High contribution of anthropogenic combustion sources to atmospheric inorganic reactive nitrogen in South China evidenced by isotopes
<p>Due to the intense release of reactive nitrogen (Nr) from anthropogenic activity, the source layout of atmospheric nitrogen aerosol has changed. To comprehensively clarify the level, sources, and environmental fate of NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http:...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/23/6395/2023/acp-23-6395-2023.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>Due to the intense release of reactive nitrogen (Nr) from
anthropogenic activity, the source layout of atmospheric nitrogen aerosol
has changed. To comprehensively clarify the level, sources, and environmental fate of
NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="9e82b08d319a1c899f60c89d4a61df91"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00001.svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> and NO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="53e1f98be2cdf70dbe180d95894fc6b5"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00002.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>, their concentrations and stable isotopes
(<span class="inline-formula"><i>δ</i><sup>15</sup></span>N) in fine particulate matter (PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub>)</span> were measured
in a subtropical megacity of South China. The inorganic nitrogen (NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="aa378b71f34a6c23384fc0eb7c6e7621"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00003.svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00003.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> and NO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup><mo>)</mo></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="12pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="e729ab1aeb604d70003d67ee45e4a0b8"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00004.svg" width="12pt" height="16pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00004.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> was an
essential part of atmospheric nitrogen aerosol, and the N-NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="a896672a5a2c6d19cc4695ffc843bfde"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00005.svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00005.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> and
N-NO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="7de8959157e6c258409d4c11688ca166"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00006.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00006.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> contributed 45.8 % and 23.2 % to total nitrogen (TN), respectively. The source contributions of NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M9" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="e480ef7ec07e999cc23d83cf2e7b4868"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00007.svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00007.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> and NO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M10" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="78ed0f7e81615226176402cdd6a1afd5"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00008.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00008.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> were estimated by <span class="inline-formula"><i>δ</i><sup>15</sup></span>N, suggesting that the dominant sources were from anthropogenic combustion activities, including coal combustion, biomass burning, and vehicles, contributing 63.2 % and 88.3 % to NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M12" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="9ae7496f73369cba691a3bcfb358d1a5"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00009.svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00009.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> and NO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M13" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="a192f22c747584054322d55d69a940ca"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00010.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00010.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>, respectively. In particular, biomass burning was the predominant source of NH<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M14" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="d0f05de3ef9fdb7d2948354df3a21cd8"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00011.svg" width="8pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00011.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> (27.9 %), whereas coal combustion was the dominant source of NO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M15" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="9f81e901bf06635e082f559a787da68a"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00012.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="acp-23-6395-2023-ie00012.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> (40.4 %). This study emphasized the substantial impacts of human activities on inorganic Nr. With the rapid development of industry and transportation, nitrogen emissions will be even higher. The promotion of clean energy and efficient use of biomass would help to reduce nitrogen emissions and alleviate air pollution.</p> |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |