Hsiu Lin Chen

Bio: Hsiu Lin Chen is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Fireworks. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 27 citations.

Influences of Beehive Firework Displays on Ambient Fine Particles during the Lantern Festival in the YanShuei Area of Southern Taiwan

Abstract: This study investigates water-soluble ions in the sized particles (particularly Aitken nuclei mode (dp≤0.1 μm, PM_(0.1))/ accumulation mode (0.1＜dp≤1.0 μm, PM_(0.1-1.0)) collected using a MOUDI sampler in the YanShuei area of southern Taiwan during a beehive fireworks display. The results indicate that the PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) concentrations (437 μg/m^3 and 572 μg/m^3, respectively) at the leeward sampling site are 12.5 and 4.6 times higher than the corresponding national standards of daily mean values (35 and 125 μg/m^3, respectively) during the beehive fireworks display. Closely examining PM accumulation fractions reveals that the accumulation mode particles dominate in the sized collected particles during the beehive fireworks display. Additionally, the K+ concentrations in PM_(1.0), PM_(2.5), and PM_(2.5-10) are 317, 349, and 249 times higher than those of its background value, while those of CI^- are 91, 64, and 6.9 times greater than those of its background value. For ultrafine particles, the D/B (During the beehive fireworks display/Background) values of particlebound CI^-, K^+, and Mg^(2+) increase significantly during the beehive fireworks display at the leeward sampling site. Moreover, the maxima D/B value of K^+ is 196 in the 0.1-0.18 μm size range, revealing that the beehive firework aerosols are rich in CI^-, K^+, and Mg^(2+) ions.

Characteristics of Respirable Particulate Metals Emitted by a Beehive Firework Display in YanShuei Area of Southern Taiwan

Abstract: This study investigates metals in the PM_(1.0) and PM_(2.5) collected using a micro-orifice uniform deposition impactor (MOUDI) sampler in the YanShuei area of southern Taiwan during a beehive firework display. The results of sample analyses indicate that during the beehive firework display, the ratios of metal concentrations in PM_(2.5) (D) to the background level (B) at leeward sampling site were 1,828 for Ba, 702 for K, 534 for Sr, 473 for Cu, 104 for Mg, 121 for Al, and 98 for Pb. The corresponding data for PM_(1.0) were 3036, 838, 550, 676, 594, 190, and 126, respectively. According to the results of metal composition ratio, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and upper continental crust (UCC) analyses, the concentrations of particle-bound Al, Ba, Cu, K, Mg, Pb, and Sr increased during the beehive firework displays, suggesting that firework-display aerosols contained abundant metal elements of Al, Ba, Cu, K, Mg, Pb, and Sr. Before (background), trial, during, and after the beehive firework display, the Ba, K, Cu, Mg, Pb, and Sr (commonly regarded as firework display indicator elements) accounted for 0.520, 2.45, 26.4 and 0.849% mass of PM1, respectively, while for PM_(2.5) the corresponding data were 0.777, 2.32, 23.8, and 0.776%, respectively.

Association of Particulate Matter Impact on Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Ahvaz, Southwest Iran during 2009–2013

Abstract: Air pollutants produced in environments have many detrimental impacts on human health Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common worldwide respiratory disease The aim of this study was to estimate the association between the load of particulate matters and the prevalence of COPD in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran, during 2009–2013 This epidemiological and used-model study was performed in Ahvaz Particulate matter equal or less than 10 micro meters (PM10) was monitored by Ahvaz Environmental Protection Agency (AEPA) Sampling was performed hourly during the study period in 4 stations In this study, 175200 (4 × 24 × 365 × 5) samples of air were taken and collected Sampling and analysis were performed according to EPA guideline We utilized the relative risk values and baseline incidence measures by the WHO (Middle East) drawn from Health Effects Association of Particulate Matter Finally, prevalence of COPD attributed to particulate matter exposure was calculated by Air Q model According to our findings, the prevalence of COPD attributed to particulate matters decreased during 2009–2013 and followed a decreasing trend Accordingly, the yearly prevalence of COPD during the period 2009–2013 were 121, 111, 94, 102, and 98, and the yearly average PM10 concentrations during the same period were 31372, 28198, 28838, 27812, and 24229 µg m–3, respectively Although the average of 5-year study was higher than WHO and NAAQS values, a descending trend for COPD indicates that the level of PM10 was diminished from 2009 to 2013 Therefore mitigating air pollutant particularly PM10 as one of the main hazards could be possibly led to remarkable decrease in the rate of mortality and morbidity particularly COPD attributed to PM10

A review of the impact of fireworks on particulate matter in ambient air.

Abstract: To determine the impact of fireworks (FW) and firecrackers (FC) on particulate matter (PM) in ambient air, we reviewed evidence related to ambient PM during FW/FC periods; specifically, PM concentration, size, morphology, chemical components, including water-soluble ions and trace metals, and associated human health risks caused by exposure to FW/FC PM were reviewed. A large body of research suggests that outdoor ambient PM levels increase significantly during FW/FC displays. Furthermore, FW/FC PM remains suspended in the air, contributing to high PM concentrations for a long period. Increased PM from burning FW and FC mainly comprises fine and ultrafine spherical particles. Elevated levels of various trace metals, ions, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and organics in PM are present during FW/FC periods.Implications: Unique physical and chemical properties of ambient PM during short-term FW/FC burning can lead to a substantial increase in adverse health effects compared with during non...

Air pollution during New Year's fireworks and daily mortality in the Netherlands.

Abstract: Short-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory mortality and morbidity. Little is known about associations between air pollution caused by firework events and daily mortality. We investigated whether particulate matter from fireworks during New Year’s celebrations was associated with daily mortality. We analyzed the celebrations of the years 1995–2012. PM10 concentrations increased dramatically during the firework events. Countrywide, the daily average PM10 concentrations from 27–30 December was 29 μg/m3 and increased during the first hour of the New Year by 277 μg/m3. In the more densely populated areas of the Netherlands the increase was even steeper, 598 μg/m3 in the first hour of the New Year. No consistent associations were found using linear regression models between PM10 concentrations during the first six hours of 1 January and daily mortality in the general population. Yet, using a case-crossover analysis firework-days and PM10 concentrations were associated with daily mortality. Therefore, in light of the contradictory results obtained with the different statistical analyses, we recommend further epidemiological research on the health effects of exposure to firework emissions.

Chemical Characteristics of PM2.5 during 2015 Spring Festival in Beijing, China

Abstract: Air pollution especially of PM_(2.5) pollution is a serious problem in Beijing. In order to quantify the effect of a festival in which pollution was expected to be reduced, we collected and analyzed PM_(2.5) samples in urban Beijing during the 2015 Spring Festival (from February 9^(th) to March 6^(th) 2015). We divided the sampling period into three phases: non-haze, haze and firework days. The average concentration of PM_(2.5) was highest on firework days at 248.9 μg m^(-3), followed by haze days (199.9 μg m^(-3)) and non-haze days (90.8 μg m^(-3)). The air quality of non-haze days during the holiday was better than that during non-holiday periods. Secondary inorganic ions (SO_4^(2-), NO_3^- and NH_4^+) were enriched on the haze days, while those on firework days contained large amounts of Cl^- and K^+, but small amounts of NO_3^- and NH_4^+. Ratios of NO_3^-/SO_4^(2-), SO_4^(2-)/K^+ and Cl^-/K^+ effectively distinguished the characteristics of PM_(2.5) between firework events and haze days. Ion balance calculations indicated that the acidity of PM_(2.5) from firework days was higher than that from haze and non-haze days. A method using enrichment factors (EF) found that crustal elements (EF ＜ 10 on all three types of days) included Ca, Al, Fe, Na, Co, Ni, P, Ti, and V; firework elements (EF ＞ 10 on firework days, significantly higher than haze days) were made up of Ba, Cr, Cu, Mg, Pb, S, Si, and Zn; common anthropogenic pollution elements (EF ＞ 10 in all three types of days) were As, Cd, Cu, Pb, S, Sb, Zn. Differences in chemical characteristics indicated that holidays such as the Spring Festival can affect air pollution patterns in two ways: a decrease in the population and vehicles but an increase in activities such as firework displays.