title: Fine particulate (PM2.5) dynamics during rapid urbanization in Beijing, 1973-2013.
abstract: PM2.5 has been given special concern in recent years when the air quality monitoring station started recording. However, long-term PM2.5 concentration dynamic analysis cannot be taken with the limited observations. We therefore estimated the PM2.5 concentration using meteorological visibility data in Beijing. We found that 71 ± 17% of PM10 were PM2.5, which contributed to visibility impairment (y = 332.26e(-0.232x); R(2) = 0.75, P < 0.05). We then reconstructed a time series of annual PM2.5 from 1973 to 2013, and examined its relationship with urbanization by indicators of population, gross domestic production (GDP), energy consumption, and number of vehicles. Concluded that 1) Meteorological conditions were not the major cause of PM2.5 increase from 1973 to 2013; 2) With population and GDP growth, PM2.5 increased significantly (R(2) = 0.5917, P < 0.05; R(2) = 0.5426, P < 0.05); 3) Intensive human activity could change air quality in a short period, as observed changes in the correlations of PM2.5 concentration with energy consumption and number of vehicles before and after 2004, respectively. The success of this research provides an easy way in reconstructing long-term PM2.5 concentration with limited PM2.5 observation and meteorological visibility, and insight the impact of urbanization on air quality.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Lijian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Weiqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D057217:Economic Development; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources; D059066:Gross Domestic Product; D008685:Meteorological Concepts; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012905:Smog; D014507:Urbanization
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter; D012905:Smog