Source Apportion-ment
Redefining air pollution contributions relevant to human health
HKUST has been playing a leading role in providing evidence for local and regional air pollution control measures. Among the various powerful tools, "Source Apportionment Method" has been demonstrating as the most effective model in resolving spatiotemporal distribution and composition of air pollutants in a particular region/location.
Since 2003, IENV has been dedicating research efforts on Source Apportionment Studies to elucidate the underlying contribution profile of air pollutants in Hong Kong. Groundbreaking research findings generated in 2009 provided first time a clear picture to the top question about relative significance of local vs. regional sources for Hong Kong's air pollution. Continuous efforts paid in recent years have generated remarkable policy intervention hence encouraging air quality improvements in Hong Kong.
EMISSIONS MEASUREMENT
3 Approaches
METHOD 1
Total Emissions
OBJECTIVE
It is useful on a regional scale to depict the volumes (in tonnage) emitted from
different sources
PROBLEM
Difficult to generate quantitative estimate of individual pollutants' contribution in
particular location
METHOD 2
Source Apportionment
OBJECTIVE
Based on "Receptor Models" and chemically speciated data to apportion air pollution component abundances
PROBLEM
In-depth understanding of prevailing environmental conditions as well as expertise in analysing environmental data is needed
METHOD 3
Time-based Apportionment
OBJECTIVE
It shows air pollution component abundances in terms of number of days
PROBLEM
Specific trace gas (e.g. SO2) might be overshadowed by local sources over a period of time hence overestimating
its contribution