Abstract
Reactive gases (O3, CO, NO2, and SO2) were collected hourly at the Akedala regional background station in northwestern China during September 2017 to August 2018. Wind rose, cluster analysis, potential source contribution function (PSCF), and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) methods were adopted for identifying the transport pathways and potential source regions of these atmosphere components at Akedala. The average O3, CO, NO2, and SO2 mixing ratios detected were 29.65 ± 11.44 ppb, 123.78 ± 73.35 ppb, 3.79 ± 0.98 ppb, and 4.59 ± 0.88 ppb during the observation period, and the statistical results of the monthly mean values revealed that there were differences during the highest pollution period, with O3 and CO mainly peaking in February, with mixing ratios of 38.03 ± 7.10 ppb and 208.50 ± 106.50 ppb, respectively. Meanwhile, NO2 peaked in March (4.51 ± 0.54 ppb) and SO2 in January (5.70 ± 1.92 ppb). The most obvious diurnal variation of CO and SO2 was observed in the winter, with maximum levels reaching between 13 : 00 and 14 : 00. The diurnal variations of O3 exhibited low values during the night and maximum values in the afternoon (16 : 00–18 : 00). Diurnal variation was not significant in the case of NO2. Cluster analysis showed that six main paths affected the Akedala atmosphere. In turn, the PSCF and CWT analysis results indicated that the Akedala reactive gas was affected by both local and foreign sources. The high PSCF value of the reactive gas potential source areas appeared in eastern Kazakhstan, northern Xinjiang, Western Mongolia, and Southern Russia. The WCWT (weighted concentration-weight trajectory) values of CO and SO2 in winter were the highest, totaling 180–240 ppb and 5–6.5 ppb, respectively. The WCWT value of O3 in the spring and summer was higher than that in the autumn and winter. The main source area of O3 was about 32–36 ppb in the spring and summer, and the main source area of NO2 in the summer had a low WCWT value of 3–3.5 ppb, whereas the NO2 WCWT value was concentrated at 4–4.5 ppb in the other seasons.
Highlights
Reactive gases are strong chemical reaction substances in the Earth’s lower atmosphere, with lifetimes between a few hours and a few months [1]
Ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are important reactive gases that present dangers for eco-environments and human health [2, 3], and can catalyze atmospheric chemical reactions, which are an important source of highly reactive atoms and free radicals [4, 5]. ey are the preferred gaseous pollutants recommended by the World Meteorological Organization and China [6, 7]
The general population around the background station is small, and the man-made source and sink densities are scarce. Reactive gases in these environments are determined by natural processes, such as turbulent exchange and advective transport [17]. ese background sites are recognized as climate-sensitive hotspots, and they offer a better perception of changes to the surrounding environment [18], so it is a good choice to use background stations to track the source of the reactive gas
Summary
Reactive gases are strong chemical reaction substances in the Earth’s lower atmosphere, with lifetimes between a few hours and a few months [1]. In addition to the effects of natural and manmade sources on atmospheric concentrations of SO2, NO2, O3, and CO, regional- and global-scale atmospheric transport affect atmospheric concentrations of these species, Advances in Meteorology which can lead to changes in the climate system For these reasons, these are currently popular research topics in the fields of Earth and environmental science [8,9,10]. The general population around the background station is small, and the man-made source and sink densities are scarce Reactive gases in these environments are determined by natural processes, such as turbulent exchange and advective transport [17]. Vellingiri et al [30] calculated the air quality transmission path in Seoul, South
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
