Chemical Composition and Source Apportionment of PM 2.5 in Urban Areas of Xiangtan, Central South China

Xiaoyao Ma, Zhenghui Xiao, Lizhi He, Zongbo Shi, Yunjiang Cao, Zhe Tian, Tuan Vu and Jisong Liu
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Xiaoyao Ma: School of Resource, Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Zhenghui Xiao: School of Resource, Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Lizhi He: Atmospheric Environment Monitoring Station of Xiangtan, Xiangtan 411100, China
Zongbo Shi: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Yunjiang Cao: School of Resource, Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Zhe Tian: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Tuan Vu: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Jisong Liu: School of Resource, Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: Xiangtan, South China, is characterized by year-round high relative humidity and very low wind speeds. To assess levels of PM 2.5 , daily samples were collected from 2016 to 2017 at two urban sites. The mass concentrations of PM 2.5 were in the range of 30–217 µg/m 3 , with the highest concentrations in winter and the lowest in spring. Major water-soluble ions (WSIIs) and total carbon (TC) accounted for 58–59% and 21–24% of the PM 2.5 mass, respectively. Secondary inorganic ions (SO 4 2− , NO 3 − , and NH 4 + ) dominated the WSIIs and accounted for 73% and 74% at the two sites. The concentrations of K, Fe, Al, Sb, Ca, Zn, Mg, Pb, Ba, As, and Mn in the PM 2.5 at the two sites were higher than 40 ng/m 3 , and decreased in the order of winter > autumn > spring. Enrichment factor analysis indicates that Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sb, Tl, and Pb mainly originates from anthropogenic sources. Source apportionment analysis showed that secondary inorganic aerosols, vehicle exhaust, coal combustion and secondary aerosols, fugitive dust, industrial emissions, steel industry are the major sources of PM 2.5 , contributing 25–27%, 21–22%, 19–21%, 16–18%, 6–9%, and 8–9% to PM 2.5 mass.

Keywords: PM 2.5; chemical components; source apportionment; positive matrix factorization (PMF); Xiangtan City (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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