Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020
In response to COVID-19 in December 2019, China imposed a strict lockdown for the following two months, which led to an unprecedented reduction in industrial activities and transportation. However, haze pollution was still recorded in many Chinese cities during the lockdown period. To explore tempor...
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/10/1298 |
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| author | Xiaoman Wang Min Liu Li Luo Xi Chen Yongyun Zhang Haoran Zhang Shudi Yang Yuxiao Li |
| author_facet | Xiaoman Wang Min Liu Li Luo Xi Chen Yongyun Zhang Haoran Zhang Shudi Yang Yuxiao Li |
| author_sort | Xiaoman Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In response to COVID-19 in December 2019, China imposed a strict lockdown for the following two months, which led to an unprecedented reduction in industrial activities and transportation. However, haze pollution was still recorded in many Chinese cities during the lockdown period. To explore temporal and spatial variations in urban haze pollution, concentrations of air pollutants (PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, CO, NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, and O<sub>3</sub>) from April 2017 to March 2020 were observed at 23 monitoring stations throughout Nanchang City (including one industrial site, sixteen urban central sites, two mountain sites, and four suburban sites). Overall, the highest concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, and SO<sub>2</sub> were observed at industrial sites and the highest CO and NOx (NO and NO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were recorded at urban sites. The air pollutants at mountain sites all showed the lowest concentrations, which indicated that anthropogenic activities are largely responsible for air pollutants. Concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, NO, and NO<sub>2</sub> showed similar season trends, that is, the highest levels in winter and lowest concentrations in summer, but an opposite season pattern for O<sub>3</sub>. Except for a sharply dropping pattern from January to May 2018, there were no seasonal patterns for SO<sub>2</sub> concentration in all the observed sites. Daily PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, NOx, and SO<sub>2</sub> concentrations showed a peak during the morning commute, which indicated the influences of anthropogenic activities on PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, NOx, and SO<sub>2</sub>. PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, NOx, and CO concentrations at industrial, urban, and suburban sites were higher during nighttime than during daytime, but they showed the opposite pattern at mountain sites. In addition, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, and NOx concentrations were lower during the lockdown period (D2) than those before the lockdown (B1). After the lockdown was lifted (A3), PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, and NOx concentrations showed a slowly increasing trend. However, O<sub>3</sub> concentrations continuously increased from B1 to A3. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:44:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6c6748f59ed47b29511b801da810d6c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:44:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6c6748f59ed47b29511b801da810d6c2023-11-22T17:25:23ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332021-10-011210129810.3390/atmos12101298Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020Xiaoman Wang0Min Liu1Li Luo2Xi Chen3Yongyun Zhang4Haoran Zhang5Shudi Yang6Yuxiao Li7School of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, ChinaJiangxi Provincial Eco-Environment Monitoring Center, Nanchang 330039, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, ChinaKey Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy Sciences, Nanjing 210008, ChinaSchool of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, ChinaSchool of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, ChinaSchool of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, ChinaSchool of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, ChinaIn response to COVID-19 in December 2019, China imposed a strict lockdown for the following two months, which led to an unprecedented reduction in industrial activities and transportation. However, haze pollution was still recorded in many Chinese cities during the lockdown period. To explore temporal and spatial variations in urban haze pollution, concentrations of air pollutants (PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, CO, NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, and O<sub>3</sub>) from April 2017 to March 2020 were observed at 23 monitoring stations throughout Nanchang City (including one industrial site, sixteen urban central sites, two mountain sites, and four suburban sites). Overall, the highest concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, and SO<sub>2</sub> were observed at industrial sites and the highest CO and NOx (NO and NO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were recorded at urban sites. The air pollutants at mountain sites all showed the lowest concentrations, which indicated that anthropogenic activities are largely responsible for air pollutants. Concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, NO, and NO<sub>2</sub> showed similar season trends, that is, the highest levels in winter and lowest concentrations in summer, but an opposite season pattern for O<sub>3</sub>. Except for a sharply dropping pattern from January to May 2018, there were no seasonal patterns for SO<sub>2</sub> concentration in all the observed sites. Daily PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, NOx, and SO<sub>2</sub> concentrations showed a peak during the morning commute, which indicated the influences of anthropogenic activities on PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, NOx, and SO<sub>2</sub>. PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, NOx, and CO concentrations at industrial, urban, and suburban sites were higher during nighttime than during daytime, but they showed the opposite pattern at mountain sites. In addition, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, and NOx concentrations were lower during the lockdown period (D2) than those before the lockdown (B1). After the lockdown was lifted (A3), PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, CO, and NOx concentrations showed a slowly increasing trend. However, O<sub>3</sub> concentrations continuously increased from B1 to A3.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/10/1298air pollutantsNanchangtemporal and spatial variationsCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoman Wang Min Liu Li Luo Xi Chen Yongyun Zhang Haoran Zhang Shudi Yang Yuxiao Li Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020 Atmosphere air pollutants Nanchang temporal and spatial variations COVID-19 |
| title | Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020 |
| title_full | Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020 |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020 |
| title_short | Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Air Pollutants in Nanchang, Southeast China during 2017–2020 |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal distributions of air pollutants in nanchang southeast china during 2017 2020 |
| topic | air pollutants Nanchang temporal and spatial variations COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/10/1298 |
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