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Chemical composition of PM2.5 at an urban site of Chengdu in southwestern China

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Abstract

PM2.5 aerosols were sampled in urban Chengdu from April 2009 to January 2010, and their chemical compositions were characterized in detail for elements, water soluble inorganic ions, and carbonaceous matter. The annual average of PM2.5 was 165 μg m−3, which is generally higher than measurements in other Chinese cities, suggesting serious particulate pollution issues in the city. Water soluble ions contributed 43.5% to the annual total PM2.5 mass, carbonaceous aerosols including elemental carbon and organic carbon contributed 32.0%, and trace elements contributed 13.8%. Distinct daily and seasonal variations were observed in the mass concentrations of PM2.5 and its components, reflecting the seasonal variations of different anthropogenic and natural sources. Weakly acidic to neutral particles were found for PM2.5. Major sources of PM2.5 identified from source apportionment analysis included coal combustion, traffic exhaust, biomass burning, soil dust, and construction dust emissions. The low nitrate: sulfate ratio suggested that stationary emissions were more important than vehicle emissions. The reconstructed masses of ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, particulate carbonaceous matter, and fine soil accounted for 79% of the total measured PM2.5 mass; they also accounted for 92% of the total measured particle scattering.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China

    Jun Tao  (陶 俊) & Lihua Zhu  (朱李华)

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environment Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Tiantao Cheng  (成天涛)

  3. Key Laboratory of Regional Climate-Environment Research for Temperate East Asia, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Renjian Zhang  (张仁健) & Leiming Zhang  (张雷鸣)

  4. Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, 710075, China

    Junji Cao  (曹军骥) & Qiyuan Wang  (王启元)

  5. Institute of Plateau Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Chengdu, 610071, China

    Lei Luo  (罗 磊)

  6. Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, Toronto, Canada

    Leiming Zhang  (张雷鸣)

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  1. Jun Tao  (陶 俊)
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Correspondence to Tiantao Cheng  (成天涛).

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Tao, J., Cheng, T., Zhang, R. et al. Chemical composition of PM2.5 at an urban site of Chengdu in southwestern China. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 30, 1070–1084 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-012-2168-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-012-2168-7

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