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Initial Cost Barrier of Ammonia Control in Central China
Author(s) -
Zheng Mingming,
Wang Yuhang,
Bao Jianguo,
Yuan Lianxin,
Zheng Huang,
Yan Yingying,
Liu Dantong,
Xie Mingjie,
Kong Shaofei
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl084351
Subject(s) - ammonia , particulates , mass concentration (chemistry) , environmental chemistry , environmental science , chemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract Ammonia control has received increasing attention as a measure to decrease particulate concentrations. Modeling analysis of observation data from central China over the period of September 2015 to August 2016 shows clear asymmetric responses of particulate pH and mass to ammonia emissions. With a change of ±80% of NH x (NH 3 + NH 4 + ), the corresponding ΔpH are +0.5 and −3.0, respectively, and the corresponding particulate NH 4 + changes are +2.62% and −61.8%, respectively. This asymmetry implies that there is a Critical Total Ammonia Concentration, above which particulate pH and mass are insensitive to ammonia control. Analysis of the observation data suggests that the Critical Total Ammonia Concentration is −25%. The estimated cost for an NH x reduction of 25% is $140 – 320 million for Hubei province, which is the initial cost barrier before ammonia control can effectively affect particulate pH and mass in central China. This cost barrier will increase as NO x and SO 2 emissions decrease.