Comprehensive Quality Measurement Research Articles

Green credit’s impact on pollution and economic development: A study from Vietnam

Vietnam is actively pursuing sustainable economic development while transitioning to a greener economy, facing challenges in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability. The evaluation of current sustainable development efforts and the identification of effective green financial tools are critical for Vietnam's progress. This study introduces the Sustainable Economic Development (SED) Index, a comprehensive measure of sustainable economic development quality across Vietnam's 63 provinces from 2015 to 2022. Using a range of analytical techniques, we explore the relationships between green credit, environmental pollution, and sustainable economic development during this period. Our findings indicate rapid growth in sustainable economic development until 2019, followed by a deceleration due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war. Green credit emerges as a pivotal factor in supporting sustainable economic growth, managing climate risks, and mitigating environmental pollution, particularly during times of uncertainty. Additionally, we observe spatial spillover effects, where the benefits of green credit and the challenges of environmental pollution transcend provincial boundaries. The study recommends promoting green credit policies, fostering regional cooperation, and enhancing local competitiveness, digital transformation, and social equality to advance Vietnam's journey toward sustainable economic development.

A novel coal quality index and its estimation using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

ABSTRACT An essential component of coal’s efficient use and large-scale environmental impact management is evaluating its quality. This study introduces a novel quality indexing technique that incorporates multiple coal properties, providing a comprehensive measure of coal quality. Conventional methods for assessing coal quality, such as proximate and ultimate analyses, are often time-consuming, costly, and require extensive sample preparation, prompting the need for a more efficient approach. In this study, we used the minimum dataset (MDS) approach to estimate a comprehensive coal quality index (CQI) and show that the diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) may be used as a rapid, nondestructive technique for estimating CQI as a single quality indicator for coal. A total of 212 coal samples of different ranks and grades are collected from the Tertiary and Gondwana coal basins of India. Ten chemical properties of coal were measured following the conventional laboratory-based methods. The spectral responses of the coal samples were measured across the visible-NIR-SWIR (350–2500 nm) range. The MDS approach was adopted while estimating the CQI from the lab-based coal quality parameters. We also examined different chemometric models for estimating CQI values from spectroscopic data. Results showed that the feature selection-based partial-least-square regression (PLSRFS) model may be used to estimate CQI with coefficient of determination (R2) values as high as 0.7 with root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 0.06. While CQI serves as a single coal quality parameter, the capability to use the DRS approach as a rapid and noninvasive sensing approach for coal quality assessment provides new opportunity to characterize coal quality in an instant and cost-effective manner, especially, when a large number of coal samples have to be tested. The integration of the CQI with DRS could facilitate better decision-making in coal utilization and management, leading to optimized performance and reduced environmental impact.

CSR disclosure quantity to CSR disclosure quality – in pursuit of a disclosure quality index

Purpose Studies in corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure were initially focused more on disclosure “Quantity” than “Quality” and while they have started to explore “Disclosure Quality”, their assessment mechanisms are found to be immature. Thus, while a number of papers have sought to assess the quality of CSR disclosure, this paper aims to suggest an approach tied closely to both expectations in assessing “quality” derived from the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (revised 2018) and the global reporting initiative. The outcome is to offer a best practice approach to assessing CSR disclosure quality. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, prior literature is reviewed, qualitative characteristics from the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (revised 2018) and globally recognised guidelines such as the GRI are reviewed. The framework for a “CSR disclosure quality index” as an assessment tool to assess CSR disclosure quality is developed from qualitative characteristics and criteria identified. Findings The proposed CSR disclosure quality index is developed in stages from the qualitative characteristics identified in the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (revised 2018) and criteria identified from the guidelines discussed. A table was then developed linking the qualitative characteristics to criteria providing a Likert scale approach to assessing the disclosures made by companies to make an assessment of the quality of the companies’ reports. It is argued this provides a robust assessment, being a direct and comprehensive measure of disclosure quality. Research limitations/implications As with most qualitative work, there are alternative approaches to establishing an index, but the authors believe this is an approach offering links (and, therefore, credibility) to globally recognised guidelines in the assessment of CSR disclosure quality. Future work could enhance the alignment of this index with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), building on the preliminary connections established in this study. Practical implications At a practical level this index offers an approach to reviewing the quality of CSR disclosures which could prove useful to policymakers and in the future development and expansion of this framework offering greater objectivity to assessments and justification for proposed improvement in reporting practice. Also, this index serves as a benchmarking tool for companies to meet the disclosure expectations of stakeholders. Social implications This approach has the potential to substantially fulfil stakeholder expectations by addressing the growing demand for transparency in this area, while avoiding practices that could be perceived as superficial or misleading (greenwashing). Focusing on social issues enables stronger connections between companies and their stakeholders. Furthermore, the index helps companies link their CSR efforts with SDGs and show their commitment to long-term social value building in discussion of governance factors to show accountability expectations are being met. Originality/value This paper contributes to CSR disclosure quality literature and provides a reliable method of assessing the quality of CSR disclosures. Opportunities for further and broader developments can be envisaged while offering a credible and reliable approach.

Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Quality of Life: Analysis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Survivors.

We analyzed the correlation between the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) subcategories (sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, sleep medications, and daytime dysfunction) and a comprehensive measure of quality of life (QOL), the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) items, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to determine the components that require intervention to improve QOL. A total of 75 patients with recurrent HCC admitted to our hospital between May 2021 and May 2023 were included in this study. The QOL score was used for the SF-36 items, and the sleep disorder score was used for PSQI questionnaires. Correlations were found between sleep quality, sleep disturbance, and SF-36 for all QOL items and between sleep onset time and SF-36 for six QOL items: bodily pain, mental health, physical functioning, role-emotional, role-physical, and vitality. Correlations between daytime dysfunction and SF-36 were found for all QOL items, except for physical functioning. No correlation was found between sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep medications, and SF-36 for any QOL item. Sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and sleep medications may not contribute to QOL improvement in patients with HCC and sleep disturbances. Factors that improve sleep quality and sleep difficulty may contribute to QOL improvement. Therapeutic interventions aimed at improving general health and social functioning for sleep latency and physical functioning for daytime arousal difficulty are required.

Size-resolved aerosol at a Coastal Great Lakes Site: Impacts of new particle formation and lake spray.

The quantification of aerosol size distributions is crucial for understanding the climate and health impacts of aerosols, validating models, and identifying aerosol sources. This work provides one of the first continuous measurements of aerosol size distribution from 1.02 to 8671 nm near the shore of Lake Michigan. The data were collected during the Lake Michigan Ozone Study (LMOS 2017), a comprehensive air quality measurement campaign in May and June 2017. The time-resolved (2-min) size distribution are reported herein alongside meteorology, remotely sensed data, gravimetric filters, and gas-phase variables. Mean concentrations of key aerosol parameters include PM2.5 (6.4 μg m-3), number from 1 to 3 nm (1.80x104 cm-3) and number greater than 3 nm (8x103 cm-3). During the field campaign, approximately half of days showed daytime ultrafine burst events, characterized by particle growth from sub 10 nm to 25-100 nm. A specific investigation of ultrafine lake spray aerosol was conducted due to enhanced ultrafine particles in onshore flows coupled with sustained wave breaking conditions during the campaign. Upon closer examination, the relationships between the size distribution, wind direction, wind speed, and wave height did not qualitatively support ultrafine particle production from lake spray aerosol; statistical analysis of particle number and wind speed also failed to show a relationship. The alternative hypothesis of enhanced ultrafine particles in onshore flow originating mainly from new particle formation activity is supported by multiple lines of evidence.

Private mortgage securitization and adverse selection—New evidence from expected loan losses

This paper studies expected loan loss and adverse selection in private mortgage securitization. The research extends the previous literature on securitization that has focused on default probability. Expected loan loss incorporates both the probability of default and loss given default and represents a comprehensive measure of loan quality that has the ultimate impact on lenders and investors. This new measure of loan quality reverses some of the findings in the previous literature. The disparity in results between the alternative measures is more pronounced among loans with higher expected loss given default. Our results provide new evidence of adverse selection in prime loans. This cherry-picking behavior does not hold for subprime loans.

Sustaining environment through municipal solid waste: evidence from European Union economies.

As part of their pursuit to succeed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), European Union (EU) countries have placed great importance on realizing SDG 11, which aims to create sustainable cities and communities. The relationship between environmental quality and municipal solid waste remains understudied despite its significant impact on achieving SDG-11. Consequently, this study seeks to peruse municipal solid waste, renewable energy consumption, human capital, and natural resources impact on load capacity as a comprehensive measure of environmental quality. By utilizing the CS-ARDL approach, this study reveals the inadequacy of municipal solid waste conversion in EU countries and highlights the favorable effect of human capital and renewable energy on enhancing environmental quality. Moreover, this study provides concrete evidence that natural resources contribute to environmental corruption. EU economies should adopt policies to bolster municipal solid waste conversion to improve environmental quality.

