Retrieval and Regional Distribution Analysis of Ammonia, Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide in the Urban Environment Using Ultraviolet DOAS Algorithm

Abstract

Aiming at the in situ and mobile observation of urban environmental air pollution, a portable instrument using ultraviolet spectrum retrieval algorithm was developed based on the basis of Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) and multiple-pass cell technique. Typical trace gas pollutants, NH3, SO2, and NO2, were explored using their optical spectral characteristics in deep ultraviolet wavelength range from 210 to 215 nm. The gas concentration was retrieved by Lambert-Beer's law and nonlinear least square method. With an optimized optical alignment, the detection limits of NH3, SO2, NO2 were estimated to be 2.2, 2.3, and 36.2 ppb, respectively. The system was used in carrying out some cruise observations in Chengdu, China. During the entire period, the polluted gases showed varied distribution and typical daily average concentrations of NH3, SO2, NO2 were 23.2, 3.5, and 106.0 ppb, respectively. The contributions from different sources were analyzed combined with the HYSPLIT model. Results show that the portable DOAS system is a convenient and effective tool for regional distribution measurement and pollution source monitoring.