Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of Ambient PM2.5 over Key Emission Regions in China
Abstract
A year-round campaign was completed for comprehensive characterization of PM2.5 over four key emission regions in China. The annual average PM2.5 mass concentrations ranged from 60.5 to 148.9 μg m-3. Nine water-soluble ions collectively contributed 33–41% of PM2.5 mass, with three dominant ionic species being SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, and carbonaceous particulate matter contributed 16-23% of the PM2.5 mass. The characteristic chemical species combined with back trajectory analysis indicated that Wuqing site was heavily influenced by air masses originating from Mongolia and North China Plain regions, whereas Deyang site suffered from both local emissions of Sichuan Basin and biomass burning via long-range transport from South Asia. A molecular marker-chemical mass balance (MM-CMB) receptor model revealed that the major primary contributors to PM2.5 OC were vehicle emission, coal combustion, biomass burning, meat cooking and natural gas combustion, which collectively accounted for 84±24% of measured OC. The major contributors to PM2.5 mass were secondary sulfate (26-30%), vehicle emission (12-26%), secondary nitrate (12-23%), coal combustion (6-12%), secondary ammonium (7-9%), biomass burning (4-12%), meat cooking (2-5%), natural gas combustion (1-2%), and other OM (2-13%) on annual average at these sites. This study found the source apportionment has distinct regional and seasonal characteristics. This knowledge is essential for government to make region specific control strategies for fine particles pollution in China.
Description
Keywords
Atmospheric Sciences, Engineering--Environmental
Citation
Zhou, J. (2016). Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of Ambient PM2.5 over Key Emission Regions in China (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25314