The Recent State of Ambient Air Quality in Jakarta

• Published in: Aerosol and Air Quality Research Vol. 18; no. 9; pp. 2343 - 2354
• Main Authors: Kusumaningtyas, Sheila Dewi Ayu, Aldrian, Edvin, Wati, Trinah, Atmoko, Dwi, Sunaryo, Sunaryo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 社團法人台灣氣膠研究學會 01-09-2018
• Subjects: Air pollution; Rainfall chemistry; Jakarta; Particulate matter
• ISSN: 1680-8584; 2071-1409
• DOI: 10.4209/aaqr.2017.10.0391

Air pollution has become a growing concern, especially in urban cities with rapidly developing economies, increasing infrastructure and vehicular population, and reduced green spaces. Fossil fuel and transportation are the main source of pollutive particles (e.g., sulfur oxide and nitrous) released into the atmosphere. Once they have entered the atmosphere, these particles create health problems, degrade air quality, and cause acid rain. Seasonal investigations on rainwater chemistry and particulate matter pollution (SPM, PM_(10), and PM_(2.5)) were conducted to understand the recent state of the ambient air quality in Jakarta, Indonesia. The characteristics of PM_(2.5) were also analyzed during Ied Al Fitr in 2016 and 2017. Based on the observational data, the ambient air quality in Jakarta improved during the period of our study (2000- 2016). The chemical constituents, i.e., the anion and cation concentrations, in precipitation show decreasing trends starting from 2006. Moreover, the PM_(10) and SPM concentrations also decreased slightly. The causes of these favorable trends are climatic conditions-namely, an increasing trend of rainfall-and policy intervention. Additionally, an assessment during the feast of Ied Al Fitr in 2016 and 2017 indicated a further decrease in PM_(2.5) due to highly reduced inner-city traffic. These events exhibited an extreme reduction of the PM_(2.5) concentration in Jakarta.