Ground Level Ozone Fluctuational Characteristics within Two Industrial Areas in Malaysia

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the fluctuation characteristics and source signature of ground level ozone (GLO) at a receptor site in commercial urban-industrial and suburban industrial area in Shah Alam, Selangor, and Bakar Arang are hot spots for industrialization. The fluctuation characteristics of ozone in industrial is determined using critical conversion time (CCT) and introduce the Critical Transformation Time (CTT) using secondary data from 2000 to 2011. We also use Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to determine the primary sources from atmospheric parameter and meteorological parameter. It was observed that suburban Bakar Arang has earlier CCT between 8.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. compared to Shah Alam where CCT occurred between 10.00 to 11.00 a.m. Results of PCA indicate ozone CCT fluctuation contribution in Shah Alam by primary air pollutants (CO, NO, NO2, CH4) and meteorological influence are 64.1% and 41.5%, respectively, higher than that in Bakar Arang. The use of CCT and CTT show specific time range of ozone production and destruction. These sources of compounds lead to formation of GLO and affecting the CCT. The application of CTT could be a signal of the urgent need to manage nitrogen emission from commercial industrial areas.