IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v15y2025i10p1027-d1652371.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comparative Analysis of Air Quality in Agricultural and Urban Areas in Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Jeong-Deok Baek

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Anyang University, Anyang 14028, Republic of Korea)

  • Hung-Soo Joo

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Anyang University, Anyang 14028, Republic of Korea)

  • Sung-Hyun Bae

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Anyang University, Anyang 14028, Republic of Korea)

  • Byung-Wook Oh

    (Climate Change Assessment Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea)

  • Min-Wook Kim

    (Climate Change Assessment Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea)

  • Jin-Ho Kim

    (Climate Change Assessment Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

Air pollution monitoring in Korea has not yet been implemented in agricultural areas. Documenting air quality in purely agricultural areas is inherently valuable. This study compares agricultural air quality with urban air quality during two periods: (1) the entire measurement period and (2) high-PM episodes. To ensure broad spatial coverage, eight monitoring stations were installed in Yeoju, Nonsan, Naju, Gimhae, Hongcheon, Danyang, Muan, and Sangju. Real-time measurements of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , SO 2 , and NOx were conducted continuously from March 2023 to December 2024. Over the entire measurement period, PM concentrations were similar in both agricultural and urban areas, but gaseous pollutants were lower in agricultural areas. PM levels were higher in agricultural areas during summer, whereas urban areas showed higher concentrations in other seasons. During high-PM episodes (29 days), all pollutants were significantly higher in urban areas, with PM 2.5 showing a greater difference than PM 10 . Diurnal variations revealed that PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and NO 2 peaked in the morning and reached their lowest levels around 3 PM, with urban levels consistently higher than those in agricultural areas. SO 2 showed a different pattern, reaching its lowest concentration at 6 AM and peaking at noon in urban areas and at 6 PM in agricultural areas. This pattern closely followed temperature and wind speed variations.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeong-Deok Baek & Hung-Soo Joo & Sung-Hyun Bae & Byung-Wook Oh & Min-Wook Kim & Jin-Ho Kim, 2025. "Comparative Analysis of Air Quality in Agricultural and Urban Areas in Korea," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-15, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:10:p:1027-:d:1652371
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/10/1027/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/10/1027/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ru-Jin Huang & Yanlin Zhang & Carlo Bozzetti & Kin-Fai Ho & Jun-Ji Cao & Yongming Han & Kaspar R. Daellenbach & Jay G. Slowik & Stephen M. Platt & Francesco Canonaco & Peter Zotter & Robert Wolf & Sim, 2014. "High secondary aerosol contribution to particulate pollution during haze events in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 514(7521), pages 218-222, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jia, Ce & Guo, Xiaodan & Tian, Ziyue & Xiao, Bowen, 2025. "Unintended consequences of SO2 mitigation: Increased PM and infant mortality in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    2. Shi, Wenxiao & Lin, Chen & Chen, Wei & Hong, Jinglan & Chang, Jingcai & Dong, Yong & Zhang, Yanlu, 2017. "Environmental effect of current desulfurization technology on fly dust emission in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Yi Yang & Jie Li & Guobin Zhu & Qiangqiang Yuan, 2019. "Spatio–Temporal Relationship and Evolvement of Socioeconomic Factors and PM 2.5 in China During 1998–2016," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-24, March.
    4. Lili Guo & Yuting Song & Mengqian Tang & Jinyang Tang & Bright Senyo Dogbe & Mengying Su & Houjian Li, 2022. "Assessing the Relationship among Land Transfer, Fertilizer Usage, and PM 2.5 Pollution: Evidence from Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-18, July.
    5. Yu Zhang & Jiayu Wu & Chunyao Zhou & Qingyu Zhang, 2019. "Installation Planning in Regional Thermal Power Industry for Emissions Reduction Based on an Emissions Inventory," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-13, March.
    6. Ruiqing Ma & Yeyue Zhang & Yini Zhang & Xi Li & Zheng Ji, 2023. "The Relationship between the Transmission of Different SARS-CoV-2 Strains and Air Quality: A Case Study in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Jie Yang & Pengfei Liu & Hongquan Song & Changhong Miao & Feng Wang & Yu Xing & Wenjie Wang & Xinyu Liu & Mengxin Zhao, 2021. "Effects of Anthropogenic Emissions from Different Sectors on PM 2.5 Concentrations in Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-13, October.
    8. Kun Liu & Xuemin Liu & Zihao Wu, 2024. "Nexus between Corporate Digital Transformation and Green Technological Innovation Performance: The Mediating Role of Optimizing Resource Allocation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, February.
    9. Diyi Liu & Kun Cheng & Kevin Huang & Hui Ding & Tiantong Xu & Zhenni Chen & Yanqi Sun, 2022. "Visualization and Analysis of Air Pollution and Human Health Based on Cluster Analysis: A Bibliometric Review from 2001 to 2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-15, October.
    10. Deguang Li & Zhicheng Ding & Jianghuan Liu & Qiurui He & Hamad Naeem, 2022. "Exploring Spatiotemporal Dynamics of PM 2.5 Emission Based on Nighttime Light in China from 2012 to 2018," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, October.
    11. Aboubakar Gasirabo & Chen Xi & Baligira R. Hamad & Umwali Dufatanye Edovia, 2023. "A CA–Markov-Based Simulation and Prediction of LULC Changes over the Nyabarongo River Basin, Rwanda," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, September.
    12. Xuan Sun & Wenting Yang & Tao Sun & Ya Ping Wang, 2018. "Negative Emotion under Haze: An Investigation Based on the Microblog and Weather Records of Tianjin, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    13. Guangzhi Qi & Zhibao Wang & Zhixiu Wang & Lijie Wei, 2022. "Has Industrial Upgrading Improved Air Pollution?—Evidence from China’s Digital Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    14. Mao Mao & Xiaolin Zhang & Yan Yin, 2018. "Particulate Matter and Gaseous Pollutions in Three Metropolises along the Chinese Yangtze River: Situation and Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-29, May.
    15. Yucong Miao & Shuhua Liu & Li Sheng & Shunxiang Huang & Jian Li, 2019. "Influence of Boundary Layer Structure and Low-Level Jet on PM 2.5 Pollution in Beijing: A Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-14, February.
    16. Fan, Maoyong & Jiang, Hanchen & Zhou, Maigeng, 2023. "Beyond particulate matter: New evidence on the causal effects of air pollution on mortality," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    17. Deepika Bhattu & Sachchida Nand Tripathi & Himadri Sekhar Bhowmik & Vaios Moschos & Chuan Ping Lee & Martin Rauber & Gary Salazar & Gülcin Abbaszade & Tianqu Cui & Jay G. Slowik & Pawan Vats & Suneeti, 2024. "Local incomplete combustion emissions define the PM2.5 oxidative potential in Northern India," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    18. Xinbo Huang & Shang Xie, 2024. "Can a Driving Restriction Policy Improve Air Quality? Empirical Evidence from Chengdu," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-20, November.
    19. Shiyuan Ding & Yingying Chen & Qinkai Li & Xiao-Dong Li, 2022. "Using Stable Sulfur Isotope to Trace Sulfur Oxidation Pathways during the Winter of 2017–2019 in Tianjin, North China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-12, September.
    20. Dongsheng Zhan & Mei-Po Kwan & Wenzhong Zhang & Shaojian Wang & Jianhui Yu, 2017. "Spatiotemporal Variations and Driving Factors of Air Pollution in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-18, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:10:p:1027-:d:1652371. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.