Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Source apportionment and secondary organic aerosol estimation of PM2.5 in an urban atmosphere in China

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

PM2.5 is the key pollutant in atmospheric pollution in China. With new national air quality standards taking effect, PM2.5 has become a major issue for future pollution control. To effectively prevent and control PM2.5, its emission sources must be precisely and thoroughly understood. However, there are few publications reporting comprehensive and systematic results of PM2.5 source apportionment in the country. Based on PM2.5 sampling during 2009 in Shenzhen and follow-up investigation, positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis has been carried out to understand the major sources and their temporal and spatial variations. The results show that in urban Shenzhen (University Town site), annual mean PM2.5 concentration was 42.2 μg m−3, with secondary sulfate, vehicular emission, biomass burning and secondary nitrate as major sources; these contributed 30.0%, 26.9%, 9.8% and 9.3% to total PM2.5, respectively. Other sources included high chloride, heavy oil combustion, sea salt, dust and the metallurgical industry, with contributions between 2%–4%. Spatiotemporal variations of various sources show that vehicular emission was mainly a local source, whereas secondary sulfate and biomass burning were mostly regional. Secondary nitrate had both local and regional sources. Identification of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) has always been difficult in aerosol source apportionment. In this study, the PMF model and organic carbon/elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratio method were combined to estimate SOA in PM2.5. The results show that in urban Shenzhen, annual SOA mass concentration was 7.5 μg m−3, accounting for 57% of total organic matter, with precursors emitted from vehicles as the major source. This work can serve as a case study for further in-depth research on PM2.5 pollution and source apportionment in China.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cao J J, Lee S C, Ho K F, et al. 2003. Characteristics of carbonaceous aerosol in Pearl River Delta Region, China during 2001 winter period. Atmos Environ, 37: 1451–1460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow J C, Watson J G, Crow D, et al. 2001. Comparison of IMPROVE and NIOSH carbon measurements. Aerosol Sci Technol, 34: 23–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow J C, Watson J G. 2002. Review of PM2.5 and PM10 apportionment for fossil fuel combustion and other sources by chemical mass balance receptor model. Energy Fuels, 16: 222–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franklin M, Koutrakis P, Schwartz P. 2008. The role of particle composition on the association between PM2.5 and mortality. Am J Epidemiol, 19: 680–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gouw J A, Middlebrook A M, Warneke C, et al. 2011. Organic aerosol formation downwind from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Science, 331: 1295–1299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagler G S, Bergin M H, Salmon L G, et al. 2006. Source areas and chemical composition of fine particulate matter in the Pearl River Delta region of China. Atmos Environ, 40: 3802–3815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He L Y, Hu M, Zhang Y H, et al. 2008. Fine particle emissions from on-road vehicles in the Zhujiang Tunnel, China. Environ Sci Technol, 42: 4461–4466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He L Y, Huang X F, Xue L, et al. 2011. Submicron aerosol analysis and organic source apportionment in an urban atmosphere in Pearl River Delta of China using high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometry. J Geophys Res, 116: D12304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hien P D, Binhn T, Truong Y, et al. 2001. Comparative receptor modeling study of TSP, PM2 and PM2−10 in Ho Chi Minh City. Atmos Environ, 35: 2669–2678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang X F, Sun T L, Zeng L W, et al. 2012. Black carbon aerosol characterization in a coastal city in South China using a single particle soot photometer. Atmos Environ, 51: 21–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang X F, Yu J Z, He L Y, et al. 2006. Water-Soluble organic carbon and oxalate in aerosols at a coastal urban site in China: Size distribution characteristics, sources, and formation mechanisms. J Geophys Res, 111: D22212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim E, Larson T V, Hopke P K, et al. 2003. Source identification of PM2.5 in an arid Northwest US city by positive matrix factorization. Atmos Res, 66: 291–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lan Z J, Chen D L, Li X, et al. 2011, Modal characteristics of carbonaceous aerosol size distribution in an urban atmosphere of South China. Atmos Res, 100: 51–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin P, Huang X F, He L Y, et al. 2010. Abundance and size distribution of HULIS in ambient aerosols at a rural site in South China. J Aerosol Sci, 41: 74–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paatero P, Tapper U. 1994. Positive matrix factorization: A nonnegative factor model with optimal utilization of error-estimates of data values. Environmetrics, 5: 111–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pope III C A, Dockery D W. 2006. Health effects of fine particulate air pollution: Lines that connect. J Air Waste Manag Assoc, 56: 709–742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson A L, Donahue N M, Shrivastava M K, et al. 2007. Rethinking organic aerosols: Semivolatile emissions and photochemical aging. Science, 315: 1259–1262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song Y, Xie S D, Zhang Y H, et al. 2006. Source apportionment of PM2.5 in Beijing using principal component analysis/absolute principal component scores and UNMIX. Sci Total Environ, 372: 278–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang X Y, Zhang Y H, Shao M. 2006. Atmospheric Environmental Chemistry. 2nd ed. Beijing: High Education Press. 268–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Turpin B J, Huntzicker J J. 1995. Identification of secondary organic aerosol episodes and quantification of primary and secondary organic aerosol concentrations during SCAQS. Atmos Environ, 29: 3527–3544

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamasoe M A, Artaxo P, Miguel A H, et al. 2000. Chemical composition of aerosol particles from direct emissions of vegetation fires in the Amazon Basin: Water-soluble species and trace elements. Atmos Environ, 34: 1641–1653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang F, Tan J, Zhao Q, et al. 2011. Characteristics of PM2.5 speciation in representative megacities and across China. Atmos Chem Phys, 11: 5207–5219, doi: 10.5194/acp-11-5207-201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye B M, Ji X L, Yang H Z, et al. 2003. Concentration and chemical composition of PM2.5 in Shanghai in one-year period. Atmos Environ, 37: 499–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan Z B, Lau A K H, Zhang H Y, et al. 2006a. Identification and spatial distribution of dominant sources of PM10 in Hong Kong. Atmos Environ, 40: 1803–1815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan Z B, Yu J Z, Lau A K H, et al. 2006b. Application of positive matrix factorization in estimating aerosol secondary organic carbon in Hong Kong and its relationship with secondary sulfate. Atmos Chem Phys, 6: 25–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang H, Chan C K, Fang M, et al. 1999. Formation of nitrate and non-sea-salt sulfate on coarse particles. Atmos Environ, 33: 4223–4233

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Urban Habitat Environmental Science and Technology, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    XiaoFeng Huang, Hui Yun, ZhaoHeng Gong, Xiang Li & LingYan He

  2. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    YuanHang Zhang & Min Hu

Authors
  1. XiaoFeng Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hui Yun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. ZhaoHeng Gong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. LingYan He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. YuanHang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Min Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to LingYan He.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Huang, X., Yun, H., Gong, Z. et al. Source apportionment and secondary organic aerosol estimation of PM2.5 in an urban atmosphere in China. Sci. China Earth Sci. 57, 1352–1362 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4686-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4686-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation