Causes Investigation of PM2.5 and O3 Complex Pollution in a Typical Coastal City in the Bohai Bay Region of China in Autumn: Based on One-Month Continuous Intensive Observation and Model Simulation

• Published in: Atmosphere 2024-01, Vol.15 (1), p.73
• Main Authors: Ji, Yuanyuan, An, Cong, Tang, Jinghao, Li, Jialin, Yan, Xiaoyu, Gao, Xiaoshuai, Chu, Wanghui, Zhong, Xuelian, Shang, Fanyi, Li, Jidong, Tan, Luyao, Gao, Rui, Bi, Fang, Li, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air masses; Air pollution; Air quality; Automation; Bohai Bay region; Carbon; Cities; complex air pollution; Emission; Emissions; Environmental protection; Humidity; Meteorological conditions; model simulation; Outdoor air quality; Oxidation; Particulate matter; Photochemical reactions; Photochemicals; Photochemistry; PM2.5 and O3; Pollutants; Pollution abatement; Pollution control; Pollution prevention; Quality control; Regions; Sulfates; Ultraviolet radiation; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds
• ISSN: 2073-4433; 2073-4433
• DOI: 10.3390/atmos15010073

In order to investigate the causes of complex air pollution in coastal cities in the Bohai Rim of China, a one-month intensive field observation combined with model simulation was carried out in a typical city named Dongying in September 2022. The results showed that two PM2.5 and O3 complex pollution episodes occurred in Dongying in the observation period, with the primary pollutant being O3. Atmospheric photochemical reactions occurring under unfavorable meteorological conditions led to the production of O3 while at the same time facilitating the generation of nitrate, sulfate, and other secondary components of PM2.5 by enhancing the atmospheric oxidizing capacity, which promoted the formation of complex air pollution. It was worth noting that in the context of high pollutants emission, the occurrence of complex air pollution was more sensitive to the variation in meteorological conditions than to the change in pollutants emission. To continuously improve air quality and protect human health in Dongying, it is recommended that an effective regional joint air pollution prevention and control mechanism with neighboring cities should be established in the premise of effective local pollutants reduction, and special attention should be paid to the adverse effect of the air mass transportation from Bohai Bay.