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Analysis of ambient fine particle concentrations in Jakarta, Indonesia
Citation:
Sarwar, G., B. Henderson, R. Baldauf, AND P. Gupta. Analysis of ambient fine particle concentrations in Jakarta, Indonesia. EM Magazine. Air and Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, , 1-5, (2022).
Impact/Purpose:
The megacity of Jakarta, the Capital of Indonesia, has seen a rapid increase in population growth and economic activity that has also resulted in increased air pollution, ranking Jakarta as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Indonesia has established ambient air quality standards for PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less); however, measurements of ambient PM2.5 concentrations are limited. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta installed two monitors in 2015 for continuous measurements of PM2.5 concentrations in Jakarta due to a limited amount of routine PM2.5 monitoring in Jakarta at that time. There is a lack of comprehensive analysis of these measurements. In this study, measured PM2.5 mass concentrations from both locations are analyzed and compared to the Indonesian and the U.S. daily and annual ambient air quality standards. Daily mean concentrations in each year exceeded the Indonesian and the U.S. ambient air quality standards. Annual mean PM2.5 concentrations in Jakarta exceeded the Indonesian and the U.S. air quality standards. Analysis of a long-term time series suggests that annual mean PM2.5 concentrations in Jakarta have changed little during the last 20 years. Air quality control strategies should be explored to reduce PM2.5 concentrations below the Indonesian standard.
Description:
Air pollution impacts public health and welfare, especially in the world’s larger cities experiencing population growth, urbanization, and increased economic activity. Air pollution (indoor and outdoor) has been attributed to over 7 million deaths per year and numerous illnesses from respiratory diseases, cardiovascular impacts and cancer[1-2]. Particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) has been shown to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity effects from air pollution[1]. The megacity of Jakarta, the Capital of Indonesia, has seen a rapid increase in population growth and economic activity that has also resulted in increased air pollution, ranking Jakarta as one of the most polluted cities in the world[3-4]. The major sources of air pollution in the city are from transportation vehicles in the city and large, coal-fired power plants located in the region, although many other smaller air pollution sources also exist and contribute to Jakarta’s poor air quality[4-5]. Vegetation and peat fires, especially during the dry season can also contribute to adverse air quality at certain times in Jakarta[6]. Indonesia has established ambient air quality standards for PM2.5; however, measurements of ambient PM2.5 concentrations are limited. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta installed two monitors in 2015 for continuous measurements of PM2.5 concentrations in Jakarta due to a limited amount of routine PM2.5 monitoring in Jakarta at that time. Five administrative areas make up Jakarta: North Jakarta, South Jakarta, Central Jakarta, East Jakarta, and West Jakarta. One monitor is located in Central Jakarta while the other is located in South Jakarta. There is a lack of comprehensive analysis from these measurements. In this study, measured PM2.5 mass concentrations from both locations are analyzed and compared to the Indonesian and the U.S. daily and annual ambient air quality standards. The daily (24-hour mean) and the annual ambient air quality standards for PM2.5 in Indonesia are 65 µg/m3 and 15 µg/m3, respectively[7]. In contrast, the daily and the annual ambient air quality standards in the U.S. are 35 µg/m3 and 12 µg/m3, respectively (www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-04/documents/ 2012_aqi_ factsheet.pdf). In the U.S., attainment with the daily standard is calculated using 3-year average of 98th percentile PM2.5 concentration. In this study, however, we simply calculated the number of days the daily mean concentration exceeds the daily standard. The World Health Organization has recently updated global air quality guidelines for PM2.5 with an annual mean concentration of 5 µg/m3[8].
