Abstract
We measured the atmospheric concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on every Tuesday from 2016 to 2019 to reveal the characteristics of PM2.5 pollution in a suburban residential area of Saitama Prefecture, a commuter town of Tokyo, and obtained the following results. First, mean PM2.5 concentration over four years was 15.3 µg/m3, which was slightly higher than the long-term environmental standard of 15 µg/m3. Second, extremely high PM2.5 concentrations may have been caused by the arrival of the Yellow Sand; a high PAH concentration was also observed during this event. Third, in the area surrounding the fields, PM2.5 as well as PAH concentrations were increased from autumn to winter owing to open burning of biomass. Finally, the PM2.5 concentration in the suburban areas surrounding the fields was 70% of that in central Tokyo, and the PAH concentration in late winter was the same as that in central Tokyo. These findings suggest that PM2.5 and PAH concentrations in the suburban area surrounding the fields were high despite the area’s low population density because of PM2.5 accumulation in the metropolitan area and PM2.5 emission from biomass burning. To improve the living environment of suburban residential areas surrounding fields, it is necessary to restrict biomass burning.
