Abstract
Accurate determination of the atmospheric particulate matter mass concentration and chemical composition is helpful in exploring the causes and sources of atmospheric enthalpy pollution and in evaluating the rationality of environmental air quality control strategies. Based on the sampling and chemical composition data of PM2.5 in different key regions of China in the CARE-China observation network, this research analyzes the environmental air quality data released by the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre during the studied period to determine the changes in the particulate matter mass concentration in key regions and the evolution of the corresponding chemical compositions during the implementation of the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Air Pollution from 2013–2017. The results show the following. (1) The particulate matter mass concentration in China showed a significant downward trend; however, the PM2.5 annual mass concentration in 64% of cities exceeds the New Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standard (CAAQS) Grade II (GB3095-2012). The region to the east of the Taihang Mountains, the Fenhe and Weihe River Plain and the Urumqi-Changji regions in Xinjiang, all have PM2.5 concentration loading that is still high, and heavy haze pollution occurred frequently in the autumn and winter. (2) During the heavy pollution in the autumn and winter, the concentrations of sulfate and organic components decreased significantly. The mean \({\rm{SO}}_4^{2-}\) concentration in PM2.5 decreased by 76%, 12%, 81% and 38% in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), the Pearl River Delta (PRD), the Sichuan-Chongqing region (SC) and the Fenhe and Weihe River Plain, respectively. The mean organic matter (OM) concentration decreased by 70%, 44%, 48% and 31%, respectively, and the mean concentration of \({\rm{NH}}_4^+\) decreased by 68%, 1.6%, 38% and 25%, respectively. The mean elemental carbon (EC) concentration decreased by 84% and 20% in BTH and SC, respectively, and it increased by 61% and 11% in the PRD and Fenhe and Weihe River Plain, respectively. The mean concentration of mineral and unresolved chemical components (MI) dropped by 70%, 24% and 13% in BTH, the PRD and the Fenhe and Weihe River Plain, respectively. The change in the PM2.5 chemical composition is consistent with the decrease of the PM2.5 mass concentration. (3) In 2015, the mean OM concentration contributions to fine particles and coarse particles were 13–46% and 46–57%, respectively, and the mean MI concentration contributions to fine particles and coarse and particles were 31–60% and 39–73%, respectively; these values are lower than the 2013 values from the key regions, which is the most important factor behind the decrease of the particulate matter mass concentration. From 2013 to 2015, among the chemical components of different particle size fractions, the peak value of the coarse particle size fraction decreased significantly, and the fine particle size fractions of \({\rm{SO}}_4^{2-},{\rm{NO}}_4^-,\;{\rm{and}}\;{\rm{NH}}_4^+\) decreased with the decrease of the particulate matter mass concentration in different particle size fractions. The fine-particle size peaks of \({\rm{SO}}_4^{2-},{\rm{NO}}_4^-,\;{\rm{and}}\;{\rm{NH}}_4^+\) shifted from 0.65–1.1 μm to the finer size range of 0.43–0.65 μm during the same time frame.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brook J R, Dann T F, Burnett R T. 1997. The relationship among TSP, PM10, PM2.5, and inorganic constituents of atmospheric participate matter at multiple canadian locations. J Air Waste Manage Assoc, 47: 2–19
China Meteorological Administration (CMA). 2018. China Climate Bulletin (2017) (in Chinese). Beijing: China Meteorological Press
Chinese Academy of Engineering. Report on the implementation of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (Release). http://www.cae.cn/cae/html/main/col96/2016-07/05/20160705161134200910514_1.html, 2016-07-05/2019-02-01
Delfino R J, Sioutas C, Malik S. 2005. Potential role of ultrafine particles in associations between airborne particle mass and cardiovascular health. Environ Health Perspect, 113: 934–946
Eldred R A, Cahill T A, Flocchini R G. 1997. Composition of PM2.5 and PM10 aerosols in the IMPROVE network. J Air Waste Manage Assoc, 47: 194–203
Gehrig R, Buchmann B. 2003. Characterising seasonal variations and spatial distribution of ambient PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations based on long-term swiss monitoring data. Atmos Environ, 37: 2571–2580
Gomišček B, Hauck H, Stopper S, Preining O. 2004. Spatial and temporal variations of PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and particle number concentration during the AUPHEP-Project. Atmos Environ, 38: 3917–3934
