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Chen P, Kang S, Hu Y, Pu T, Liu Y, Wang S, Rai M, Wang K, Tripathee L, Li C. South and Southeast Asia controls black carbon characteristics of Meili Snow Mountains in southeast Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172262. [PMID: 38583605 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
South and Southeast Asia (SSA) emitted black carbon (BC) exerts potential effects on glacier and snow melting and regional climate change in the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, online BC measurements were conducted for 1 year at a remote village located at the terminus of the Mingyong Glacier below the Meili Snow Mountains. The Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was used to investigate the contribution and potential effect of SSA-emitted BC. In addition, variations in the light absorption characteristics of BC and brown carbon (BrC) were examined. The results indicated that the annual mean concentration of BC was 415 ± 372 ngm-3, with the highest concentration observed in April (monthly mean: 930 ± 484 ngm-3). BC exhibited a similar diurnal variation throughout the year, with two peaks observed in the morning (from 8:00 to 9:00 AM) and in the afternoon (from 4:00 to 5:00 PM), with even lower values at nighttime. At a short wavelength of 370 nm, the absorption coefficient (babs) reached its maximum value, and the majority of babs values were < 20 Mm-1, indicating that the atmosphere was not overloaded with BC. At the same wavelength, BrC substantially contributed to babs, with an annual mean of 25.2 % ± 12.8 %. SSA was the largest contributor of BC (annual mean: 51.1 %) in the study area, particularly in spring (65.6 %). However, its contributions reached 20.2 % in summer, indicating non-negligible emissions from activities in other regions. In the atmosphere, the SSA BC-induced radiative forcing (RF) over the study region was positive. While at the near surface, the RF exhibited a significant seasonal variation, with the larger RF values occurring in winter and spring. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of controlling BC emissions from SSA to protect the Tibetan Plateau against pollution-related glacier and snow cover melting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Yuling Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tao Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yajun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shijin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Yulong Snow Mountain National Field Observation and Research Station for Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mukesh Rai
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Chaoliu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Zhou Y, Yang J, Kang S, Hu Y, Chen X, Xu M, Ma M. Weakened black carbon trans-boundary transport to the Tibetan Plateau during the COVID-19 pandemic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170208. [PMID: 38246372 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170208] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The lockdowns implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provide a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of emission sources and meteorological conditions on the trans-boundary transportation of black carbon (BC) aerosols to the Tibetan Plateau (TP). In this study, we conducted an integrative analysis, including in-situ observational data, reanalysis datasets, and numerical simulations, and found a significant reduction in the trans-boundary transport of BC to the TP during the 2020 pre-monsoon season as a result of the lockdowns and restrictive measures. Specifically, we observed a decrease of 0.0211 μgm-3 in surface BC concentration over the TP compared to the 2016 pre-monsoon period. Of this reduction, approximately 6.04 % can be attributed to the decrease in emissions during the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing the 4.47 % decrease caused by changes in meteorological conditions. Additionally, the emission reductions have weakened the trans-boundary transport of South Asia BC to the TP by 0.0179 μgm-2s-1; indicating that the recurring spring atmospheric pollution from South Asia to the TP will be alleviated through the reduction of anthropogenic emissions. Moreover, it is important to note that BC deposition on glaciers contributes significantly to glacier melting due to its enrichment, posing a threat to the water sustainability of the TP. Therefore, urgent measures are needed to reduce emissions from adjacent regions to preserve the TP as the "Asian Water Tower."
