya, Bukit Fraser and Kota Samarahan were observed in September 2019 while the highest PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and PM₁ concentrations in Chiang Mai were observed between March and early April 2020 with 24 h average concentrations during haze days in ranges 83.7-216 µg m^-3, 78.3-209 µg m^-3 and 57.2-140 µg m^-3, respectively. The average PM_2.5/PM₁₀ ratio during haze days was 0.93 ± 0.05, which was higher than the average for normal days (0.89 ± 0.13) for all sites, indicating higher PM_2.5 concentrations during haze days compared to normal days. An analysis of particle deposition in the human respiratory tract showed a higher total deposition fraction value during haze days than on non-haze days. The result from this study indicated that Malaysia and Thailand are highly affected by biomass burning activity during the dry seasons and the Southwest monsoon.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Asia, Southeastern
Biomass
Environmental Monitoring
Humans
Particle Size
Particulate Matter* / analysis
Seasons

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter