Interannual variation of reactive nitrogen emissions and their impacts on PM 2.5 air pollution in China during 2005–2015

Bibliographic Data

ID15546352
AuthorsYoufan Chen (0000-0003-2916-3826, Peking University), Lin Zhang (0000-0001-5966-3827, Peking University, corresponding author), Daven K Henze (0000-0001-6431-4963, University of Colorado Boulder, corresponding author), Yuanhong Zhao (0000-0002-5134-1257, Ocean University of China), Xiao Lu (0000-0003-1175-4687, Sun Yat-sen University), Wilfried Winiwarter (0000-0001-7131-1496, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis), Yixin Guo (0000-0003-4958-7044, Peking University), Xuejun Liu (0000-0003-3787-3537, China Agricultural University), Zhang Wen (0000-0002-8182-2895, China Agricultural University, corresponding author), Yuepeng Pan (0000-0002-5547-0849, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Yu Song (0000-0002-9525-2870, Peking University)
Year2021
Volume16
Issue12
Pages125004-125004
Publication date2021-11-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
PublisherIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/ac3695
OpenAlexW3211440053
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited67

Emissions of reactive nitrogen as ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ), together with sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), contribute to formation of secondary PM 2.5 in the atmosphere. Satellite observations of atmospheric NH 3 , NO 2 , and SO 2 levels since the 2000s provide valuable information to constrain the spatial and temporal variability of their emissions. Here we present a bottom-up Chinese NH 3 emission inventory combined with top-down estimates of Chinese NO x and SO 2 emissions using ozone monitoring instrument satellite observations, aiming to quantify the interannual variations of reactive nitrogen emissions in China and their contributions to PM 2.5 air pollution over 2005–2015. We find small interannual changes in the total Chinese anthropogenic NH 3 emissions during 2005–2016 (12.0–13.3 Tg with over 85% from agricultural sources), but large interannual change in top-down Chinese NO x and SO 2 emissions. Chinese NO x emissions peaked around 2011 and declined by 22% during 2011–2015, and Chinese SO 2 emissions declined by 55% in 2015 relative to that in 2007. Using the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model simulations, we find that rising atmospheric NH 3 levels in eastern China since 2011 as observed by infrared atmospheric sounding interferometer and atmospheric infrared sounder satellites are mainly driven by rapid reductions in SO 2 emissions. The 2011–2015 Chinese NO x emission reductions have decreased regional annual mean PM 2.5 by 2.3–3.8 μ g m −3 . Interannual PM 2.5 changes due to NH 3 emission changes are relatively small, but further control of agricultural NH 3 emissions can be effective for PM 2.5 pollution mitigation in eastern China

Air pollution · Air quality index · Atmosphere (unit · Atmospheric chemistry · Atmospheric sciences · Chemical transport model · Climatology · Emission inventory · Geography · Meteorology · Nitrogen · Nitrogen dioxide · Ozone · Reactive nitrogen · Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics · Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols · Atmospheric Ozone and Climate · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Environmental Chemistry · Pollution

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