Dynamics of Formal and Informal Institutions on Environmental Quality in Pakistan

Environment and economic growth have been interlinked with each other since the beginning of mankind. The institutions (formal and informal) play an important role in the determination of the relationship between income and the environment. Many indicators measure the environment, i.e., air, land, water, and emissions. There is a need to develop a comprehensive measure of environmental quality, measuring all dimensions. The study aimed to develop a multidimensional and comprehensive measure of environmental quality and to analyze the role of formal and informal institutions on the environment and economic growth. Furthermore, the policy measures are suggested based on the results of the study. The environmental policies are better reinforced through good governance and improved institutional quality. To achieve these objectives, secondary data has been used from different international agencies of developed and developing countries with a special focus on Pakistan. The long-run and short-run relationships have been identified by using co-integration analysis and causality analysis. The results of the empirical analysis show that Institutional quality exerts a positive impact on economic growth. Further, Economic growth follows a decreasing trend in CO2 emissions, which validates the existence of EKC theory. The study also found that better institutions/policies cause higher income and improved environment in the long run, although it hampers growth in the short run. The study considers the vital roles of economic growth, institutional quality, and public awareness for a sustainable environment. To facilitate sustainable development in Pakistan, policymakers should be encouraged to prioritize policy design and implementation.

Design and validation of indicators for the comprehensive measurement of quality of care for type 2 diabetes and acute respiratory infections in ambulatory health services

Abstract Developing ambulatory health services (AHS) of optimal quality is a pending issue for many health systems at a global level, especially in middle- and low-income countries. An effective health response requires indicators to measure the quality of care that are context-specific and feasible for routine monitoring. This paper aimed to design and validate indicators for assessing the technical and interpersonal quality dimensions for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and acute respiratory infections (ARI) care in AHS. The study was conducted in two stages. First, technical and user-centered-based indicators of quality of care for T2D and ARI care were designed following international recommendations, mainly from the American Diabetes Association standards and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. We then assessed the validity, reliability, relevance, and feasibility of the proposed indicators implementing the modified Delphi technique. A panel of 17 medical experts from five countries scored the indicators using two electronic questionnaires, one for each reason for consultation selected, sent by email in two sequential rounds of rating. We defined the levels of consensus according to the overall median for each performance category, which was established as the threshold. Selected indicators included those with scores equal to or higher than the threshold. We designed 36 T2D indicators, of which 16 were validated for measuring the detection of risks and complications, glycemic control, pharmacological treatment, and patient-centered care. Out of the 22 indicators designed for ARI, we validated 10 for diagnosis, appropriate prescription of antimicrobials, and patient-centered care. The validated indicators showed consistency for the dimensions analyzed. Hence, they proved to be a potentially reliable and valuable tool for monitoring the performance of the various T2D and ARI care processes in AHS. Further research will be needed to verify the applicability of the validated indicators in routine clinical practice.

Can happiness be measured?

In the process of realizing the Sustainable Development Goals, the measurement of happiness has unique significance and value, which helps the government departments to avoid paying attention to economic development at the cost of subjective psychological feelings when formulating the coordinated social development of society. Happiness indicators can reflect the public's wishes and psychological state, and monitor the psychological state of society. At the same time, happiness indicators can complement economic indicators and provide a comprehensive measure of quality of life. However, each of these measures cannot claim to be accurate. We should not blindly believe these cold statistics. Fortunately, scientists have been constantly developing tools for qualitative and quantitative measurements to get closer to the 'truth about happiness'. Standing on the shoulders of these "giants", happiness is becoming clear and transparent. In this study, I will demonstrate that well-being can be measured from the concept of happiness, from the perspective of measurement direction, and highlight that well-being measurement is an essential tool to help address the sustainability challenges.

The Search for an Outcome Variable That Measures Both Quality and Processes in Cardiac Surgery: Comparing the Quality Process Index and Mortality.

The translation of a large quantity of data into valuable insights for daily clinical practice is underexplored. A considerable amount of information is overwhelming, making it difficult to distill and assess quality and processes at the hospital level. This study contributes to this necessary translation by developing a Quality Process Index that summarizes clinical data to measure quality and processes. The Quality Process Index was constructed to enable retrospective analyses of quality and process evolution from 2011 to 2021 for various surgery types in the Amsterdam Cardiosurgical Database (n = 5497). It is presented alongside mortality rates, which are the golden standard for quality measurement. The two outcome variables are compared as quality and process measurement options. Results showed that the mean Quality Process Index appeared rather stable, even though analysis of variance found that the mean Quality Process Index differed significantly over the years (p < 0.001). The 30-day and 120-day mortality rates appeared to fluctuate more, but interestingly, we failed to reject the null hypothesis of equal means. The Quality Process Index and mortality rates were statistically negatively correlated, and the extent of correlation was more pronounced with the 120-day mortality rate, as computed using the Pearson correlation coefficient r (30-day rQPI,30 = -0.07, p < 0.001 and 120-day mortality rates rQPI,120 = -0.12, p < 0.001). The Quality Process Index seeks to address the need to translate data for quality and process improvement in healthcare. While mortality remains the most impactful outcome measure, the Quality Process Index provides a more stable and comprehensive measurement of quality and process improvement or deterioration in healthcare. Therefore, the Quality Process Index as a quantification reinforces the understanding of the definition of quality and process improvement.

Quality Measurement Gaps in Pediatric-To-Adult Health Care Transition in the United States: A Framework to Guide Development of New Measures

PurposePediatric-to-adult health care transition (HCT) is a critical component of care for youth and young adults (Y/YA), especially those with chronic conditions. Positive outcomes in population health, patient experience, and utilization of care for Y/YA with chronic conditions have been associated with a structured HCT approach. Despite these outcomes and professional recommendations, few Y/YA receive HCT guidance from providers. Compounding this problem is the lack of attention to HCT quality measurement to stimulate and evaluate practice improvements and ensure accountability in pediatric and adult care. MethodsA multistep process was undertaken to develop a new HCT quality measurement framework and identify existing HCT measures from national databases. Based on an environmental scan, the framework was created, measure gaps identified, and measure concepts proposed to fill these gaps. A multistakeholder advisory committee provided guidance throughout this initiative. ResultsThe HCT measurement framework has 11 domains: one structure domain (health organization characteristics), three process domains (clinician HCT activities, Y/YA/F activities, continuity of care), four outcome domains (population health, utilization/cost/value of care, patient experience, and clinician experience), and three mediator domains (Y/YA/F-centered care, care coordination, and Y/YA/F characteristics). The search yielded 49 potentially relevant measures but only four qualified as directly relevant to HCT. Fifty four HCT measure concepts were proposed to address these shortcomings. DiscussionPediatric-to-adult HCT quality measurement is largely absent in nationally recognized databases. This article provides a comprehensive HCT quality measurement framework, which was used to identify gaps and propose measure concepts as a roadmap for future HCT quality measurement improvements.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Care Quality in Iran Based on the Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Health Care Model.

Comprehensive assessment of health care quality is the first step in improving care and achieving health service goals. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of health care quality in Iran based on the Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Health Care model. In this study, the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Iranian Scientific Information Database (SID), MagIran, and Google Scholar were searched using English and Iran keywords without time limit. STATA 16 software and a random effect model were used for conducting meta-analysis. Of the 750 articles found, 20 were finally included; 13 of which were related to service quality, five to customer quality, and four to technical quality. Overall mean score of service quality was 7.79 [95% CI 7.43-8.15, df = 12, I2 = 98.48, P value < 0.000] out of 10, and overall mean score of customer quality was 73.20 ± 4.56 [95% CI 65.18-81.22, df = 5, I2 = 99.34, P value < 0.001] out of 100. Among the 12 dimensions of service quality, the confidentiality dimension (9.55 ± 0.12) had the highest mean score and the group support dimension (5.92 ± 0.901) had the lowest score. In general, from the viewpoint of service receivers, the technical quality is relatively favorable. According to the results of this study, the quality of health care in Iran is significantly far from ideal. Therefore, planning to improve providing health care is essential.

