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Aerosol oxalate and its implication to haze pollution in Shanghai, China

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  • Atmospheric Science
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Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

A total of 238 samples of PM2.5 and TSP were analyzed to study the characteristics, sources, and formation pathways of aerosol oxalate in Shanghai in four seasons of 2007. The concentrations of oxalate were 0.07–0.41 μg/m3 in PM2.5 and 0.10–0.48 μg/m3 in TSP, respectively. Oxalate displayed a seasonal variation of autumn > summer > winter > spring in both PM2.5 and TSP and was dominantly present in PM2.5 in all samples. Correlation between oxalate and K+ and high ratio of oxalate/K+ suggested that biomass burning was a secondary source of aerosol oxalate in Shanghai, in addition to urban VOCs sources (vehicular and industrial emissions), especially in autumn. Secondary formation accounted for the majority of aerosol oxalate in Shanghai, which was supported by the high correlation of oxalate with nss-SO4 2−, K+ and NO3 −, proceeding from different mechanisms. Relatively high ambient RH together with high cloud cover was found benefiting the secondary formation of aerosol oxalate. The in-cloud process (aqueous-phase oxidation) was proposed to be likely the major formation pathway of aerosol oxalate in Shanghai, which was supported by the high correlation of oxalate with nss-SO4 2− and K+, dominant residence of oxalate in droplet mode and result of favorable meteorological condition analysis. High correlation of oxalate and NO3 − reflected the OH radical involved oxidation chemistry of the two species in the atmosphere and also suggested that gas-particle surface reactions and the evaporation–condensation process were both possible secondary formation pathways of aerosol oxalate in coarser particle mode (>1.0 μm). As a major water-soluble organic compound in aerosols, concentration of oxalate showed a distinct negative correlation to the atmospheric visibility, which implied that aerosol organic compounds could play an important role in haze pollution as well as in air quality in Shanghai.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Great International Collaboration Project of MOST, China (2010DFA92230), the National Basic Research Program of China (2006CB403704), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20877020 and 20977017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Atmospheric Chemistry Study, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Yilun Jiang, Guoshun Zhuang, Qiongzhen Wang, Tingna Liu, Kan Huang, Juan Li, Yanfen Lin, Rong Zhang & Congrui Deng

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Kan Huang & Joshua S. Fu

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  1. Yilun Jiang
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  2. Guoshun Zhuang
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Correspondence to Guoshun Zhuang.

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Jiang, Y., Zhuang, G., Wang, Q. et al. Aerosol oxalate and its implication to haze pollution in Shanghai, China. Chin. Sci. Bull. 59, 227–238 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-0009-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-0009-4

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