Reduced atmospheric sulfate enhances fine particulate nitrate formation in eastern China

Liang Wen; Likun Xue; Can Dong; Xinfeng Wang; Tianshu Chen; Ying Jiang; Rongrong Gu; Penggang Zheng; Hongyong Li; Ye Shan; Yujiao Zhu; Yong Zhao; Xiangkun Yin; Hengde Liu; Jian Gao; Zhijun Wu; Tao Wang; Hartmut Herrmann; Wenxing Wang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303

Reduced atmospheric sulfate enhances fine particulate nitrate formation in eastern China

Liang Wen, Likun Xue, Can Dong, Xinfeng Wang, Tianshu Chen, Ying Jiang, Rongrong Gu, Penggang Zheng, Hongyong Li, Ye Shan, Yujiao Zhu, Yong Zhao, Xiangkun Yin, Hengde Liu, Jian Gao, Zhijun Wu, Tao Wang, Hartmut Herrmann, Wenxing Wang

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nitrate (NO₃⁻) is a major component of atmospheric fine particles. Recent studies in eastern China have shown the increasing trend of NO₃⁻ in contrast to the ongoing control of nitrogen oxide (NO_x). Here, we elucidate the effects of reduced sulfur dioxide (SO₂) on the enhancement of NO₃⁻ formation based on field measurements at the summit of Mt. Tai (1534 m a.s.l.) and present detailed modelling analyses. From 2007 to 2018, the measured springtime concentrations of various primary pollutants and fine sulfate (SO₄²⁻) decreased sharply (−16.4 % to −89.7 %), whereas fine NO₃⁻ concentration increased by 22.8 %. The elevated NO₃⁻ levels cannot be explained by the changes in meteorological conditions or other related parameters but were primarily attributed to the considerable reduction in SO₄²⁻ concentrations (−73.4 %). Results from a multi-phase chemical box model indicated that the reduced SO₄²⁻ levels decreased the aerosol acidity and prompted the partitioning of HNO₃ into the aerosol phase. WRF-Chem model analyses suggest that such a negative effect is a regional phenomenon throughout the planetary boundary layer over eastern China in spring. This study provides new insights into the worsening situation of NO₃⁻ aerosol pollution and has important implications for controlling haze pollution in China.

Original language	English
Article number	165303
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	898
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303
Publication status	Published - 10 Nov 2023

Keywords

Eastern China
Long-term variation
Mt. Tai
Nitrate
PM
Sulfate

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Chemistry
Waste Management and Disposal
Pollution

More information

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303

Cite this

Wen, L., Xue, L., Dong, C., Wang, X., Chen, T., Jiang, Y., Gu, R., Zheng, P., Li, H., Shan, Y., Zhu, Y., Zhao, Y., Yin, X., Liu, H., Gao, J., Wu, Z., Wang, T., Herrmann, H., & Wang, W. (2023). Reduced atmospheric sulfate enhances fine particulate nitrate formation in eastern China. Science of the Total Environment, 898, Article 165303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303

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title = "Reduced atmospheric sulfate enhances fine particulate nitrate formation in eastern China",

abstract = "Nitrate (NO3−) is a major component of atmospheric fine particles. Recent studies in eastern China have shown the increasing trend of NO3− in contrast to the ongoing control of nitrogen oxide (NOx). Here, we elucidate the effects of reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) on the enhancement of NO3− formation based on field measurements at the summit of Mt. Tai (1534 m a.s.l.) and present detailed modelling analyses. From 2007 to 2018, the measured springtime concentrations of various primary pollutants and fine sulfate (SO42−) decreased sharply (−16.4 % to −89.7 %), whereas fine NO3− concentration increased by 22.8 %. The elevated NO3− levels cannot be explained by the changes in meteorological conditions or other related parameters but were primarily attributed to the considerable reduction in SO42− concentrations (−73.4 %). Results from a multi-phase chemical box model indicated that the reduced SO42− levels decreased the aerosol acidity and prompted the partitioning of HNO3 into the aerosol phase. WRF-Chem model analyses suggest that such a negative effect is a regional phenomenon throughout the planetary boundary layer over eastern China in spring. This study provides new insights into the worsening situation of NO3− aerosol pollution and has important implications for controlling haze pollution in China.",

keywords = "Eastern China, Long-term variation, Mt. Tai, Nitrate, PM, Sulfate",

author = "Liang Wen and Likun Xue and Can Dong and Xinfeng Wang and Tianshu Chen and Ying Jiang and Rongrong Gu and Penggang Zheng and Hongyong Li and Ye Shan and Yujiao Zhu and Yong Zhao and Xiangkun Yin and Hengde Liu and Jian Gao and Zhijun Wu and Tao Wang and Hartmut Herrmann and Wenxing Wang",

