Status and chemical characteristics of ambient PM2.5 pollutions in China: a review

Sneha Gautam (), Aditya Kumar Patra and Prashant Kumar
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Sneha Gautam: Marwadi Education Foundation’s Group of Institutions
Aditya Kumar Patra: Indian Institute of Technology
Prashant Kumar: University of Surrey

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2019, vol. 21, issue 4, No 6, 1649-1674

Abstract: Abstract The ambient fine particulate matter is a considerable hazard to human health and the surrounding environment of the majority of Chinese cities. This article reviews the status of air pollution, especially PM2.5, in 21 cities of China, on the basis of their status, chemical characteristics, and regulations data collected from the published literature. The observed results show Zhengzhou, Yulin, Jinan, Qingdao, and Changchun as significantly polluted cities where the annual mean concentration of PM2.5 was noted to be greater than 120 µg m−3. However, some cities such as Xiamen, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Jinchang reported average annual PM2.5 concentrations less than 40 µg m−3. In general, the results of spatial distribution reported that the cities of the east, north, and northeast China are highly polluted. According to the average mass of PM2.5 in maximum cities of China, the sum of sulfate, nitrate and ammonium (SNA) and organic matter (OM) contributed over 40 and 35%, respectively. The higher amount of SNA and OM in PM2.5 results from heavy traffic or vehicle emission and burning solid fuel utilized in most part of China. A proposed systemic approach to address the PM2.5 in China can improve the quality of ambient atmosphere.

Keywords: PM2.5; Source apportionment; Exposure; Control strategies; Regulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-018-0123-1

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