AAAR 34th Annual Conference
October 12 - October 16, 2015
Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Effect of Pollution Control on Atmospheric Aerosol in Shenzhen, China
IBRAHIM AL-NAIEMA, Yaqin Wang, YuanXun Zhang, Elizabeth Stone, University of Iowa
Abstract Number: 703 Working Group: Urban Aerosols
Abstract Shenzhen, a megacity with 11 million residents, is located in the southern part of China in the Pearl River Delta adjacent to Hong Kong. Shenzhen experiences elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) as a result of intensive anthropogenic activities. In 2011, Shenzhen held the 26th summer Universiade attracting more than 10,000 university athletes from 170 countries. During Universiade, strict air quality controls were implemented leading up to and during the games, providing the opportunity to assess ambient air quality under controlled and uncontrolled emissions scenarios. Our specific objectives were to: i) assess the effect of pollution control on local combustion of fossil fuels and biomass using molecular markers and ii) determine the effect of pollution control on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation using a tracer-based approach. PM2.5 was collected daily from two locations (Longgang and Peking University) for 24 days, of which the first half was a subject to emission controls. Results of the study show that PM2.5 concentrations were significantly reduced and visibility was markedly improved during the controlled period. Emission controls were effective in reducing the ambient concentration of organic carbon by half, while elemental carbon was not significantly different. Molecular markers for primary organic carbon sources including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hopanes, steranes, and levoglucosan showed a significant reduction during the controlled period. This indicated reductions in PM from combustion, fossil fuel use, and biomass burning. Tracers of SOA from biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compounds were also reduced, as a result of controlling precursors to its formation. In summary, the strict emissions controls on primary sources of PM and gases significantly affected primary aerosol and SOA formation in Shenzhen during Universiade.