Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China
Two months of PM2.5 samples were collected during the summer of 2010 at Qinghai Lake (3200 m a.s.l.) in the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, China and determined for organic compounds, elemental carbon, organic carbon (OC) and inorganic ions to explore the characteristics of aerosols in the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Stockholm University Press
2013-09-01
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| Series: | Tellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/download/20281/pdf_1 |
| _version_ | 1828278693816958976 |
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| author | Jian Jun Li Ge Hui Wang Xin Ming Wang Jun Ji Cao Ta Sun Chun Lei Cheng Jing Jing Meng Tao Feng Hu Sui Xin Liu |
| author_facet | Jian Jun Li Ge Hui Wang Xin Ming Wang Jun Ji Cao Ta Sun Chun Lei Cheng Jing Jing Meng Tao Feng Hu Sui Xin Liu |
| author_sort | Jian Jun Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Two months of PM2.5 samples were collected during the summer of 2010 at Qinghai Lake (3200 m a.s.l.) in the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, China and determined for organic compounds, elemental carbon, organic carbon (OC) and inorganic ions to explore the characteristics of aerosols in the continental atmosphere of China. Approximately 100 organic compounds in the samples were detected with an average of 61±36 ng m−3 in total, accounting for 2.6±1.0% of OC. n-Alkanes (19±12 ng m−3), fatty alcohols (12±7.6 ng m−3), polyols and polyacids (7.5±3.6 ng m−3), sugars (6.5±4.8 ng m−3), and biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOA) (6.3±4.4 ng m−3) are the major compounds in the samples, while phthalates (1.9±1.2 ng m−3), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (0.7±0.5 ng m−3) and phthalic acids (2.6±1.5 ng m−3) are minor and one to three orders of magnitude lower than those in urban and rural regions over China. Our results showed that 2-methyltetrols in the PM2.5 samples, two key tracers for isoprene photo-oxidation, positively correlated with ambient temperature, which can be explained by enhancements in biogenic emission and photochemical oxidation when temperature increases. However, we also found that 2-methyltetrols in the samples negatively correlated with relative humidity (RH). Aerosol inorganic model (AIM) calculation showed that in situ acidity of the fine particles decreased along with an increase of RH, which results in a decrease in BSOA production due to acid-catalysed particle-phase reactions inefficient under higher RH conditions. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1600-0889 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:34:19Z |
| publishDate | 2013-09-01 |
| publisher | Stockholm University Press |
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| series | Tellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology |
| spelling | doaj.art-46736bd645a74df2b4f80cd6933fa8ed2022-12-22T02:56:14ZengStockholm University PressTellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology1600-08892013-09-0165011610.3402/tellusb.v65i0.20281Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, ChinaJian Jun LiGe Hui WangXin Ming WangJun Ji CaoTa SunChun Lei ChengJing Jing MengTao Feng HuSui Xin LiuTwo months of PM2.5 samples were collected during the summer of 2010 at Qinghai Lake (3200 m a.s.l.) in the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, China and determined for organic compounds, elemental carbon, organic carbon (OC) and inorganic ions to explore the characteristics of aerosols in the continental atmosphere of China. Approximately 100 organic compounds in the samples were detected with an average of 61±36 ng m−3 in total, accounting for 2.6±1.0% of OC. n-Alkanes (19±12 ng m−3), fatty alcohols (12±7.6 ng m−3), polyols and polyacids (7.5±3.6 ng m−3), sugars (6.5±4.8 ng m−3), and biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOA) (6.3±4.4 ng m−3) are the major compounds in the samples, while phthalates (1.9±1.2 ng m−3), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (0.7±0.5 ng m−3) and phthalic acids (2.6±1.5 ng m−3) are minor and one to three orders of magnitude lower than those in urban and rural regions over China. Our results showed that 2-methyltetrols in the PM2.5 samples, two key tracers for isoprene photo-oxidation, positively correlated with ambient temperature, which can be explained by enhancements in biogenic emission and photochemical oxidation when temperature increases. However, we also found that 2-methyltetrols in the samples negatively correlated with relative humidity (RH). Aerosol inorganic model (AIM) calculation showed that in situ acidity of the fine particles decreased along with an increase of RH, which results in a decrease in BSOA production due to acid-catalysed particle-phase reactions inefficient under higher RH conditions.www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/download/20281/pdf_1fine particlesinorganic ionsbiogenic secondary organic aerosolsrelative humidity |
| spellingShingle | Jian Jun Li Ge Hui Wang Xin Ming Wang Jun Ji Cao Ta Sun Chun Lei Cheng Jing Jing Meng Tao Feng Hu Sui Xin Liu Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China Tellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology fine particles inorganic ions biogenic secondary organic aerosols relative humidity |
| title | Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China |
| title_full | Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China |
| title_fullStr | Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China |
| title_short | Abundance, composition and source of atmospheric PM2.5 at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, China |
| title_sort | abundance composition and source of atmospheric pm2 5 at a remote site in the tibetan plateau china |
| topic | fine particles inorganic ions biogenic secondary organic aerosols relative humidity |
| url | http://www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/download/20281/pdf_1 |
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