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Wang H, Su Y, Liu Y, Xie F, Zhou X, Yu R, Lü C, He J. Water-soluble brown carbon in atmospheric aerosols from the resource-dependent cities: Optical properties, chemical compositions and sources. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 138:74-87. [PMID: 38135435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
As a vital type of light-absorbing aerosol, brown carbon (BrC) presents inherent associations with atmospheric photochemistry and climate change. However, the understanding of the chemical and optical properties of BrC is limited, especially in some resource-dependent cities with long heating periods in northwest China. This study showed that the annual average abundances of Water-soluble BrC (WS-BrC) were 9.33±7.42 and 8.69±6.29 µg/m3 in Baotou and Wuhai and the concentrations, absorption coefficient (Abs365), and mass absorption efficiency (MAE365) of WS-BrC presented significant seasonal patterns, with high values in the heating season and low values in the non-heating season; while showing opposite seasonal trends for the Absorption Ångström exponent (AAE300-400). Comparatively, the levels of WS-BrC in developing regions (such as cities in Asia) were higher than those in developed regions (such as cities in Europe and Australia), indicating the significant differences in energy consumption in these regions. By combining fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectra with the parallel factor (PARAFAC) model, humic-like (C1 and C2) and protein-like (C3) substances were identified, and accounted for 61.40%±4.66% and 38.6%±3.78% at Baotou, and 60.33%±6.29% and 39.67%±4.17% at Wuhai, respectively. The results of source apportionment suggested that the potential source regions of WS-BrC varied in heating vs. non-heating seasons and that the properties of WS-BrC significantly depended on primary emissions (e.g., combustion emissions) and secondary formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoji Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Yue Su
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China.
| | - Yangzheng Liu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Fei Xie
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Environmental Monitoring Center of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Xingjun Zhou
- Environmental Monitoring Center of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Ruihong Yu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Changwei Lü
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Jiang He
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China.
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Xie F, Guo L, Wang Z, Tian Y, Yue C, Zhou X, Wang W, Xin J, Lü C. Geochemical characteristics and socioeconomic associations of carbonaceous aerosols in coal-fueled cities with significant seasonal pollution pattern. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 179:108179. [PMID: 37666041 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Carbonaceous aerosols, comprising organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), are critical component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), with diverse impacts on air quality and human health. This study investigated the concentrations and seasonal patterns of carbonaceous species in PM2.5 during both the heating season (January 2021) and non-heating season (July 2021) in three coal-fueled cities in northern China, as well as the differences in carbonaceous aerosols and their associations with socioeconomic parameters in cities situated on either side of the "Hu Line" in China. The results showed that, owing to intensified coal combustion and unfavorable meteorological conditions, levels of OC, EC, and OC/EC ratios were higher in winter compared to summer. Moreover, the presence of dust (DU) and light pollution (LP) days resulted in elevated OC levels but decreased EC levels. The Char-EC/Soot-EC ratios were highest during LP, followed by CL and DU. A source apportionment analysis demonstrated that coal burning, vehicle exhaust, road dust, and biomass burning were the primary contributors to carbonaceous aerosols, as confirmed by diagnostic ratios, Char-EC/Soot-EC ratios, and PCA analysis. Furthermore, our study found that carbonaceous aerosols concentrations and source apportionment primarily varied with diurnal and seasonal trends and different pollution types. Additionally, at the national scale, population density and urban green space exhibited a positive correlation with OC/EC ratios (p < 0.05), while energy consumption per unit of GDP showed a negative correlation (p < 0.05). The observation that OC/EC ratios were lower in coal-fueled cities than in economy-based cities suggests a more severe pollution scenario. These findings highlight the importance of comprehending of the seasonal variation and chemical characteristics of carbonaceous aerosol for understanding air pollution sources and characteristics, which is essential for both air quality management and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xie
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China; Inner Mongolia Environmental Monitoring Center, 010011 Hohhot, China
| | - Linhao Guo
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China
| | - Zichun Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China; School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, 116024 Dalian, China
| | - Yongli Tian
- Inner Mongolia Environmental Monitoring Center, 010011 Hohhot, China
| | - Caiying Yue
- Inner Mongolia Environmental Monitoring Center, 010011 Hohhot, China
| | - Xingjun Zhou
- Inner Mongolia Environmental Monitoring Center, 010011 Hohhot, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China
| | - Jinyuan Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry (LAPC), Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Changwei Lü
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, 010021 Hohhot, China.