Measurement and algorithm of healthy life expectancy: a scoping review

Objective: Healthy life expectancy (HLE), which combines life expectancy with health, is an essential comprehensive measure of life length and quality. This article aimed to systematically review the methods for defining and measuring HLE and describe application studies published, providing a reference for decision makers to select and develop methods suitable for China's conditions to measure HLE. Methods: Seven Chinese and English literature databases were searched up to May 7, 2022, and several related reviews and bibliography were manually retrieved. Systematic reviews and empirical research were included concerning HLE indicators and measurement of HLE. Information including the study area, type of the study, study population, HLE index, measurement method, data sources, and results from application studies published in the last five years were extracted. The evolution of the definition of HLE, the scope of different indicators, the measurement scale of health, and measurement methods, were all collected. Results of the empirical research related to measurement methods of indicators were summarized. The study followed the scoping review framework and was written according to the PRISMA-ScR statement. Results: A total of 84 articles were included, including 13 reviews, 17 original studies related to HLE index definition, ten original studies related to index measurement, and 44 empirical studies conducted in the past five years. There were as many as 20 indicators related to HLE, and each scale had its emphasis. A total of ten methods measuring HLE were identified, which vary in the definition of health, whether using weight, and the data type. The most commonly used indicators in the past five years were disability-free life expectancy and HLE. For the method of HLE calculation, Sullivan's method was mainly used for cross-sectional data, and the multistate life table was mainly used for longitudinal data. Conclusions: There are various definitions and measurement methods of HLE, but none are suitable for all scenarios. To summarize the HLE concept, health evaluation techniques, measurement methods, and application studies published worldwide can provide a reference for the localization of HLE measurement in China.

Work intensity and workers’ sleep: A case of working Australians

Experiencing poor sleep quality affects an individual’s health and wellbeing. Sleep quality is well evidenced to be influenced by work conditions such as long work hours, work stress and shift work, but there is little evidence on the relationship between high work intensity and sleep quality. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey waves 2013 and 2017, this study applies lagged models to investigate whether experiencing poor sleep, a derived comprehensive measure of sleep quality, is associated with work intensity. This study uses a nationally representative sample of 13,661 working Australian individuals aged 25–64 and finds a strong positive association between work intensity and sleep quality, with an individual’s sleep quality worsening as their work intensity increased. The association between work intensity and sleep quality is even stronger than that between long work hours and sleep quality. This suggests a potential benefit for the development and implementation of workplace policies that seek to reduce work intensity. Doing so could help address challenges surrounding sleep in Australia and lead to better work and health outcomes for individuals, workplaces and broader society.

How the Novel Person-Centered Primary Care Measure Performs in Canada.

The Person-Centered Primary Care Measure (PCPCM) is a relatively new and concise yet comprehensive measure of primary care quality. The objectives of this study are to administer the PCPCM in Canada and to understand whether there is an association between the PCPCM and sociodemographic and patient experience measures. The PCPCM was added to the routine patient experience survey administered at a multi-site academic primary care practice in Toronto, Canada. The survey was administered to patients with an e-mail on file and included questions on demographics, timely access, patient-centeredness, care continuity, and the PCPCM. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the PCPCM. We used 1-way analysis of variance to determine whether there was an association between the PCPCM and patient demographics and patient experience measures at the team level. We analyzed 2581 survey responses. The mean PCPCM score was 3.47. The PCPCM was higher for people with better health status (P < .001), those born in Canada (P = .036), those with higher educational attainment (P = .003), and those who knew their provider for longer (P < .001). There was no significant association between PCPCM and income quintile (P = .417). The PCPCM was significantly associated with all 9 patient experience measures related to access, patient-centeredness, and care continuity (P < .001). The 11-item PCPCM is a feasible and meaningful measure that reflects patient-reported access, continuity, and patient-centeredness and can be incorporated into primary care patient experience surveys to evaluate and improve quality of care.

Modeling of Chilled/Supercooled Pork Storage Quality Based on the Entropy Weight Method.

Simple SummaryThe quality of chilled meat is difficult to predict because many quality indexes need to be considered. The waste of meat resources caused by improper storage has caused huge economic losses in the meat industry. The entropy weight method (EWM) was widely used as an effective method of infusion of multiple attributes into a single index of food quality. In this study, the model based on the entropy weight method was used to predict and comprehensively evaluate the quality changes in chilled pork, and the relative error range between the measured and predicted shelf life was lower than 11%. The modeling based on EWM integrates the information from each quality index and provides accurate quality prediction, which will enable the food industry to enhance accurate judging of the shelf life and safety of meat.The entropy weight method (EWM) was developed and used to integrate multiple quality indexes of pork to generate a comprehensive measure of quality. The Arrhenius equation and chemical kinetic reaction were used to fit and generate the shelf life prediction model. The pork was stored at the temperatures of 7 °C, 4 °C, 1 °C and −1 °C. Quality indexes, such as drip loss, color, shear force, pH, TAC, TVB-N and TBARS were measured. The results show that low temperatures effectively delay microbial growth and lipid oxidation. The regression coefficients (R2) for the comprehensive scores at each temperature were greater than 0.973 and the activation energy Ea was 9.7354 × 104 kJ mol−1. The predicted shelf life of pork stored at 7 °C, 4 °C, 1 °C and −1 °C was 4.35 d, 6.85 d, 10.88 d and 14.90 d, respectively. In conclusion, EWM is an effective method to predict the shelf life of chilled/supercooled pork.

