Apply appropriate statistic methods in analyzing ambient air particulate and metallic elements concentrations at a traffic sampling site

A study of the characteristics of the metallic elements concentrations in fine and coarse particulates at traffic sampling site in central Taiwan by using appropriate statistical analysis methods was described in this paper. The Spearman correlation analysis and non-linear regression analysis were used to analyze the collected data during sampling period from August 2003 to March 2004. During a half-month analysis periods, the average metallic elements concentrations, the major meteorological effects and temporal variation were discussed in this study. The major meteorological parameters during daytime and nighttime sampling periods are temperature, average wind velocity and prevailing wind degree. The relationships between the metallic elements concentrations and meteorological parameters in fine and coarse particulates during daytime and nighttime are also established in this paper. According to the proposed equations, the variation of the particle concentrations can be predicted with known meteorological parameters during daytime and nighttime at traffic sampling site in central Taiwan. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.