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Junhua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuling Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xintong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mengmeng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
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Chen P, Kang S, Gan Q, Yu Y, Yuan X, Liu Y, Tripathee L, Wang X, Li C. Concentrations and light absorption properties of PM 2.5 organic and black carbon based on online measurements in Lanzhou, China. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 131:84-95. [PMID: 37225383 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To elucidate the variations in mass concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) in PM2.5 and their light absorption characteristics in Lanzhou, we conducted one-year online measurements by using a newly developed total carbon analyzer (TCA08) coupled with an aethalometer (AE33) from July 2018 to July 2019. The mean OC and BC concentrations were 6.4 ± 4.4 and 2.0 ± 1.3 µg/m3, respectively. Clear seasonal variations were observed for both components, with winter having the highest concentrations, followed by autumn, spring, and summer. The diurnal variations of OC and BC concentrations were similar throughout the year, with daily two peaks occurring in the morning and evening, respectively. A relatively low OC/BC ratio (3.3 ± 1.2, n = 345) were observed, indicating that fossil fuel combustion was the primary source of the carbonaceous components. This is further substantiated by relatively low biomass burning contribution (fbiomass: 27.1% ± 11.3%) to BC using aethalometer based measurement though fbiomass value which increased significantly in winter (41.6% ± 5.7%). We estimated a considerable brown carbon (BrC) contribution to the total absorption coefficient (babs) at 370 nm (yearly average of 30.8% ± 11.1%), with a winter maximum of 44.2% ± 4.1% and a summer minimum of 19.2% ± 4.2%. Calculation of the wavelength dependence of total babs revealed an annual mean AAE370-520 value of 4.2 ± 0.5, with slightly higher values in spring and winter. The mass absorption cross-section of BrC also exhibited higher values in winter, with an annual mean of 5.4 ± 1.9 m2/g, reflecting the impact of emissions from increased biomass burning on BrC concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Qinyi Gan
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ye Yu
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xianlei Yuan
- Xinjiang Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture Meteorological Bureau, Korla 841000, China
| | - Yajun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Chaoliu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Wang T, Qu L, Luo D, Ji X, Ma Z, Wang Z, Dahlgren RA, Zhang M, Shang X. Microplastic pollution characteristics and its future perspectives in the Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131711. [PMID: 37257387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are an emerging and persistent pollutant due to their threat to global ecological systems and human health. Recent studies showed that microplastics have infiltrated the remote Third Pole - the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we summarize the current evidence for microplastic pollution in the different environments (rivers/lakes, sediment, soil, ice/snow and atmosphere) of the Tibetan Plateau. We assess the spatial distribution, source, fate, and potential ecological effects of microplastics in this broad plateau. The integrated results show that microplastics were pervasive in biotic and abiotic components of the Tibetan Plateau, even at the global highest-altitude, Mt. Everest. Although the concentration of microplastics in the Tibetan Plateau was far below that found in the densely populated lowlands, it showed a higher concentration than that in the ocean system. Tourist populations are identified as a substantial source of anthropogenic plastic input rather than local residents due to the rapid development of the tourism industry. In the sparsely inhabited remote area of the Tibetan Plateau, long-range atmospheric transport facilitates allochthonous microplastic diffusion. Robust solar radiation in the Tibetan Plateau might enhanced production of secondary microplastics by weathering (UV-photooxidation) of abandoned plastic waste. A rough estimation showed that the microplastic export flux from melting glaciers was higher than that measured in most of the world's largest rivers, which affects local and downstream areas. Since the Tibetan Plateau is vital for Asian water supply and numerous endangered wildlife, the potential human and ecological risk of microplastics to these fragile ecosystems needs to be fully evaluated within the context of climate-change impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Institute of Eco-Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wenzhou 325006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liyin Qu
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Dehua Luo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xiaoliang Ji
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zengling Ma
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhonggen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Randy A Dahlgren
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Xu Shang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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Singh PK, Adhikary B, Chen X, Kang S, Poudel SP, Tashi T, Goswami A, Puppala SP. Variability of ambient black carbon concentration in the Central Himalaya and its assessment over the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160137. [PMID: 36375556 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
During 2015-2018, eight black carbon (BC) monitoring sites were established in Nepal and Bhutan to fill a significant data gap regarding BC measurement in Central Himalaya. This manuscript analyzes and presents data from these eight stations and one additional station on the Tibetan plateau (TP). Complex topography, varied emission sources, and atmospheric transport pathways significantly impacted the BC concentrations across these stations, with annual mean concentrations varying from 36 ng m-3 to 45,737 ng m-3. Higher annual mean concentrations (5609 ± 4515 ng m-3) were recorded at low-altitude sites than in other locations, with seasonal concentrations highest in the winter (7316 ± 2541 ng m-3). In contrast, the annual mean concentrations were lowest at high-altitude sites (376 ± 448 ng m-3); the BC concentrations at these sites peaked during the pre-monsoon season (930 ± 685 ng m-3). Potential source contributions to the total observed BC were analyzed using the absorption angstrom exponent (AAE). AAE analysis showed the dominance of biomass burning sources (>50 %), except in Kathmandu. By combining our data with previously published literature, we put our measurements in perspective by presenting a comprehensive assessment of BC concentrations and their variability over the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. The BC levels in all three geographic regions, high, mid, and low altitude significantly influenced by the persistent seasonal meteorology. However, the mid-altitude stations were substantially affected by valley dynamics and urbanization. The low-altitude stations experienced high BC concentrations during the winter and post-monsoon seasons. Concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) and frequency analyses revealed the dominance of long-range transported pollution during winter over HKH, from west to east. South Asian sources remained significant during the monsoon season. During pre- and post-monsoon, the local, regional, and long-distance pollution varied depending on the location of the receptor site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar Singh
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal; Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Bhupesh Adhikary
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Xintong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shankar Prasad Poudel
- Department of Environment, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Forest-Complex, Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Tshering Tashi
- National Environment Commission, Royal Government of Bhutan, Tashi-Chhodzong Lam, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - Ajanta Goswami
- Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India; Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Siva Praveen Puppala
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.