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Liu P, Zhou H, Chun X, Wan Z, Liu T, Sun B. Characteristics and sources of carbonaceous aerosols in a semi-arid city: Quantifying anthropogenic and meteorological impacts. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 335:139056. [PMID: 37247672 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Carbonaceous aerosols have great adverse impacts on air quality, human health, and climate. However, there is a limited understanding of carbonaceous aerosols in semi-arid areas. The correlation between carbonaceous aerosols and control measures is still unclear owing to the insufficient information regarding meteorological contribution. To reveal the complex relationship between control measures and carbonaceous aerosols, offline and online observations of carbonaceous aerosols were conducted from October 8, 2019 to October 7, 2020 in Hohhot, a semi-arid city. The characteristics and sources of carbonaceous aerosols and impacts of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions were studied. The annual mean concentrations (± standard deviation) of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) were 42.81 (±40.13), 7.57 (±6.43), and 2.25 (±1.39) μg m-3, respectively. The highest PM2.5 and carbonaceous aerosol concentrations were observed in winter, whereas the lowest was observed in summer. The result indicated that coal combustion for heating had a critical role in air quality degradation in Hohhot. A boost regression tree model was applied to quantify the impacts of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions on carbonaceous aerosols. The results suggested that the anthropogenic contributions of PM2.5, OC, and EC during the COVID-19 lockdown period were 53.0, 15.0, and 2.36 μg m-3, respectively, while the meteorological contributions were 5.38, 2.49, and -0.62 μg m-3, respectively. Secondary formation caused by unfavorable meteorological conditions offset the emission reduction during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Coal combustion (46.4% for OC and 35.4% for EC) and vehicular emissions (32.0% for OC and 50.4% for EC) were the predominant contributors of carbonaceous aerosols. The result indicated that Hohhot must regulate coal use and vehicle emissions to reduce carbonaceous aerosol pollution. This study provides new insights and a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between control strategies, meteorological conditions, and air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- College of Geographical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China.
| | - Haijun Zhou
- College of Geographical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China; Provincial Key Laboratory of Mongolian Plateau's Climate System, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China; Inner Mongolia Repair Engineering Laboratory of Wetland Eco-environment System, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China.
| | - Xi Chun
- College of Geographical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China; Provincial Key Laboratory of Mongolian Plateau's Climate System, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China; Inner Mongolia Repair Engineering Laboratory of Wetland Eco-environment System, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Wan
- College of Geographical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China; Provincial Key Laboratory of Mongolian Plateau's Climate System, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China; Inner Mongolia Repair Engineering Laboratory of Wetland Eco-environment System, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, 010022, China.
| | - Tao Liu
- Environmental Monitoring Center Station of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, 010011, China.
| | - Bing Sun
- Hohhot Environmental Monitoring Branch Station of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, 010030, China.
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Li R, Zhang M, Du Y, Wang G, Shang C, Liu Y, Zhang M, Meng Q, Cui M, Yan C. Impacts of dust events on chemical characterization and associated source contributions of atmospheric particulate matter in northern China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120597. [PMID: 36343856 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Sand and dust have significant impacts on air quality, climate, and human health. To investigate the influences of dust storms on chemical characterization and source contributions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in areas with different distances from dust source regions, PM2.5 and associated chemical composition were measured in two industrial cities with one near sand sources (i.e., Wuhai) and the other far from sand sources (i.e., Jinan) in northern China in March 2021. Results showed that PM mass concentrations significantly increased and exceeded the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality standard during the dust events, with absolute concentrations and fractional contributions of PM2.5-bound crustal and trace elements increased while secondary inorganic ions decreased at both sites. Crustal materials dominated the increased PM2.5 mass from non-dust period to dust period in both cities. These were further evidenced by PM2.5 source apportionment results from positive matrix factorization model. During the dust events, dust sources contributed up to 88% of PM2.5 mass in Wuhai and ∼38% of PM2.5 mass in Jinan, a city about thousands of kilometers away from the sand source. Besides, the measurement data indicated that dust from northwest China may also bring along with high abundance of organic matter and vanadium. Secondary and traffic sources were two of the most important source contributors to PM2.5 in both cities during the non-dust periods. However, the near sand source city was more susceptible to the aggravating effects of dust and minerals, with much higher contributions by crustal materials (∼47%, from the aspect of chemical components) and dust-related sources (∼26%, from the aspect of sources) to PM2.5 mass even during non-dust periods. This study highlighted the urgent need for more action and effective control of sand sources to reduce the impact on air quality in downstream regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyu Li
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Eco-Environment Monitoring Center, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Yuming Du
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Environmental Monitoring Center, Wuhai Branch, Wuhai, 016000, China
| | - Guixia Wang
- Shandong Provincial Eco-Environment Monitoring Center, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Chunlin Shang
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Environmental Monitoring Center, Wuhai Branch, Wuhai, 016000, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Environmental Monitoring Center, Wuhai Branch, Wuhai, 016000, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Environmental Monitoring Center, Wuhai Branch, Wuhai, 016000, China
| | - Qingpeng Meng
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Min Cui
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Caiqing Yan
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
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