Development and validation of a quality indicator system for outpatient service in Shenzhen, China.

Outpatient services account for a large part of healthcare in China, and to survive in the competition with other hospitals, the management needs to understand and measure outpatient services quality for healthcare improvement and patient retention. There is a lack of comprehensive standardized outpatient healthcare quality measurement tools from patients' perspective in China. This study aimed to develop and test a quality indicator system for outpatient services assessment in the Chinese healthcare sector. Twenty-nine indicators were generated using literature review and focus group interviews. A modified Delphi process with the analytic hierarchy process was conducted to screen and determine the final indicators with 13 interdisciplinary panelists through two-round email surveys. A two-level and three-column questionnaire was distributed to 250 outpatients in Shenzhen to pretest the indicator system. The validity and reliability of experts were tested by the experts' positive coefficient, authority coefficient and degree of concentration of opinions. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and inter-subscale correlation. Of the two rounds of Delphi consultation, the active coefficients were 76.92% and 80%, and the authoritative coefficients were both 0.88. An assessment system for the Chinese outpatient services quality was constructed with six first-level dimensions and 23 second-level indicators. The weights of safety, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy were 0.286, 0.096, 0.088, 0.135, 0.226 and 0.169, respectively. For the pretest, Cronbach's alpha values for the importance of the indicator, perception of quality of service and expected quality of service were 0.96, 0.94 and 0.96, respectively. The values of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test were 0.94, 0.93 and 0.95. All Bartlett's test results showed that the correlation matrix was significant (P < 0.001). A multidimensional quality indicator system from patients' perspective was developed for the outpatient services assessment in China's healthcare sector. It has good validity and reliability and can be applied as a standardized tool by healthcare managers and policymakers in China to measure patients' perceptions and expectations.

Development of A Comprehensive Quality Measure for Identification of Nonlinear Hybrid Systems

Development of A Comprehensive Quality Measure for Identification of Nonlinear Hybrid Systems

Source apportionment of fine secondary inorganic aerosol over the Pearl River Delta region using a hybrid method

As one of the largest agglomerations of cities in the world, the infrastructure and living conditions of the residents in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) have significantly improved since the late 1970s. However, as a two-sided sword, the boosting of economic growth has inevitably exerted adverse effects on the environment in this region. To further understand the current fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution sources in this region and formulate an effective future air pollution control strategy for it, a hybrid source apportionment method was applied to adjust source estimates of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIAs) [particulate sulfate (SO42−), nitrate (NO3−), and ammonium (NH4+)] by combining Comprehensive Air Quality Model Extensions and measurement data from 19 sampling sites covering the PRD region in 2015. After correction by the hybrid method, the normalized mean errors for the three major species SO42−, NO3−, and NH4+ in PM2.5 simulated by the model decreased from 0.412, 1.261, and 0.401 to 0.321, 0.565, and 0.130, respectively. Tianhu, Taishan, Taipa Grande, whose secondary inorganic aerosol concentration variations are −48.33%, −40.59%, and 39.10% after adjustment, respectively, are the three top sites with the most substantial modification. Our study revealed that the emissions outside the PRD region are still the most important contributor to the three components after the correction. In most Hong Kong sites, the adjusted mobile source is subordinate to the cross-boundary transport and became the largest endogenous source.In contrast to that in Hong Kong, preceded only by super-regional sources, the outstanding contributor to SIAs in Guangdong and Macao is the area source. Our results indicated that besides collaborative control measures, the Hong Kong and Guangdong government should emphasize the emissions from motor vehicles and residential sources, respectively. Overall, this hybrid source apportionment approach can narrow down the discrepancy between simulation results and observational data. Thus, it is a potentially reliable method to provide a more solid theoretical foundation for formulating air pollution control measures.