Contributions and source identification of biogenic and anthropogenic hydrocarbons to secondary organic aerosols at Mt. Tai in 2014

Yanhong Zhu; Lingxiao Yang; Kimitaka Kawamura; Jianmin Chen; Kaori Ono; Xinfeng Wang; Likun Xue; Wenxing Wang

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.070

Contributions and source identification of biogenic and anthropogenic hydrocarbons to secondary organic aerosols at Mt. Tai in 2014

Environ Pollut. 2017 Jan;220(Pt B):863-872. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.070. Epub 2016 Nov 4.

Authors

Yanhong Zhu¹, Lingxiao Yang², Kimitaka Kawamura³, Jianmin Chen⁴, Kaori Ono⁵, Xinfeng Wang¹, Likun Xue¹, Wenxing Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
² Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Climate Change, China. Electronic address: yanglingxiao@sdu.edu.cn.
³ Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Chubu Institute for Advanced Studies, Chubu University, Kasugai, Japan.
⁴ Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Fudan Tyndall Centre, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Climate Change, China.
⁵ Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

PMID: 27823860
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.070

Abstract

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) collected at Mt. Tai in summer 2014 were analysed and the data were used to identify the contribution of biogenic and anthropogenic hydrocarbons to secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and their sources and potential source areas in high mountain regions. Compared with those in 2006, the 2014 anthropogenic SOA tracers in PM_2.5 aerosols and VOC species related to vehicular emissions exhibited higher concentrations, whereas the levels of biogenic SOA tracers were lower, possibly due to decreased biomass burning. Using the SOA tracer and parameterisation method, we estimated the contributions from biogenic and anthropogenic VOCs, respectively. The results showed that the average concentration of biogenic SOA was 1.08 ± 0.51 μg m^-3, among which isoprene SOA tracers were dominant. The anthropogenic VOC-derived SOA were 7.03 ± 1.21 μg m^-3 and 1.92 ± 1.34 μg m^-3 under low- and high-NO_x conditions, respectively, and aromatics made the greatest contribution. However, the sum of biogenic and anthropogenic SOA only contributed 18.1-49.1% of the total SOA. Source apportionment by positive matrix factorisation (PMF) revealed that secondary oxidation and biomass burning were the major sources of biogenic SOA tracers. Anthropogenic aromatics mainly came from solvent use, fuel and plastics combustion and vehicular emissions. However, for > C6 alkanes and cycloalkanes, vehicular emissions and fuel and plastics combustion were the most important contributors. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) identified the Bohai Sea Region (BSR) as the major source area for organic aerosol compounds and VOC species at Mt. Tai.

Keywords: Fine particulate matter; Secondary organic aerosols; Sources and source areas; Volatile organic compounds.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Aerosols / analysis*
Air Pollutants / analysis*
China
Environmental Monitoring
Hydrocarbons / analysis*
Particulate Matter / analysis*
Seasons
Time Factors
Vehicle Emissions / analysis*
Volatile Organic Compounds / analysis*

Substances

Aerosols
Air Pollutants
Hydrocarbons
Particulate Matter
Vehicle Emissions
Volatile Organic Compounds