Pollution Characteristics, Transport Pathways, and Potential Source Regions of PM2.5 and PM10 in Changchun City in 2018

Fanhao Meng,Ju Wang,Chunsheng Fang,Tongnan Li

doi:10.3390/ijerph17186585

Abstract

Air pollution has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Cluster analysis, scene analysis, and the potential source contribution function (PSCF), based on the backward trajectory model, were used to identify the transport pathways and potential source regions of PM2.5 and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of not more than 2.5 µm and 10 µm) in Changchun in 2018. In addition, the PSCF was slightly improved. The highest average monthly concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 appeared in March and April, when they reached 53.9μg/m3 and 120.0 μg/m3, respectively. The main potential source regions of PM2.5 and PM10 were generally similar: western Jilin Province, northwestern Inner Mongolia, northeastern Liaoning Province, and the Yellow Sea region. The secondary potential source regions were southern Russia, central Mongolia, western Shandong Province, eastern Hebei Province, and eastern Jiangsu Province. The northwest and southwest directions were found to be the two pathways that mainly affect the air quality of Changchun City. Moreover, the northwestern pathway had a larger potential contribution source area than the southwestern pathway. The airflow in the southwest direction came from Liaoning Province, Shandong Province, and the Yellow Sea region. This mainly occurred in summer; its transmission distance was short; it had a relatively higher weight potential source contribution function (WPSCF) value; it can be regarded as a local source; and its representative pollutants were SO2 (sulfur dioxide), CO (carbon monoxide), and O3 (ozone). The northwestern pathway passed through Russia, Mongolia, and Inner Mongolia. The transmission distance of this pathway was longer; it had a relatively lower WPSCF value; it can be considered as a natural source to a certain extent; it mainly occurred in autumn and, especially, in winter; and the representative pollutants of this pathway were NO (nitric oxide), NOx (nitrogen oxide), PM2.5, and PM10.

Highlights

In recent decades, due to the rapid development of urbanization and the economy, China’s energy consumption level has continued to increase, and its air quality has dropped [1]
Because the research area is located in the second-class ambient air functional area, the secondary concentration standard is applicable
The NOx was significantly higher than the secondary concentration limit, while the NO2 and PM10 were slightly higher than the secondary concentration limit, and the PM2.5 was slightly lower than the secondary concentration limit

Summary

Introduction

Due to the rapid development of urbanization and the economy, China’s energy consumption level has continued to increase, and its air quality has dropped [1]. The air pollutants in China are complex mixtures of various substances [2]. To protect the environment and human health by preventing air pollution, China introduced the first and secondary concentration standards of CO, SO2 , NO2 , NO, NOx, O3, PM2.5 , and PM10 in the “Ambient Air Quality Standard”. (GB3095-2012): For study areas located in the first-class ambient air functional area, the first concentration standard is applicable, and for those located in the second-class ambient air functional area, the secondary concentration standard is applicable. First-class ambient air functional areas are nature reserves, scenic spots, and other areas in need of special protection; second-class ambient air functional. Public Health 2020, 17, 6585; doi:10.3390/ijerph17186585 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion