Atmospheric pollution of agriculture-oriented cities in Northeast China: A case in Suihua

Agriculture-oriented cities in Northeastern China have experienced frequent atmospheric pollution events. Deeper understandings of the pollution characteristics, haze causes and effects of management on local air quality are crucial for conducting integrated management approaches for the sustainable development of agriculture-oriented cities. Taking a typical agriculture-dominant city (i.e., Suihua) in Northeast China, we analyzed in detail the characteristics and causes of atmospheric pollution and evaluated the straw-burning prohibition using multisource data. The results showed a clear temporal pattern of air quality index (AQI) on an annual scale (i.e., 2015-April 2019), with two typical pollution periods occurring in late autumn and early spring. The large areas of concentrated straw burning at local and regional scales accounted for the first period (i.e., October and November), while dust emissions and farming disturbances comprised the second period. The interannual variation in pollution periods among these years was large, showing similar trends from 2015 to 2017 and the postponed late-autumn pollution period in 2018. Our evaluation has shown that the prohibition effect of straw burning significantly improved air quality in 2018, with a reduction of 59% ± 88% in the PM_2.5 concentrations in October and November compared to 2015–2017. However, From October to April of the following year, the improvement effect was not significant due to postponement of straw burning to February or March. Our analysis also highlighted the roles of meteorological conditions, Therefore, combined with the promotion of straw utilization, scientifically prescribed burning considering the burning amount and location, meteorological conditions and regional transportation should be implemented.     

Fast screening compositions of PM2.5 by ATR-FTIR: Comparison with results from IC andOC/EC analyzers

Chemical speciation of fine particles or PM_(2.5) collected on filters is still a costly and timeconsuming task. In this study, filter-based PM_(2.5) samples were collected during November–December 2013 at four sites in Guangzhou, and the major components were fast screened(~7 min per filter sample) by Attenuated Total Reflectance(ATR)-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic(FTIR) in comparison with that measured by Organic carbon/Element carbon(OC/EC) analyzer and Ion Chromatography(IC). The concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, sulfate,primary organic carbon(POC) and secondary organic carbon(SOC) measured by OC/EC and IC analyzers were better correlated with their infrared absorption peak heights at 1320 cm~(-1) for nitrate, 1435, 3045 and 3215 cm~(-1) for ammonium, 615 cm~(-1) for sulfate, 690, 760 and 890 cm~(-1) for POC and 1640 and 1660 cm~(-1) for SOC respectively, during polluted days(PM_(2.5) 75 μg/m~3) than during clean days(PM_(2.5)≤ 75 μg/m~3). With the evolution of a haze episode during our field campaign, the concentrations of the major PM_(2.5) components displayed consistent variations with their infrared absorption peak heights, suggesting ATR-FTIR could be a fast and useful technique to characterize filter-based PM_(2.5) compositions particularly during pollution events although cautions should be taken when PM_(2.5) levels are low. Notably, elevated PM_(2.5) mass concentrations occurred with enhanced ratios of [NO_(-3)]/[SO_4~(2-)] and [NH~(+4)]/[SO_4~(2-)], implying that nitrogenous components play vital roles in the PM_(2.5) pollution events in the study region.     

Understanding unusually high levels of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in winter in Urban Jinan, China

Peroxyacetyl nitrate(PAN), as a major secondary pollutant, has gained increasing worldwide attentions, but relevant studies in China are still quite limited. During winter of 2015 to summer of 2016, the ambient levels of PAN were measured continuously by an automatic gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector(GC–ECD) analyzer at an urban site in Jinan(China), with related parameters including concentrations of O3, NO, NO_2, PM_(2.5), HONO,the photolysis rate constant of NO_2 and meteorological factors observed concurrently. The mean and maximum values of PAN concentration were(1.89 ± 1.42) and 9.61 ppbv respectively in winter, and(2.54 ± 1.44) and 13.47 ppbv respectively in summer. Unusually high levels of PAN were observed during severe haze episodes in winter, and the formation mechanisms of them were emphatically discussed. Study showed that high levels of PAN in winter were mainly caused by local accumulation and strong photochemical reactions during haze episodes, while mass transport played only a minor role. Accelerated photochemical reactions(compared to winter days without haze) during haze episodes were deduced by the higher concentrations but shorter lifetimes of PAN, which was further supported by the sufficient solar radiation in the photolysis band along with the high concentrations of precursors(NO_2, VOCs) and HONO during haze episodes. In addition, significant PAN accumulation during calm weather of haze episodes was verified by meteorological data.     

增加绿化面积减少沈阳灰霾的应用研究

通过对气候变暖和沈阳城市的发展造成沈阳城市热岛增强并加重大气污染的现状分析,提出通过增加绿化面积等措施,可将沈阳的灰霾日数控制在每年60d左右,还能够降低城市温度,增加空气湿度,提高人体舒适度并促进经济发展。     

云贵高原1961-2006年大气能见度和消光因素变化趋势及原因

根据云贵高原203个气象台站1961—2006年大气能见度、降水、相对湿度、风速和天气现象等观测资料,采用倾向率方法对能见度和大气消光系数的变化趋势进行了分析。还应用Mann-Kendall方法对19km能见度、霾日数和消光系数的多年变化进行了气候突变检验。结果表明,有84.2%台站出现了能见度减少趋势。减少最多为-11km·10a-1,最少为-1km·10a-1。减少的平均气候倾向率在1961—1979年为0.96km·10a-1,1980—2006年为1.6km·10a-1,高原平均能见度从60年代的约34km下降到目前的约27km。另一方面,有15.8%台站能见度有增加趋势,且多集中在人类活动较为稀少的高海拔山区。有71%的台站19km能见度频率出现减少的趋势,平均倾向率为-2%·10a-1,主要出现在高原东部和中部人口和工业稠密区。该地区同时也出现霾日增加的现象。Mann-Kendall检测结果表明,19km能见度频率减少和霾日数增加现象出现突变的时间相同。年平均消光系数发生突变的时间稍推后。认为能见度下降、消光因素增加的原因与人为排放污染物浓度增加有密切关系。     

Modeling radiative effects of haze on summer-time convective precipitation over North China: a case study

We modeled the impact of haze radiative effects on precipitation in North China. Shortwave heating induced by haze radiative effects would reduce heavy rainfalls. Convection was the key factor that whether precipitation was enhanced or suppressed. Precipitation was often suppressed where CAPE, RH and updraft velocities were high. The impact of haze radiative effect on summertime 24-h convective precipitation over North China was investigated using WRF model (version 3.3) through model sensitivity studies between scenarios with and without aerosol radiative effects. The haze radiative effect was represented by incorporating an idealized aerosol optical profile, with AOD values around 1, derived from the aircraft measurement into the WRF shortwave scheme. We found that the shortwave heating induced by aerosol radiative effects would significantly reduce heavy rainfalls, although its effect on the post-frontal localized thunderstorm precipitation was more diverse. To capture the key factors that determine whether precipitation is enhanced or suppressed, model grids with 24-h precipitation difference between the two scenarios exceeding certain threshold (>30 mm or<-30 mm) were separated into two sets. Analyses of key meteorological variables between the enhanced and suppressed regimes suggested that atmospheric convection was the most important factor that determined whether precipitation was enhanced or suppressed during summertime over North China. The convection was stronger over places with precipitation enhancement over 30 mm. Haze weakened the convection over places with precipitation suppression exceeding 30 mm and caused less water vapor to rise to a higher level and thus further suppressed precipitation. The suppression of precipitation was often accompanied with relatively high convective available potential energy (CAPE), relative humidity (RH) and updraft velocities.     

雾霾天气背景下大气环境监测质量的提升路径研究

本文主要针对雾霾天气背景下大气环境监测质量的提升路径展开深入研究,先阐述了大气环境监测质量的提升重要性,比如有利于提高环境污染的防治水平、有利于不断提高城市环境规划水平等,然后重点提出了几点可行的提升路径,主要包括制定大气环境监测质量保障体系、加强环境质量监测网络建设、加强大气环境监测采样管理、加强3S技术的应用、加强监测监察联动协调机制、扩大大气环境质量评价范围等,确保监测数据与完整性和准确性相符,确保大气环境监测质量的稳步提升,以创建节能减排、生态环保的节约型社会。     

厦门市光化学污染特征分析

在2013年4月11日—5月22日期间测定厦门市过氧乙酰硝酸酯,研究该地区光化学污染过程,并统计移动源、植物、工业VOCs的排放量。结果表明,光化学污染不仅产生PM2.5,引起市区NO2浓度升高,还会加重霾的产生和污染水平,提出通过优化树种以降低光化学污染。     

Fires in tropical forests – what is really the problem? lessons from Indonesia

Fires have attracted interest and generated alarm since the early 1980s. This concern has been particularly evident in tropical forests of Southeast Asia and the Amazon, but disastrous fires in recent summers in Australia, Europe, and the United States have drawn worldwide attention. Concern about forest fires, and related air pollution and biodiversity impacts, led international organisations and northern countries – such as the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank, and the government of Germany – to undertake fire assessments and provide technical assistance. Nongovernmental organisations, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and World Wide Fund for Nature, have also devoted increased attention to fires. Aiming at prevention of future fires, 40 fire projects and missions costing well over US$30 million have worked in Indonesia over the last 20 years. Despite the money and effort spent on them, fires continue to burn every year. It may appear to some that efforts to address the ‘fire problem’ have not been effective as fires still occur. There remains a lack of clarity about ‘fire problems’, which has, at times, led to the adoption of policies that may have negative impacts on livelihoods, the environment, and the economy. Two ‘simple’ changes in the way fires are considered would significantly improve fire-related policies and initiatives.

宜昌市城区灰霾天气成因分析研究

从灰霾天气形成的可能影响因素出发,根据长期的气象和环保观测资料,将近10年来宜昌市城区逆温层与等温层、降水日、风速风向、环境空气质量优良天数、可吸入性颗粒物(PM10)年均值、二氧化硫(SO2)年均值、二氧化氮(NO2)年均值的观测值与灰霾日观测值进行相关分析,并分析了宜昌市城区环境污染的气象化学作用,揭示出宜昌市城区灰霾天气成因主要是与不利扩散和降解的气象化学作用有关,与目前环境空气质量监测的PM10、SO2、NO2三个指标无明显相关关系,而与细粒子、气溶胶污染有关。