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Zhou X, Li Z, Zhang T, Wang F, Tao Y, Zhang X. Multisize particulate matter and volatile organic compounds in arid and semiarid areas of Northwest China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 300:118875. [PMID: 35074457 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the chemical components, sources, and interactions of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a field campaign was implemented during the spring of 2018 in nine cities in northwestern (NW) China. PM was mainly contributed by organic matter and water-soluble inorganic ions (41% for PM10 and approximately 60% for PM2.5 and PM1). Two typical haze patterns were observed: anthropogenic pollution type (AP-type), wherein contributions of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium (SNA) increased, and dust pollution type (DP-type), wherein contributions of Ca2+ increased and SNA decreased. Source appointment suggested that regional sources contributed close to half to PM2.5 pollution (40% for AP-type and 50% for DP-type). Thus, sources from regional transport are also important for haze and dust pollution. The ranking of VOC concentrations was methanol > acetaldehyde > formic acid + ethanol > acetone. Compared with other cities, there are higher oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) and lower aromatics in NW China. The relationships between VOCs and PM were discussed. The dominating secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formation potential precursors were C10-aromatics, xylene, and styrene under low-nitrogen oxide (NOx) conditions, and benzene, C10-aromatics, and toluene dominated under high-NOx conditions. The quadratic polynomial was the most suitable fitting model for their correlation, and the results suggested that VOC oxidations explained 6.1-10.8% and 9.9-20.7% of SOA formation under high-NOx and low-NOx conditions, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources; Tianshan Glaciological Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Zhongqin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources; Tianshan Glaciological Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; College of Sciences, Shihezi University, Xinjiang, 832000, China; College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Tingjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Feiteng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources; Tianshan Glaciological Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yan Tao
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources; Tianshan Glaciological Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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Xu Y, Li Q, Xie S, Zhang C, Yan F, Liu Y, Kang S, Gao S, Li C. Overestimation of anthropogenic contribution of heavy metals in precipitation than those of aerosol samples due to different treatment methods. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 300:118956. [PMID: 35122917 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Due to increased anthropogenic activities in recent decades, many heavy metal elements have been emitted into the atmosphere and transported to remote regions. The Enrichment factors (EFs) is a normally used method for evaluating the source of heavy metal elements. However, because of some flaws of this method (e.g., higher solubility of heavy metals elements than reference elements in dilute acid), the anthropogenic contributions of some heavy metal elements in the precipitation sample were overestimated. To address this issue, EFs of heavy metal elements of aerosol, precipitation and snowpit samples in a typical remote area of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) were compared. The results showed that the EF values of many heavy metal elements in precipitation and snowpit samples were close to that of aerosol samples treated with dilute acid but usually much higher than those of totally dissolved aerosol samples. Moreover, EF values of most heavy metal elements in the ice core at the margin of the TP were higher than those at central TP, indicating that signal of long-range transport anthropogenic emitted heavy metal elements is weak and may be covered by natural mineral dust sources at glacier region. Therefore, the threshold EF values for determining anthropogenic sources of heavy metal elements in precipitation and ice core samples should be higher than those of aerosols. This study provides new knowledge on investigating anthropogenic sources of heavy metals in precipitation samples at both the TP and other regions of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinbo Xu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400045, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qing Li
- School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400045, China
| | - Shiyou Xie
- School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400045, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fangping Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yixi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shaopeng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chaoliu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Zhang C, Chen M, Kang S, Yan F, Han X, Gautam S, Hu Z, Zheng H, Chen P, Gao S, Wang P, Li C. Light absorption and fluorescence characteristics of water-soluble organic compounds in carbonaceous particles at a typical remote site in the southeastern Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 272:116000. [PMID: 33199066 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Carbonaceous particles play an important role in climate change, and an increase in their emission and deposition causes glacier melting in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau (HTP). This implies that studying their basic characteristics is crucial for a better understanding of the climate forcing observed in this area. Thus, we investigated characteristics of carbonaceous particles at a typical remote site of southeastern HTP. Organic carbon and elemental