Houthuijs D, Breugelmans O, Hoek G, Vaskövi É, Miháliková E, Pastuszka J S, Jirik V, Sachelarescu S, Lolova D, Meliefste K, Uzunova E, Marinescu C, Volf J, de Leeuw F, van de Wiel H, Fletcher T, Lebret E, Brunekreef B. 2001. PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in Central and Eastern Europe: Results from the Cesar study. Atmos Environ, 35: 2757–2771
Liu Z R, Gao W K, Yu Y C, Hu B, Xin J Y, Sun Y, Wang L L, Wang G H, Bi X H, Zhang G H, Xu H H, Cong Z Y, He J, Xu J S, and W Y S. 2018. Characteristics of PM2.5 mass concentrations and chemical species in urban and background areas of China: Emerging results from the CARE-China network. Atmos Chem Phys, 18: 8849–8871
Malm W C, Schichtel B A, Pitchford M L, Ashbaugh L L, Eldred R A. 2004. Spatial and monthly trends in speciated fine particle concentration in the United States. J Geophys Res, 109: D03306
Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the People’s Republic of China. 2017 Report on the state of the Ecology and Environment in China. 2018-5-22/2019-3-1
Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the People’s Republic of China. 2012. Ambient air quality standards GB3095-2012 (in Chinese). Beijing: China Environmental Science Press
Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the People’s Republic of China. 2013a. Specifications and Test Procedures for Ambient Air Quality Continuous Automated Monitoring System for PM10 and PM2.5 HJ653-2013 (in Chinese). Beijing: China Environmental Science Press
Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the People’s Republic of China. 2013b. Technical regulation for ambient air quality assessment (on trial) (in Chinese). Beijing: China Environmental Science Press
Pope III C A, Dockery D W. 2006. Health effects of fine particulate air pollution: Lines that connect. J Air Waste Manage Assoc, 56: 709–742
Ramanathan V, Crutzen P J, Kiehl J T, Rosenfeld D. 2001. Aerosols, climate, and the hydrological cycle. Science, 294: 2119–2124
Tang G Q, Zhao P S, Wang Y H, Gao W K, Cheng M T, Xin J Y, Li X, and W Y S. 2017. Mortality and air pollution in Beijing: The long-term relationship. Atmos Environ, 150: 238–243
Tao J, Zhang L M, Cao J J, and Z R J. 2017. A review of current knowledge concerning PM2.5 chemical composition, aerosol optical properties and their relationships across China. Atmos Chem Phys, 17: 9485–9518
Tian S L, Pan Y P, Wang Y S. 2016. Size-resolved source apportionment of particulate matter in urban Beijing during haze and non-haze episodes. Atmos Chem Phys, 16: 1–19
Tian S, Pan Y, Liu Z, Wen T, Wang Y. 2014. Size-resolved aerosol chemical analysis of extreme haze pollution events during early 2013 in urban Beijing, China. J Hazard Mater, 279: 452–460
Wang Y Q, Zhang X Y, Sun J Y, Zhang X C, Che H Z, Li Y. 2015. Spatial and temporal variations of the concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 in China. Atmos Chem Phys, 15: 13585–13598
Wang Y S, Yao L, Wang L L, Liu Z R, Ji D S, Tang G Q, Zhang J K, Sun Y, Hu B, Xin J Y. 2014. Mechanism for the formation of the January 2013 heavy haze pollution episode over central and eastern China. Sci China Earth Sci, 57: 14–25
Watson J G. 2002. Visibility: Science and regulation. J Air Waste Manage Assoc, 52: 628–713
Xin J Y, Wang Y S, Pan Y P, Ji D S, Liu Z R, Wen T X, Wang Y H, Li X R, Sun Y, Sun J, Wang P C, Wang G H, Wang X M, Cong Z Y, Song T, Hu B, Wang L L, Tang G Q, Gao W K, Guo Y H, Miao H Y, Tian S L, and W L. 2015. The campaign on atmospheric aerosol research network of China: CARE-China. Bull Amer Meteorol Soc, 96: 1137–1155
Xu W, Liu L, Cheng M M, Zhao Y H, Zhang L, Pan Y P, Zhang X M, Gu B J, Li Y, Zhang X Y, Shen J L, Lu L, Luo X S, Zhao Y, Feng Z Z, Jeffrey L C J, Zhang F S, and L X J. 2018. Spatial-temporal patterns of inorganic nitrogen air concentrations and deposition in eastern China. Atmos Chem Phys, 18: 10931–10954
Yang F, Tan J, Zhao Q, Du Z, He K, Ma Y, Duan F, Chen G, Zhao Q. 2011. Characteristics of PM2.5 speciation in representative megacities and across China. Atmos Chem Phys, 11: 5207–5219
Zhang H F, Wang S X, Hao J M, Wang X M, Wang S L, Chai F H, and L M. 2016. Air pollution and control action in Beijing. J Cleaner Prod, 112: 1519–1527
Zhang Q, He K, Huo H. 2012. Policy: Cleaning China’s air. Nature, 484: 161–162
Zhang Y L, Cao F. 2015. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in China at a city level. Sci Rep, 5: 14884
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology National Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2017YFC0210000), the Fundamental Heavy Pollution Cause and Governance Research Project (Grant No. DQGG0101) and the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission Capital Blue Sky Action and Cultivation Project (Grant No. Z181100005418014).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, Y., Li, W., Gao, W. et al. Trends in particulate matter and its chemical compositions in China from 2013–2017. Sci. China Earth Sci. 62, 1857–1871 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-018-9373-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-018-9373-1