Spatiotemporal variation in PM2.5 and Species over China: Analysis of meteorological and anthropogenic drivers

Abstract:

The ubiquity of PM_2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm), a complex heterogeneous compound pollutant whose dominant composition (sulphate, nitrate, ammonium, organic carbon and elemental carbon) are associated with pernicious health and environmental outcomes in China have gained attention globally. Detailed data on chemical composition across the country remains scarce despite concerted efforts made in recent years. To address this, we collated nationwide field measurements of PM_2.5 and major chemical species between 2010 and 2018 from published literature. We investigated the interaction effects of meteorological and anthropogenic covariates on PM_2.5 and major chemical species pollution across China. Our findings revealed the relationships between PM_2.5 constituents and the different combination levels of drivers and suggest the possible ways to reduce concentration levels via precursors control scenarios in different seasons. We conclude that different combination multipollutant control strategies may be needed to achieve the targeted national ambient quality standard of 35 µg/m³ across China.