carbon concentrations at this study site were 1.86 ± 0.84 and 0.18 ± 0.09 μg m-3, respectively, which are much lower than those reported for other frequently monitored stations in the same region. Thus, these values reflect the background characteristics of the study site. Additionally, the absorption coefficient per mass (α/ρ) of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) at 365 nm was 0.60 ± 0.19 m2 g-1, with the highest and lowest values corresponding to the winter and monsoon seasons, respectively. Multi-dimensional fluorescence analysis showed that the WSOC consisted of approximately 37% and 63% protein and humic-like components, respectively, and the latter was identified as the component that primarily determined the light absorption ability of the WSOC, which also showed a significant relationship with some major ions, including SO2-4, K+, and Ca2+, indicating that combustion activities as well as mineral dust were two important contributors to WSOC at the study site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Meilian Chen
- Environmental Program, Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fangping Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; LUT School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, 53851, Lappeenranta, Finland
| | - Xiaowen Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, 12 Jiangan Road, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Sangita Gautam
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhaofu Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huijun Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shaopeng Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Pengling Wang
- National Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Chaoliu Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China.
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9
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Li C, Yan F, Kang S, Yan C, Hu Z, Chen P, Gao S, Zhang C, He C, Kaspari S, Stubbins A. Carbonaceous matter in the atmosphere and glaciers of the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau: An investigative review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106281. [PMID: 33395932 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Carbonaceous matter, including organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC), is an important climate forcing agent and contributes to glacier retreat in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau (HTP). The HTP - the so-called "Third Pole" - contains the most extensive glacial area outside of the polar regions. Considerable research on carbonaceous matter in the HTP has been conducted, although this research has been challenging due to the complex terrain and strong spatiotemporal heterogeneity of carbonaceous matter in the HTP. A comprehensive investigation of published atmospheric and snow data for HTP carbonaceous matter concentration, deposition and light absorption is presented, including how these factors vary with time and other parameters. Carbonaceous matter concentrations in the atmosphere and glaciers of the HTP are found to be low. Analysis of water-insoluable organic carbon and BC from snowpits reveals that concentrations of OC and BC in the atmosphere and glacier samples in arid regions of the HTP may be overestimated due to contributions from inorganic carbon in mineral dust. Due to the remote nature of the HTP, carbonaceous matter found in the HTP has generally been transported from outside the HTP (e.g., South Asia), although local HTP emissions may also be important at some sites. This review provides essential data and a synthesis of current thinking for studies on atmospheric transport modeling and radiative forcing of carbonaceous matter in the HTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoliu Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Fangping Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; UT School of Engineering Science, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Caiqing Yan
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Zhaofu Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shaopeng Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cenlin He
- Research Applications Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Susan Kaspari
- Department of Geological Sciences, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA
| | - Aron Stubbins
- Departments of Marine and Environmental Science, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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10
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Black Carbon: The Concentration and Sources Study at the Nam Co Lake, the Tibetan Plateau from 2015 to 2016. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11060624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We measured black carbon (BC) with a seven-wavelength aethalometer (AE-31) at the Nam Co Lake (NCL), the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) from May 2015 to April 2016. The daily average concentration of BC was 145 ± 85 ng m−3, increasing by 50% since 2006. The seasonal variation of BC shows higher concentrations in spring and summer and lower concentrations in autumn and winter, dominated by the adjacent sources and meteorological conditions. The diurnal variation of BC showed that its concentrations peaked at 9:00–16:00 (UTC + 8), significantly related to local human activities (e.g., animal-manure burning and nearby traffic due to the tourism industry). The concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis showed that the long-distance transport of BC from South Asia could also be a potential contributor to BC at the NCL, as well as the biomass burning by the surrounding residents. The analyses of the absorption coefficient and absorption Ångström exponent show the consistency of sourcing the BC at the NCL. We suggest here that urgent measures should be taken to protect the atmospheric environment at the NCL, considering the fast-increasing concentrations of BC as an indicator of fuel combustion.
