Abstract
To improve its air quality, Beijing, the capital of China, has implemented high-cost pollution control measures mainly focused on shifting its energy mix. However, the effectiveness of these measures has long been questioned, especially given the recent problem of severe haze. The main study objectives are to achieve independent, although indirect, information on Beijing’s air pollution by measuring the level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in topsoil and to examine how soil contamination reflects energy consumption. Soil sampling data from two years, 2004 and 2013, were used. The key findings are as follows: 1) although the total PAH content in the topsoil did not significantly decrease from 2004 to 2013, the composition changed considerably; 2) as of 2013, vehicle emissions replaced coal combustion as the leading source of soil PAHs, which validates the existing policy measures regarding vehicle purchasing and traffic volume; 3) the regional transport of atmospheric pollutants, as indicated by the contribution of coking sources in 2013, is not negligible; and 4) appropriate policy measures are needed to control the growing practice of burning biomass. Overall, this study demonstrates that the PAH contamination in topsoil represents an informative indicator of Beijing’s energy consumption and overall environmental quality.
Highlights
This study investigated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in the topsoil of Beijing’s downtown and suburban areas based on a unique dataset from two years
The PAH contamination in topsoil can be viewed as an indicator of local and regional energy consumption
According to the Beijing Statistical Yearbooks (2004–2013), the total annual energy consumption of Beijing increased from 46.482 million tons of SCE (Standard Coal Equivalent) in 2003 to 71.777 million tons of SCE in
Summary
This study used a unique variable, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in topsoil, to interpret the evolution of energy consumption and air quality in Beijing. A study on the evolution of PAH contamination in topsoil may provide valuable information about regional air quality trends. The main objectives of this study are the following: 1) to demonstrate whether and how soil contamination reflected the change in Beijing’s energy mix and 2) to achieve independent information about the sources of air pollutants in Beijing. The study results provide supplementary evidence for the resolution of ongoing debates related to Beijing’s air pollution (e.g., whether the pollution has been alleviated) and its origins (e.g., whether it is dominated by coal burning or vehicle emissions); the results generate insights into current and potential future policy measures
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