This review paper presents the background and research outcomes of the “Automated Analysis of Atmospheric Gases and Particulate Matter,” awarded the Academic Prize by the Japan Society of Atmospheric Environment in 2025. The research encompasses the following four key areas: 1) An investigation into morning dew, which has historically received limited attention in environmental science, focusing on its occurrence frequency, the contribution rates of atmospheric gas and aerosol components, and the factors influencing the concentrations of air pollutants and dew components; 2) The development of continuous collectors for atmospheric gases and aerosols, designed to selectively collect and analyze anionic components in water-soluble acidic gases and anions in aerosols with a high temporal resolution; 3) The automation of tracking atmospheric pollutants flowing into the summit of Mt. Fuji by integrating the developed collectors with an ion chromatograph; and 4) The development of analytical modules aimed at further miniaturizing and enhancing the performance of the atmospheric analysis system.

Ammonia in the atmosphere contributes to many ecological, environmental and climatological roles. Agriculture and livestock are recognized as the major strong sources. However, small-scale sources are also crucial for local impact on the atmospheric environment dut to the short atmospheric lifetime of ammonia. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the effect of ammonia sources on the atmosphere, and findings from continuous measurements at Nagoya, Tokyo, and Fukuoka in Japan. It includes factors causing 1) rapid increases in ammonia concentrations after fog and dew disappearance, 2) morning increase in ammonia concentration during warm seasons when solar radiation is present, 3) simultaneous increase of NH₃, NO_x, CO, optical black carbon, and PM_2.5 concentrations during weak winds in the winter in Tokyo, 4) 20% decrease in ammonia concentration during the first emergency declaration period of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and 5) near zero concentration during the transport of acidic particles due to transboundary air pollution.