note = "Funding Information: This study was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42075094 and 41905113), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC3701101), and special fund of State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control (8102000410). We thank Tsinghua University for providing the MEIC emission inventory, and thank Dr. Yafang Cheng at Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Dr. Meng Gao at Hong Kong Baptist University for providing the anthropogenic emission processing tools. Funding Information: This study was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 42075094 and 41905113 ), National Key Research and Development Program of China ( 2022YFC3701101 ), and special fund of State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control ( 8102000410 ). We thank Tsinghua University for providing the MEIC emission inventory, and thank Dr. Yafang Cheng at Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Dr. Meng Gao at Hong Kong Baptist University for providing the anthropogenic emission processing tools. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023",

year = "2023",

month = nov,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303",

language = "English",

volume = "898",

journal = "Science of the Total Environment",

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T1 - Reduced atmospheric sulfate enhances fine particulate nitrate formation in eastern China

AU - Wen, Liang

AU - Xue, Likun

AU - Dong, Can

AU - Wang, Xinfeng

AU - Chen, Tianshu

AU - Jiang, Ying

AU - Gu, Rongrong

AU - Zheng, Penggang

AU - Li, Hongyong

AU - Shan, Ye

AU - Zhu, Yujiao

AU - Zhao, Yong

AU - Yin, Xiangkun

AU - Liu, Hengde

AU - Gao, Jian

AU - Wu, Zhijun

AU - Wang, Tao

AU - Herrmann, Hartmut

AU - Wang, Wenxing

N1 - Funding Information: This study was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42075094 and 41905113), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC3701101), and special fund of State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control (8102000410). We thank Tsinghua University for providing the MEIC emission inventory, and thank Dr. Yafang Cheng at Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Dr. Meng Gao at Hong Kong Baptist University for providing the anthropogenic emission processing tools. Funding Information: This study was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 42075094 and 41905113 ), National Key Research and Development Program of China ( 2022YFC3701101 ), and special fund of State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control ( 8102000410 ). We thank Tsinghua University for providing the MEIC emission inventory, and thank Dr. Yafang Cheng at Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Dr. Meng Gao at Hong Kong Baptist University for providing the anthropogenic emission processing tools. Publisher Copyright: © 2023

PY - 2023/11/10

Y1 - 2023/11/10

N2 - Nitrate (NO3−) is a major component of atmospheric fine particles. Recent studies in eastern China have shown the increasing trend of NO3− in contrast to the ongoing control of nitrogen oxide (NOx). Here, we elucidate the effects of reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) on the enhancement of NO3− formation based on field measurements at the summit of Mt. Tai (1534 m a.s.l.) and present detailed modelling analyses. From 2007 to 2018, the measured springtime concentrations of various primary pollutants and fine sulfate (SO42−) decreased sharply (−16.4 % to −89.7 %), whereas fine NO3− concentration increased by 22.8 %. The elevated NO3− levels cannot be explained by the changes in meteorological conditions or other related parameters but were primarily attributed to the considerable reduction in SO42− concentrations (−73.4 %). Results from a multi-phase chemical box model indicated that the reduced SO42− levels decreased the aerosol acidity and prompted the partitioning of HNO3 into the aerosol phase. WRF-Chem model analyses suggest that such a negative effect is a regional phenomenon throughout the planetary boundary layer over eastern China in spring. This study provides new insights into the worsening situation of NO3− aerosol pollution and has important implications for controlling haze pollution in China.

AB - Nitrate (NO3−) is a major component of atmospheric fine particles. Recent studies in eastern China have shown the increasing trend of NO3− in contrast to the ongoing control of nitrogen oxide (NOx). Here, we elucidate the effects of reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) on the enhancement of NO3− formation based on field measurements at the summit of Mt. Tai (1534 m a.s.l.) and present detailed modelling analyses. From 2007 to 2018, the measured springtime concentrations of various primary pollutants and fine sulfate (SO42−) decreased sharply (−16.4 % to −89.7 %), whereas fine NO3− concentration increased by 22.8 %. The elevated NO3− levels cannot be explained by the changes in meteorological conditions or other related parameters but were primarily attributed to the considerable reduction in SO42− concentrations (−73.4 %). Results from a multi-phase chemical box model indicated that the reduced SO42− levels decreased the aerosol acidity and prompted the partitioning of HNO3 into the aerosol phase. WRF-Chem model analyses suggest that such a negative effect is a regional phenomenon throughout the planetary boundary layer over eastern China in spring. This study provides new insights into the worsening situation of NO3− aerosol pollution and has important implications for controlling haze pollution in China.

KW - Eastern China

KW - Long-term variation

KW - Mt. Tai

KW - Nitrate

KW - PM

KW - Sulfate

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U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165303

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37419351

AN - SCOPUS:85165163460

SN - 0048-9697

VL - 898

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

M1 - 165303

ER -

Reduced atmospheric sulfate enhances fine particulate nitrate formation in eastern China

Abstract

Keywords

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