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Air pollutant concentration trends in China: correlations between solar radiation, PM2.5, and O3.
- Source :
- Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health; Aug2023, Vol. 16 Issue 8, p1721-1735, 15p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Atmospheric pollution by fine particulate matter (PM<subscript>2.5</subscript>) and ozone (O<subscript>3</subscript>) is a serious concern in China for its danger to human health and to the environment. As such, it has become, since 2013, the target of governmental emission reduction policies. Subsequently, PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> concentrations in China have decreased rapidly, but surface O<subscript>3</subscript> concentration is still measurably increasing in most regions of China. Indeed, although emission reduction policies influence O<subscript>3</subscript> chemical production and loss processes by their impact on O<subscript>3</subscript> precursor concentrations, O<subscript>3</subscript> pollution is also affected by meteorological factors. In this study, we analyzed the spatial distribution and temporal variations of surface solar radiation and aerosol extinction to explain the recent increase in surface O<subscript>3</subscript> concentration. Our results confirmed a marked PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> concentration decrease between 2015 and 2019, especially in northern China, and a simultaneous O<subscript>3</subscript> concentration increase. Surface solar radiation showed geographically consistent increases, likely caused by the decreasing PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> concentrations and the resulting lower aerosol optical thickness. The surface solar radiation increasing enhanced photochemical O<subscript>3</subscript> production. We also investigated cloud cover distribution and trends. It demonstrated that the surface solar radiation intensity increase in northern China was caused by decreasing aerosol concentrations, not by cloud cover differences. Moreover, most emission reduction policies focus on sulfur and nitrogen oxides, less on other important O<subscript>3</subscript> precursors, such as the non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). The emission of O<subscript>3</subscript> precursors has not reached the level of suppressing O<subscript>3</subscript> pollution. Stricter emission reduction policies are, therefore, required to mitigate O<subscript>3</subscript> pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18739318
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 170394743
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-023-01368-3