Study on NVOCs Concentration Characteristics by Season, Time and Climatic Factors: Focused on Pinus densiflora Forest in National Center for Forest Therapy

Forest therapy refers to activities that enhance the body’s immune system and improve health by utilizing various elements such as scents and landscapes. Forest therapy is expected to be used along with modern medical treatments for physical and mental illnesses. Natural volatile organic compounds (NVOCs) are one of the important resources of forest therapy. This study compared the concentration of NVOCs by season and time, and compared the correlation between NVOCs and climatic factors (temperature, humidity and wind speed). Air samples and climatic data were measured once a month in Pinus densiflora forest in the National Center for Forest Therapy from June 2017 to May 2018 and five components such as α-Pinene, β-Pinene, Camphene, Limonene, and Camphor were analyzed for NVOCs. The concentration of NVOCs by season is highest in summer, followed by spring, fall, and winter. The ratio of α-Pinene among NVOCs was high in summer. The NVOCs concentration over time was highest at 5 p.m. and lowest at 8 a.m. The correlation between the climatic factors and the NVOCs concentration was statistically significant for all three factors: temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The correlation was positive between NVOCs and temperature or humidity, whereas it was negative between NVOCs and wind speed. This study concludes that forest therapy using NVOCs can be more effective when the temperature and humidity within the stands are high and the wind speed is low to maximize forest healing effects.