title: Concentrations, correlations and chemical species of PM2.5/PM10 based on published data in China: Potential implications for the revised particulate standard.
abstract: Particulate matter (PM) has been of great concern in China due to the increasing haze pollution in recent years. In 2012, the Chinese national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) was amended with a "more strict" regulation on the PM concentrations, i.e., 35 and 70 µg/m(3) for annual PM2.5 and PM10 averages, respectively (Grade-Ⅱ, GB3095-2012). To evaluate the potential of China to attain such new NAAQS and provide a more generalized chemical profile of PM in China, a comprehensive statistical analysis was carried out based on the published data of parallel PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations and chemical compositions of PM2.5 and PM10. The results show that most of the measured concentrations far exceed the new NAAQS. PM2.5 and PM10 show a strong positive correlation (R(2) = 0.87, p < 0.01) with PM2.5 accounting for about 65% of PM10, suggesting that the abatement of PM2.5 is crucial for reducing PM pollution and hence improving air quality in China. Organic carbon (OC), sulfate and crustal species are the three major components of PM. The NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratios are 0.43 ± 0.26 in PM2.5 and 0.56 ± 0.29 in PM10, and the OC/EC ratios are 3.63 ± 1.73 in PM2.5 and 4.17 ± 2.09 in PM10, signifying that the stationary emissions from coal combustion remain the main PM source. An evaluation of PM2.5 situation in current China was carried out and the results show that it would take about 27 years to meet the limit value of 35 µg/m(3) in the revised standard, implying a rigorous challenge in PM2.5 control in China in the future.
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, 250100, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China. Electronic address: xuehuazhou@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xuehua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, 250100, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, 250100, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, 250100, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Linpeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, 250100, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ruidong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, 250100, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China; Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
authors.forename: Wenxing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000592:standards*; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D011642:Publications; D012015:Reference Standards
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Air quality standard; Chemical species; China; Correlations and ratios; PM(10); PM(2.5)