Airborne lead pollution in metropolitan Taipei (Republic of China)

To examine the spatial variation of airborne lead in Taipei, a field study was conducted during the summer and fall of 1991. Samples were collected 2-4 times daily at several sites for the determination of airborne lead. Results indicate that the average of air lead concentration of Taipei city is 0.70 ± 0.39 μg/m³, and eighty-eight percent of particles are smaller than 10 μm. From high to low polluted area, the fine particle concentrations are 0.83, 0.51, 0.29 μg/m³. The lead concentration of particulates < 10 μm on 2nd, 7th, and 14th floors of a building are 0.75, 0.60, 0.55 μg/m³, and appears to be little difference among vertical dispersions. The air lead concentrations (da < 10 μm) on roadside, side walk and covered walk way from the vehicle emission source of a main road are 0.83, 0.78, 0.87 μg/m³, the highest is on the covered walk way. For lead concentrations (da < 10 μm) on the main street, side street and alley of an area are 0.34, 0.37, 0.35 μg/m³; the result indicates lead concentrations on these pathways are not significantly different.