Influence of regional pollution and sandstorms on the chemical composition of cloud/fog at the summit of Mt. Taishan in northern China

Yan Wang, Jia Guo, Tao Wang, Aijun Ding, Jian Gao, Yang Zhou, Jeffrey L. Collett, Wenxing Wang

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

62 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cloud/fog samples were collected during spring of 2007 in the highly polluted North China Plain in order to examine the impact of pollution and dust particles on cloud water chemistry. The volume weighted mean pH of cloud water was 3.68. The cloud acidity was shown to be associated with air mass origins. Cloud water with its air mass trajectories originating from the southern part of China was more acidic than those from northern China. Anthropogenic source and dust had obvious impact on cloud water composition as indicated by the very high mean concentrations of SO42-(1331.65μeqL-1), NO3-(772.44μeqL-1), NH4+(1375.92μeqL-1) and Ca2+(625.81μeqL-1) in the observation periods. During sandstorm days, cloud pH values were relatively high, and the concentrations of all the ions in cloud water reached unusual high levels. Significant decreases in the mass concentrations of PM2.5and PM10were observed during cloud events. The average scavenging ratio for PM2.5and PM10was 52.0% and 55.7%, respectively. Among the soluble ions in fine particles, NO3-, K+and NH4+tend to be more easily scavenged than Ca2+and Na+.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)434-442
Number of pages9
JournalAtmospheric Research
Volume99
Issue number3-4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2011

Keywords

  • Chemical composition
  • Cloud/fog water
  • Ion correlation
  • Particles scavenging

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atmospheric Science

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