Particulate matter mass and chemical component concentrations over four Chinese cities along the western Pacific coast

Xu, Hong; Bi, Xiao-Hui; Zheng, Wei-Wei; Wu, Jian-Hui; Feng, Yin-Chang

Particulate matter mass and chemical component concentrations over four Chinese cities along the western Pacific coast

2015

Xu, Hong | Bi, Xiao-Hui | Zheng, Wei-Wei | Wu, Jian-Hui | Feng, Yin-Chang

China has witnessed rapid economic growth in the past three decades, especially in coastal areas. Particulate matter (PM) pollution is becoming increasingly serious in China’s cities along the western Pacific coast with the rapid development of China’s society and economy. This study analyzed PM (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) in terms of their mass and chemical composition in four coastal Chinese cities. The goal was to study the spatial variation and characteristics of PM pollution in sites under different levels of economic development and in diverse natural environments. A distinct trend for concentrations of PM and related chemical species was observed and increased from south to north in Haikou, Ningbo, Qingdao, and Tianjin. Secondary inorganic aerosols, crustal materials, and organic matter dominated the composition of both PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅. Crustal materials were the most abundant species in the northern coastal areas because these areas have less vegetation cover and lower humidity than southern coastal areas. The presence of high SO₄²⁻/nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentrations indicated that the burning of coals gives significant contributions to PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅. The differences observed in the characteristics of PM pollution in these coastal cities are probably caused by different levels of industrial and urban development.

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