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11
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One-Year Measurements of Equivalent Black Carbon, Optical Properties, and Sources in the Urumqi River Valley, Tien Shan, China. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11050478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Equivalent black carbon (EBC) was measured with a seven-wavelength Aethalometer (AE-31) in the Urumqi River Valley, eastern Tien Shan, China. This is the first high-resolution, online measurement of EBC conducted in the eastern Tien Shan allowing analysis of the seasonal and hourly variations of the light absorption properties of EBC. Results showed that the highest concentrations of EBC were in autumn, followed by those in summer. The hourly variations of EBC showed two plateaus during 8:00–9:00 h local time (LT) and 16:00–19:00 h LT, respectively. The contribution of biomass burning to EBC in winter and spring was higher than in summer and autumn. The planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) showed an inverse relationship with EBC concentrations, suggesting that the reduction of the PBLH leads to enhanced EBC. The aerosol optical depths (AOD) over the Urumqi River Valley, derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and back trajectory analysis, showed that the pollution from Central Asia was more likely to affect the atmosphere of Tien Shan in summer and autumn. This suggests that long-distance transported pollutants from Central Asia could also be potential contributors to EBC concentrations in the Urumqi River Valley, the same as local anthropogenic activities.
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12
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Yang J, Kang S, Ji Z. Critical contribution of south Asian residential emissions to atmospheric black carbon over the Tibetan plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 709:135923. [PMID: 31884284 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), both in the air and deposited on the surface of snow and ice, has been shown to accelerate the retreat of mountain glaciers. Previous study indicated that South Asian anthropogenic emissions primarily contributed to atmospheric loading of BC over the TP, it is essential to further identify the major sector in South Asia and provide guidance for potential mitigation strategies. In this study, the regional atmospheric chemistry model WRF-Chem was run for an entire year. The results suggested that residential BC emissions from South Asia contributed the largest (25.8% in summer and 44.8% in winter) to BC concentrations over the TP compared to other anthropogenic emission sectors in the region. Furthermore, significant seasonal variability existed in the transport process of residential BC from South Asia to the TP. The South Asia monsoon during summer and the mountain-valley wind system during spring could transport South Asian residential BC across the Himalayas to the TP. However, the higher transportation flux along 30°N indicated that the transport was mainly influenced by westerly winds, implying that residential emissions from northern India were the critical source of BC aerosols over the TP. A further assessment of emission control strategies suggested that reducing emissions from South Asian residential sources can effectively reduce BC concentrations over the TP, which may potentially alleviate the TP's accelerating glacier melting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Zhenming Ji
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Southern Laboratory of Ocean Science and Engineering (Guangdong, Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519000, China.
