High loadings of carbonaceous aerosols from wood smoke in the atmosphere of Beijing from 2015 to 2017: Implications for energy transition policy

Qingyang Liu; Yanju Liu; Zheng Yang; Xuekui Qi; James J Schauer

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123240

High loadings of carbonaceous aerosols from wood smoke in the atmosphere of Beijing from 2015 to 2017: Implications for energy transition policy

Environ Pollut. 2024 Mar 1:344:123240. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123240. Epub 2023 Dec 26.

Authors

Qingyang Liu¹, Yanju Liu², Zheng Yang³, Xuekui Qi⁴, James J Schauer⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Analysis and Testing, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis), Beijing, 100089, China; College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China.
² Institute of Analysis and Testing, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis), Beijing, 100089, China; Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing, 100074, China. Electronic address: liuyanju@hotmail.com.
³ Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing, 100074, China.
⁴ Institute of Analysis and Testing, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis), Beijing, 100089, China.
⁵ Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.

PMID: 38154780
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123240

Abstract

Recently, biomass has been regarded as a promising option for solid energy in China, which is promoted in the residential sector and firing power plants. We collected 200 PM_2.5 samples (particulate matter with a aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm) at multi-sites across Beijing from three individual sampling cases from 2015 to 2017. The levels of OC, OC fractions, EC, EC fractions, as well as K⁺ were measured. Then, we adopted the Positive Matrix Factorization 5.0 to apportion the sources of carbonaceous aerosols. The source apportionment results were compared with the estimates of source contribution using the bottom-up technical method with the latest emission inventories after the Action Plan was put into effect in 2013. Our results demonstrate that high pollution of carbonaceous aerosols originated from wood smoking based on the receptor modeling and bottom-up technical method in Beijing from 2015 to 2017. Future energy transition policy should focus on the technologies and regulations for reducing emissions from renewable biomass fuel combustion. This study highlights the importance of regulations that address emissions controls on fuels replacing coal combustion to meet the needs to mitigate air pollution from primary energy use.

Keywords: Air pollution; Biomass; Carbonaceous aerosols; Developing areas; Primary energy use.

MeSH terms

Aerosols / analysis
Air Pollutants* / analysis
Atmosphere
Beijing
Carbon / analysis
China
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Particulate Matter / analysis
Policy
Seasons
Smoke
Wood / chemistry

Substances

Air Pollutants
Smoke
Particulate Matter
Aerosols
Carbon