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Characterizing Black Carbon and Gaseous Pollutants on the Yangtze River Across Eastern China Continent
Author(s) -
Ting Y.,
Liu D.,
Morgan W. T.,
Allan J. D.,
Coe H.,
Li C.,
Wang X.,
Ye X.,
Chen J.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1029/2020jd033488
Subject(s) - longitude , environmental science , air quality index , urbanization , china , pollutant , physical geography , latitude , yangtze river , air mass (solar energy) , air pollution , climatology , particulates , range (aeronautics) , pollution , westerlies , atmospheric sciences , geography , meteorology , geology , ecology , chemistry , archaeology , materials science , economic growth , composite material , biology , geodesy , boundary layer , thermodynamics , physics , organic chemistry , economics
The Yangtze River (YR) region and cities along the river have severe deterioration of air quality due to urbanization and economic development. Black carbon (BC) has significant impacts on air quality and climate, however it is poorly characterized across the region. Here we report the first continuous measurements of BC and gaseous pollutants along the YR in wintertime, with an intensive observation period from November 21 to December 4, 2015, covering ∼7° longitude over the continent in China. The highly polluted periods (HPP) with NO x >80 μg m −3 indicated more localized emissions. At the western (longitude <118°E) and eastern (longitude >118°E) ends of the YR valley, the HPP events reduced, mostly since the western end was influenced by terrain height and regional transport, and the eastern end was influenced by easterly oceanic or westerly continental air masses. In these regions, BC core size decreased by 5%–19% during the HPP, and had modes of mass median diameter in the range 120 –180 nm, which was found to be predominately from local sources, contrasting with a more consistent mode ∼200 nm that was due to BC from mixed sources. A comparison of simultaneously measured data from the nearby monitoring stations along the river demonstrated a high consistency of PM 2.5 over the river, which reflected the important regional impact on the particulate mass. This study evaluates the shipping emission and regional influence over the YR and may guide the policy maker on mitigating air pollution.