Comparison of Ground-Based PM 2.5 and PM 10 Concentrations in China, India, and the U.S

Xingchuan Yang, Lei Jiang, Wenji Zhao, Qiulin Xiong, Wenhui Zhao and Xing Yan
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Xingchuan Yang: College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
Lei Jiang: Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, Beijing 100037, China
Wenji Zhao: College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
Qiulin Xiong: College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
Wenhui Zhao: Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center, Beijing 100048, China
Xing Yan: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Urbanization and industrialization have spurred air pollution, making it a global problem. An understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristics of PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm and 10 μm, respectively) is necessary to mitigate air pollution. We compared the characteristics of PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations and their trends of China, India, and the U.S. from 2014 to 2017. Particulate matter levels were lowest in the U.S., while China showed higher concentrations, and India showed the highest. Interestingly, significant declines in PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations were found in some of the most polluted regions in China as well as the U.S. No comparable decline was observed in India. A strong seasonal trend was observed in China and India, with the highest values occurring in winter and the lowest in summer. The opposite trend was noted for the U.S. PM 2.5 was highly correlated with PM 10 for both China and India, but the correlation was poor for the U.S. With regard to reducing particulate matter pollutant concentrations, developing countries can learn from the experiences of developed nations and benefit by establishing and implementing joint regional air pollution control programs.

Keywords: particulate matter; spatiotemporal variations; air pollution; air quality index; environmental policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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