Abstract
This study aimed to determine the chemical composition, sources and contributing factors of airborne PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) during a haze episode in Zibo, a heavy industrial city in China. Samples of PM2.5 were collected 8–27 January 2018 and analyzed for water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIs), trace elements (TEs), organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC). The PM2.5 concentration was 76.78% higher during the haze (mean ± standard deviation [SD] = 211 ± 39 µg m–3) than before it (49 ± 38 µg m–3), and the dominant ions were NO3–, SO42– and NH4+. Additionally, an elevated TE concentration was observed during the episode (exceeding the pre- and post-haze values by 54.70% and 31.98%, respectively), with crustal elements (K, Al, Ca, Si, Na, Fe and Mg), the most abundant elemental components, accounting for 88.64%. Carbonaceous species (OC and EC) contributed 15.45% of the PM2.5 on haze days and slightly more on non-haze days. The NO3–/SO42– and OC/EC ratios indicated that coal combustion and motor vehicle emission were the primary sources of pollution, and back-trajectory analysis revealed that the air masses over Zibo on haze days mainly originated in adjacent areas in Shandong Province and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region (BTH). The haze episode was caused by a combination of unfavorable meteorological conditions, secondary formation, the accumulation of local pollutants, and peripheral transmission.
Highlights
With the development of large-scale industrialization and accelerated urbanization, China has experienced rapid economic growth (Ji et al, 2014)
The concentration of PM2.5 was 76.78% higher during the haze episode than before it
The concentration and chemical composition of PM2.5 in the heavy industrial city of Zibo were investigated in relation to a haze episode occurring 15–21 January 2018
Summary
With the development of large-scale industrialization and accelerated urbanization, China has experienced rapid economic growth (Ji et al, 2014). Particulate matter pollution is one of the most urgent problems to be solved, especially in developed megalopolises, which are severely affected by emissions from industry, motor vehicle exhaust and other urban air pollution sources. Many studies have been done on the chemical characteristics and source apportionment of PM2.5 worldwide (Tan et al, 2016, 2017; Turap et al, 2019). As the chemical composition of PM2.5 is complex and diverse, it has become increasingly important to conduct an in-depth study on it and determine the key information necessary for effective emission reduction (Taghvaee et al, 2019)
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