Atmospheric Ultrafine Particulate Matter (PM0.1)-Bound Carbon Composition in Bangkok, Thailand

Seasonal variations in atmospheric ultrafine particulate matter (PM0.1) were monitored in Bangkok, Thailand, from 2016 to 2017. PM0.1-bound organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were collected by a cascade air sampler that can collect PM0.1 and were analyzed by a Thermal-Optical carbon analyzer following the IMPROVE-TOR protocol. The annual average PM0.1 in Bangkok was 14.5 ± 4.7 µg/m3, which is higher than in large Asian cities such as Shanghai and Hanoi. Biomass burning from neighboring areas was shown to increase the particle concentration. Apparent increases in carbon species such as OC and EC, and the OC/EC ratios in the wet and dry seasons were observed; the Char-EC/Soot-EC ratio revealed that the PM0.1 in the Bangkok atmosphere was influenced mainly by vehicle exhausts, even though the influence of biomass burning was greater during the dry season. The effective carbon ratio (ECR) shows that Bangkok’s carbonaceous aerosol is light-absorbing and -scattering. The higher SOC/OC in the dry season indicates the high level of secondary sources forming smaller particles from the combustion sources in Bangkok, increasing light scattering during these periods, and contributing to climate and air quality. The findings of this work are of great importance to air pollutant control policies in urban areas.