Sources of particulate-matter air pollution and its oxidative potential in Europe

Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Gaëlle Uzu, Jianhui Jiang (), Laure-Estelle Cassagnes, Zaira Leni, Athanasia Vlachou, Giulia Stefenelli, Francesco Canonaco, Samuël Weber, Arjo Segers, Jeroen J. P. Kuenen, Martijn Schaap, Olivier Favez, Alexandre Albinet, Sebnem Aksoyoglu, Josef Dommen, Urs Baltensperger, Marianne Geiser, Imad El Haddad (), Jean-Luc Jaffrezo and André S. H. Prévôt ()
Additional contact information
Kaspar R. Daellenbach: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Gaëlle Uzu: Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institute of Engineering and Management Univ. Grenoble Alpes (Grenoble INP), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE)
Jianhui Jiang: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Laure-Estelle Cassagnes: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Zaira Leni: University of Bern
Athanasia Vlachou: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Giulia Stefenelli: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Francesco Canonaco: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Samuël Weber: Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institute of Engineering and Management Univ. Grenoble Alpes (Grenoble INP), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE)
Arjo Segers: The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
Jeroen J. P. Kuenen: The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
Martijn Schaap: The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
Olivier Favez: Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques (Ineris)
Alexandre Albinet: Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques (Ineris)
Sebnem Aksoyoglu: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Josef Dommen: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Urs Baltensperger: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Marianne Geiser: University of Bern
Imad El Haddad: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Jean-Luc Jaffrezo: Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institute of Engineering and Management Univ. Grenoble Alpes (Grenoble INP), Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement (IGE)
André S. H. Prévôt: Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute

Nature, 2020, vol. 587, issue 7834, 414-419

Abstract: Abstract Particulate matter is a component of ambient air pollution that has been linked to millions of annual premature deaths globally1–3. Assessments of the chronic and acute effects of particulate matter on human health tend to be based on mass concentration, with particle size and composition also thought to play a part4. Oxidative potential has been suggested to be one of the many possible drivers of the acute health effects of particulate matter, but the link remains uncertain5–8. Studies investigating the particulate-matter components that manifest an oxidative activity have yielded conflicting results7. In consequence, there is still much to be learned about the sources of particulate matter that may control the oxidative potential concentration7. Here we use field observations and air-quality modelling to quantify the major primary and secondary sources of particulate matter and of oxidative potential in Europe. We find that secondary inorganic components, crustal material and secondary biogenic organic aerosols control the mass concentration of particulate matter. By contrast, oxidative potential concentration is associated mostly with anthropogenic sources, in particular with fine-mode secondary organic aerosols largely from residential biomass burning and coarse-mode metals from vehicular non-exhaust emissions. Our results suggest that mitigation strategies aimed at reducing the mass concentrations of particulate matter alone may not reduce the oxidative potential concentration. If the oxidative potential can be linked to major health impacts, it may be more effective to control specific sources of particulate matter rather than overall particulate mass.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2902-8

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