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13
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Yuan Q, Xu J, Wang Y, Zhang X, Pang Y, Liu L, Bi L, Kang S, Li W. Mixing State and Fractal Dimension of Soot Particles at a Remote Site in the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:8227-8234. [PMID: 31251592 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The mixing state and fractal dimension (Df) of soot particles are two major factors affecting their absorption capacity and their climate effects. Here we investigated these factors of soot particles found in a typical valley of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau where wood burning in local villages was one major source of soot particles. Our motivation revealed Df and the aging property of soot particles in remote air and discussed their regional climatic implications. We found that 64% of total analyzed particles by number were soot-bearing particles and most of them aged with sulfate or organic coating. The Df sequence is bare-like soot (1.75 ± 0.08) < partly coated soot (1.82 ± 0.05) < embedded soot (1.88 ± 0.05). The aging process enlarged the overall size of the soot-bearing particles and increased the compactness of soot. Soot aging critically depended on high relative humidity (RH) during nighttime. Besides emission sources and coating processes, the coating aerosol phase under different RHs is another important factor affecting the soot Df.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Yuan
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , Zhejiang , China
| | - Jianzhong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources , Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Lanzhou 730000 , Gansu , China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , Zhejiang , China
| | - Xinghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources , Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Lanzhou 730000 , Gansu , China
| | - Yuner Pang
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , Zhejiang , China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , Zhejiang , China
| | - Lei Bi
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , Zhejiang , China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources , Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Lanzhou 730000 , Gansu , China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences , Beijing 100101 , China
| | - Weijun Li
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth Sciences , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , Zhejiang , China
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14
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Xu R, Tie X, Li G, Zhao S, Cao J, Feng T, Long X. Effect of biomass burning on black carbon (BC) in South Asia and Tibetan Plateau: The analysis of WRF-Chem modeling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 645:901-912. [PMID: 30032086 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The focus of this study is to evaluate the impact of biomass burning (BB) from South Asia and Southeast Asia on the glaciers over the Tibetan Plateau. The seasonality and long-term trend of biomass fires measured by Terra and Aqua satellite data from 2010 to 2016 are used in this study. The analysis shows that the biomass burnings were widely dispersed in the continental of Indian and Southeast Asia and existed a strong seasonal variation. The biomass burnings in winter (January) were relatively weak and scattered and were significantly enhanced in spring (April). The highest biomass burnings located in two regions. One was along the foothill of Himalayas, where is a dense population area, and the second located in Southeast Asia. Because these two high biomass burning regions are close to the Tibetan Plateau, they could have important effects on the BC deposition over the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau. In order to study the effect of BB emissions on the deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, a regional chemical model (WRF-Chem; Weather Research and Forecasting Chemical model) was applied to simulate the BC distributions and the transport from BB emission regions to the glaciers in Tibetan Plateau. The result shows that in winter (January), due to the relatively weak BB emissions, the effect of BB emissions on BC concentrations was not significant. The BC concentrations resulted from BB emissions ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 μg/m3, with high concentrations distributed along the foothill of Himalayas and the southeastern Asia region. Due to the relative low BC concentrations, there was insignificant effect of BB emissions on the deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau in winter. However, the BB emissions were highest in spring (April), producing high BC concentrations. For example, along the Himalayas Mountain and in the southeastern Asia region, The BC concentrations ranged from 2.0 to 6.0 μg/m3. In addition to the high BC concentrations, there were also west and south prevailing winds in these regions. As a result, the BC particles were transported to the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, causing significant deposition of BC particles on the snow surface of the glaciers. This study suggests that the biomass burning emissions have important effects on the BC deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, and the contaminations of glaciers could have significant impact on the melting of snow in the Tibetan Plateau, causing some severe environmental problems, such as the water resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiguang Xu
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; College of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China; Postdoctoral Research Station of Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District(CBE) Management Committee, Xi'an 710024, China
| | - Xuexi Tie
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
| | - Guohui Li
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Shuyu Zhao
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Junji Cao
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Tian Feng
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xin Long
- State Kay Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
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15
