Simultaneous Measurements of Carbonaceous Aerosol in Three Major Cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, China

Abstract

Simultaneous observations of carbonaceous aerosols in multiple cities are of great significance for a comprehensive understanding of the level of carbonaceous aerosol pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. In this study, PM2.5 samples were collected simultaneously in Beijing (BJ), Tianjin (TJ), and Shijiazhuang (SJZ) during the 2017–2018 heating season, and the contents of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in the samples were measured. The mean mass concentrations were 10.15‒46.23 µg m–3 for OC, and 2.13‒10.42 µg m–3 for EC in three cities. SJZ had more serious carbonaceous aerosols pollution compared with BJ and TJ. The OC and EC levels in three cities, especially in Beijing, were significantly lower than those reported in previous studies, implying the effectivity of strict air pollution control measures in 2017. Based on the OC/EC minimum ratio method, the mass concentration of secondary organic carbon (SOC) was estimated, and SOC pollution in BJ was relatively light. Analysis of eight carbonaceous components showed that the gasoline vehicle exhaust sources made high contributions to the levels of carbonaceous aerosols in all three cities. Compared with SJZ, the carbonaceous aerosols in BJ and TJ were more affected by road dust pollution. Analysis of backward trajectory indicated that the carbonaceous aerosols in the three cities were affected by pollution transport from the BTH region and surrounding areas, in addition to local sources. In contrast to the other two cities, OC and EC in SJZ were greatly affected by short-distance air mass transport from Hebei Province.