Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network

Taiwan is a small island with dense population and motorized vehicles. Therefore, air pollution caused by the traffic is high on the agenda. The air pollutants emitted by motorized vehicles can be categorized into gaseous pollutants and particulate pollutant based on their characteristics. These pollutants include CO, HC, NO_x, SO₂, O₃, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5.

Purpose of monitoring

Traffic air quality monitoring stations are installed at areas with heavy traffic so to reflect the air quality to which the pedestrians are exposed. The data collected will be used to evaluate the performance of motorized vehicle control and how much exhaust gas that the pedestrians are exposed to.

Characteristics of traffic air quality monitoring stations

The height of air quality monitoring stations is different based on the characteristics of each station. General stations, meant to represent the air quality in a larger area, are mostly installed on rooftops of schools or buildings of government branches, with samplers being 12-15 meters above the ground. However, traffic air quality stations are installed beside roads, and the samplers are only 3-4 meters above the ground.

Since traffic air quality stations are installed in areas with heavy traffic, the air quality they detected is closely related to traffic emission, which might be affected by the concentration of exhaust gas emitted by motorized vehicles, and amount and speed of cars. It is also contingent to weather conditions.

Air pollutants emitted by the traffic is close to the ground and are not diffused or diluted by the atmospheric environment. According to MOENV's statistics, the concentration of primary pollutants such as CO and NO_x detected by traffic air quality stations might be higher than that detected by general stations. However, there is no significant difference between the concentration of secondary pollutants, such as O₃ and PM_2.5, detected by traffic air quality stations or general stations.

Introduction to monitoring stations

The MOENV installed 6 traffic air quality monitoring stations at locations with the heaviest traffic around the country. These stations are Datong in Taipei, Yonghe and Sanchong in New Taipei, Zhongli in Taoyuan City, Fuxing and Fengshan in Kaohsiung.

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In recent years, local governments also installed 4 traffic air quality monitoring stations: 2 in Taipei, 1 in Taoyuan, and 1 in Taichung. Currently, there is a total of 10 traffic air quality monitoring stations around the country. In addition to the aforementioned 10 fixed traffic air quality stations, mobile monitoring stations of the MOENV and environmental protection departments can also undertake traffic air quality monitoring assignments when required.

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