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Singh RP, Kumar S, Singh AK. Elevated Black Carbon Concentrations and Atmospheric Pollution around Singrauli Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plants (India) Using Ground and Satellite Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15112472. [PMID: 30400662 PMCID: PMC6267488 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15112472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The tropospheric NO2 concentration from OMI AURA always shows high concentrations of NO2 at a few locations in India, one of the high concentrations of NO2 hotspots is associated with the locations of seven coal-fired Thermal Power plants (TPPs) in Singrauli. Emissions from TPPs are among the major sources of black carbon (BC) soot in the atmosphere. Knowledge of BC emissions from TPPs is important in characterizing regional carbonaceous particulate emissions, understanding the fog/haze/smog formation, evaluating regional climate forcing, modeling aerosol optical parameters and concentrations of black carbon, and evaluating human health. Furthermore, elevated BC concentrations, over the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) and the Himalayan foothills, have emerged as an important subject to estimate the effects of deposition and atmospheric warming of BC on the accelerated melting of snow and glaciers in the Himalaya. For the first time, this study reports BC concentrations and aerosol optical parameters near dense coal-fired power plants and open cast coal mining adjacent to the east IGP. In-situ measurements were carried out in Singrauli (located in south-east IGP) at a fixed site about 10 km from power plants and in transit measurements in close proximity to the plants, for few days in the month of January and March 2013. At the fixed site, BC concentration up to the 95 μgm−3 is observed with strong diurnal variations. BC concentration shows two maxima peaks during early morning and evening hours. High BC concentrations are observed in close proximity to the coal-fired TPPs (>200 μgm−3), compared to the outside domain of our study region. Co-located ground-based sunphotometer measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) show strong spatial variability at the fixed site, with AOD in the range 0.38–0.58, and the highest AOD in the range 0.7–0.95 near the TPPs in transit measurements (similar to the peak of BC concentrations). Additionally, the Angstrom exponent was found to be in the range 0.4–1.0 (maximum in the morning time) and highest in the proximity of TPPs (~1.0), suggesting abundance of fine particulates, whereas there was low Angstrom exponent over the surrounding coal mining areas. Low Angstrom exponent is characterized by dust from the unpaved roads and nearby coal mining areas. MODIS derived daily AOD shows a good match with the MICROTOPS AOD. The CALIPSO derived subtypes of the aerosol plot shows that the aerosols over Singrauli region are mainly dust, polluted dust, and elevated smoke. The preliminary study for few days provides information about the BC concentrations and aerosol optical properties from Singrauli (one of the NO2 hotspot locations in India). This preliminary study suggests that long-term continuous monitoring of BC is needed to understand the BC concentrations and aerosol optical properties for better quantification and the estimation of the emission to evaluate radiative forcing in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh P Singh
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA.
| | - Sarvan Kumar
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, India.
| | - Abhay K Singh
- Atmospheric Research Lab., Department of Physics, BHU, Varanasi 221005, India.
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16
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Wu J, Lu J, Min X, Zhang Z. Distribution and health risks of aerosol black carbon in a representative city of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:19403-19412. [PMID: 29728970 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-2141-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Although aerosol black carbon (BC) exerts strong influences on human health, research on potential health risks of aerosol BC around the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is very limited. This is the very first study to investigate the distribution of aerosol BC in a typical city of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the resulting health risks. The results showed that the maximal real-time (5-min monitoring interval) concentration of aerosol BC was 22.34 μg/m3, much higher than day- and week-averaged concentrations which were in the range of 1.28-6.15 and 1.93-4.63 μg/m3, respectively. The health risks were evaluated using four different health endpoints including low birth weight (LBW), percentage lung function decrement of school-aged children (PLFD), cardiovascular mortality (CM), and lung cancer (LC). The highest risks of LBW, PLFD, CM, and LC had reached 69.5, 184.4, 67.4, and 31.8 numbers of equivalent passively smoked cigarettes (PSC), respectively. The concentrations and health risks of aerosol BC in the study area are at a middle level among the global cities/regions. In comparison, the cities of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are experiencing high potential health risks resulting from aerosol BC to need more effective prevention and control of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Xining, Qinghai, 810008, China
| | - Jian Lu
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, China.
| | - Xiuyun Min
- Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Xining, Qinghai, 810008, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong, 264025, China
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17
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Singh S, Tiwari S, Hopke PK, Zhou C, Turner JR, Panicker AS, Singh PK. Ambient black carbon particulate matter in the coal region of Dhanbad, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 615:955-963. [PMID: 29020648 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Light-absorbing, atmospheric particles have gained greater attention in recent years because of their direct and indirect impacts on regional and global climate. Atmospheric black carbon (BC) aerosol is a leading climate warming agent, yet uncertainties in the global direct aerosol radiative forcing remain large. Based on a year of aerosol absorption measurements at seven wavelengths, BC concentrations were investigated in Dhanbad, the coal capital of India. Coal is routinely burned for cooking and residential heat as well as in small industries. The mean daily concentrations of ultraviolet-absorbing black carbon measured at 370nm (UVBC) and black carbon measured at 880nm (BC) were 9.8±5.7 and 6.5±3.8μgm-3, respectively. The difference between UVBC and BC, Delta-C, is an indicator of biomass or residential coal burning and averaged 3.29±4.61μgm-3. An alternative approach uses the Ǻngstrom Exponent (AE) to estimate the biomass/coal and traffic BC concentrations. Biomass/coal burning contributed ~87% and high temperature, fossil-fuel combustion contributed ~13% to the annual average BC concentration. The post-monsoon seasonal mean UVBC values were 10.9μgm-3 and BC of 7.2μgm-3. Potential source contribution function analysis showed that in the post-monsoon season, air masses came from the central and northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains where there is extensive agricultural burning. The mean winter UVBC and BC concentrations were 15.0 and 10.1μgm-3, respectively. These higher values were largely produced by local sources under poor dispersion conditions. The direct radiative forcing (DRF) due to UVBC and BC at the surface (SUR) and the top of the atmosphere (TOA) were calculated. The mean atmospheric heating rates due to UVBC and BC were estimated to be 1.40°Kday-1 and 1.18°Kday-1, respectively. This high heating rate may affect the monsoon circulation in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Singh
- CSIR-Central Institute of Mining & Fuel Research, Dhanbad 826015, Jharkhand, India.
