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Research Article
ScienceAsia 32 (2006): 039-046 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2006.32.039
Concentrations and Elemental Analysis of Airborne
Particulate Matter in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Nakorn Tippayawong* and Aleck Lee
ABSTRACT: Air pollution, especially airborne particulate matter, is becoming a major problem in Chiang Mai.
The present study reports findings on total suspended particulate matter (TSP) loading as well as its spatial
and daily variation in Chiang Mai ambient air. Limited elemental analysis of airborne particulate matter was
also performed. Samples were collected at four different sites, representative of urban, industrial, residential
and rural areas during day time between October 2003 and April 2004. TSP mass concentrations ranged from
50 – 370  g/m3, with average concentration of 149 g/m3. A similar order of magnitude was observed for
mass concentrations at different sites. The maximum monthly averaged TSP concentration observed at a
busy commercial site was about 2-fold higher than the maximum TSP found at a suburban residential site.
A daily variation of TSP concentrations was found to be significant, with occasional peaks well above
Thailand’s national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 24 h TSP of 330 g/m3, observed during the
morning rush hours. Elemental analysis results showed that the likely TSP sources were crustal matter from
soil and road dust (Fe, Ca, Al and K) as well as vehicular and industrial emissions (Pb, Zn and Cr).
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Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai
50200, Thailand.
* Corresponding author, E-mail: nakorn@dome.eng.cmu.ac.th
Received 16 Feb 2005, Accepted 9 Sep 2005
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