| | - S Tiwari
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune 411008, India
| | - P K Hopke
- Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Clarkson University, Box 5708, Potsdam, NY 13699-5708, USA
| | - C Zhou
- Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Clarkson University, Box 5708, Potsdam, NY 13699-5708, USA
| | - J R Turner
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - A S Panicker
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune 411008, India
| | - P K Singh
- CSIR-Central Institute of Mining & Fuel Research, Dhanbad 826015, Jharkhand, India
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18
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Gong P, Wang X, Sheng J, Wang H, Yuan X, He Y, Qian Y, Yao T. Seasonal variations and sources of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine compounds in a high-altitude city: Evidence from four-year observations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 233:1188-1197. [PMID: 29074198 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.10.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Lijiang is a high-altitude city located on the eastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau, with complex seasonal atmospheric circulations (i.e. westerly wind, Indian Monsoon, and East Asia Monsoon). Very few previous studies have focused on seasonal variations and sources of organic pollutants in Lijiang. In this study, a four-year air campaign from June 2009 to July 2013 was conducted to investigate the temporal trends and the sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine compounds [including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)]. The atmospheric PAH concentrations in winter are 2-3 times of those in summer, probably because of the combined result of enhanced local emission and long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) during winter. Traffic pollution was the primary local source of PAHs, while biomass burning is the dominant LRAT source. OCPs and PCBs also mainly underwent LRAT to reach Lijiang. The peak concentrations of most of OCPs occurred in pre-monsoon season and winter, which were carried by air masses from Myanmar and India through westerly winds. As compared with other sites of the Tibetan Plateau, without the direct barrier of the Himalaya, Lijiang is easily contaminated by the incursion of polluted air masses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Gong
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Process, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Process, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jiujiang Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Process, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Xiaohua Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Process, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuanqing He
- State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yun Qian
- Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Tandong Yao
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environmental Changes and Land Surface Process, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Zhang X, Ming J, Li Z, Wang F, Zhang G. The online measured black carbon aerosol and source orientations in the Nam Co region, Tibet. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:25021-25033. [PMID: 28920168 PMCID: PMC5683056 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0165-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Equivalent black carbon (eBC) mass concentrations were measured by an aethalometer (AE-31) in the Nam Co, central Tibet from 2010 to 2014. Different from previous filter-sampling studies (Ming et al., J Environ Sci 22(11):1748-1756, 2010; Zhao et al., Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:5827-5838, 2013), the first high-resolution online eBC measurement conducted in central Tibet is reported here, allowing to discuss the diurnal variations as well as seasonal variabilities of eBC. Average daily eBC concentration was 74 ± 50 ng/m3, reflecting a global background level. Meteorological conditions influenced eBC concentrations largely at seasonal scale, which are higher in February-May but lower in June-January. The highest eBC concentrations (greater than 210 ng/m3) were more associated with the W and WSW winds smaller than 6 m/s. The diurnal variations of eBC showed plateaus from 10:00 to 15:00 with seasonal variations, associated with local anthropogenic activities, such as indigenous Tibetan burning animal waste and tourism traffic. The PBLHs showed a co-variance with eBC concentrations, implicating close sources. The aerosol optical depths derived from the MODIS data over the Nam Co Observatory Station (NCOS)-included sub-area (30° N-40° N, 90° E-100° E) showed significant relationship with eBC concentrations. This suggests that nearby or short-distance sources other than long-distance transported pollutants could be important contributors to eBC concentrations at the NCOS, different from the conclusions suggested by previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Jing Ming
- Biogeo/Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Zhongqin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Feiteng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Guoshuai Zhang
- Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
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