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Atmosphere
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Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives
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Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Pollution Control".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2022) | Viewed by 29269

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Tao Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology—Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: plasma; atmospheric particulate matter; VOCs governance; catalyst
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Air pollution control can be understood from three aspects. One refers to the use of laws to limit or prohibit the spread of pollutants. This requires determining which substances should be restricted and to what extent. In addition, it is necessary to study the impact of harmful substances on human health, damage to property, harm to aesthetics, the interaction of different pollutants in the atmosphere, and the migration and transformation laws of pollutants in the atmosphere. The second aspect refers to the meaning of "prevention". What methods are used to prevent air pollution from occurring? In addition to eliminating pollution sources that severely damage the environment and ecology, some methods can also reduce the amount of pollutants discharged to a level that does not seriously pollute the atmosphere. The third aspect refers to using scientific methods to deal with pollutants that already exist in the air.

At present, the main air pollutants are the soot, carbon dioxide, and sulfide produced by burning fossil fuels, as well as the carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides emitted from automobile exhaust. China’s past economic growth relied on fossil fuel consumption to a large extent, causing serious air pollution problems. Solving the contradiction between economic growth and pollution improvement has become the key to China’s development as an ecological civilization. Since 2013, China has taken many measures to address air pollution and has achieved many successes. However, air quality is still not optimistic, and it is still necessary to continue to increase efforts to prevent and control air pollution. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide the latest research on the progress, challenges, and future development prospects of China's air pollution control. Manuscripts on various aspects of China’s air pollution control are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Tao Zhu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • air pollution
  • control
  • prevention

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2130 KiB  
Article
An Integrated Air Quality Improvement Path of Energy-Environment Policies in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
by Yixi Li, Long Wang, Shucheng Chang, Zaidong Yang, Yinping Luo and Chenghao Liao
Atmosphere 2022, 13(11), 1841; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13111841 - 04 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1342
Abstract
Energy-related clean air measures in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) can yield substantial air quality improvement benefits and promote energy structure optimization. Here, we first evaluate the reduction effect of the stringent energy-related clean air measures in the GBA during the [...] Read more.
Energy-related clean air measures in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) can yield substantial air quality improvement benefits and promote energy structure optimization. Here, we first evaluate the reduction effect of the stringent energy-related clean air measures in the GBA during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. First, a reduction of 19.3% emission in air pollutant equivalent was measured in 2020 compared to 2015. Second, we compare the energy structure development and air quality benefits of energy-environment policy scenarios by 2025 (SBAU, SA, SO) geared towards proposing integrated energy-environment development paths of air quality improvement. Under SBUA, SA and SO, the annual average PM2.5 concentration will be 21.7, 19.9 and 18.1 μg/m3, respectively, and the total energy demand would be controlled within 318.9, 300.6 and 282.3 Mtce in the GBA in 2025, reaching 7.5%, 8.4% and 9.4% of SO2, 23.5%, 29.3% and 35.4% of NOX, 18.2%, 19.6% and 22.7% of primary PM2.5, and 25.1%, 29.9% and 34.7% of VOCs emission reductions compared to 2020, respectively. Our study proposes that it is necessary for the GBA to jointly set up regional air quality improvement targets and issue integrated regional energy-environment policies in the process of building an “Air Quality Improvement Pioneering Demonstration Area”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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17 pages, 6957 KiB  
Article
Air Quality Improvement in China: Evidence from PM2.5 Concentrations in Five Urban Agglomerations, 2000–2021
by Chuanwu Zhao, Yaozhong Pan, Yongjia Teng, Muhammad Fahad Baqa and Wei Guo
Atmosphere 2022, 13(11), 1839; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13111839 - 04 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1643
Abstract
Air pollution endangers human health and sustainable socio-economic development, especially in urban agglomeration (UA). The Chinese government has implemented a series of policies and standards to improve air quality. However, few studies have compared variations in PM2.5 concentrations across multiple UAs, and [...] Read more.
Air pollution endangers human health and sustainable socio-economic development, especially in urban agglomeration (UA). The Chinese government has implemented a series of policies and standards to improve air quality. However, few studies have compared variations in PM2.5 concentrations across multiple UAs, and current research often lacks analysis relative to the clean air policies implemented by the government. In this study, we used econometric and geostatistical methods to assess the distribution and spatial evolution of PM2.5 concentrations in five UAs (the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei UA (BTHUA), middle reaches of the Yangtze River UA (MYRUA), Chengdu–Chongqing UA (CCUA), Harbin Changchun UA (HCUA), and Beibu Gulf UA (BGUA)) in China from 2000 to 2021 to explore the effectiveness of the clean air policies implemented by the government on air pollution control, to analyze the ambient air quality of UAs, and to make recommendations for public outdoor activities. The results indicated that the clean air policy implemented by the Chinese government in 2013 achieved significant treatment results. PM2.5 concentrations were plotted as an inverted U-shaped curve based on time, which showed an upward trend before 2013 and a downward trend after 2013. PM2.5 concentrations showed a similar seasonal pattern, with a single-valley “V” shape. PM2.5 concentration was the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. The PM2.5 concentration of HCUA and BGUA was lower than that of CCUA, MYRUA, and BTHUA. The increase in PM2.5 concentration mainly occurred in autumn and winter, while the decrease mainly occurred in spring. In 2021, the PM2.5 air quality compliance rates (<35 µg/m3) in BTHUA, MYRUA, CCUA, HCUA, and BGUA were 44.57%, 80.00%, 82.04%, 99.74%, and 100%, respectively. However, in 2021, 19.19% of the five UAs still had an ambient air quality of Grade II (i.e., 50 < AQIPM2.5 < 100). People with abnormally sensitive breathing in these areas should reduce their outdoor activities. These results contribute to epidemiological studies on human health and disease prevention and suggest reasonable pathways by which governments can improve air quality through sustainable urban planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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17 pages, 3914 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Atmospheric Pollutants and Meteorological Factors on PM2.5 Concentration and Temporal Variations in Harbin
by Xiuyan Gao, Zhaohui Ruan, Jiemei Liu, Qixiang Chen and Yuan Yuan
Atmosphere 2022, 13(9), 1426; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13091426 - 02 Sep 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1771
Abstract
With rapid economic development, the problem of air pollution has become increasingly prominent. Countries have paid attention to PM2.5, one of the main air pollutants, and have gradually addressed this issue. Based on the 2015–2019 air quality data, meteorological data, and [...] Read more.
With rapid economic development, the problem of air pollution has become increasingly prominent. Countries have paid attention to PM2.5, one of the main air pollutants, and have gradually addressed this issue. Based on the 2015–2019 air quality data, meteorological data, and aerosol optical depth data from Harbin, China, this study investigated the relationship between PM2.5, a number of influencing factors, and their temporal changes using a machine-learning method. It can be seen from the analysis that the random forest model can predict PM2.5 concentration. In this model, the mean RH and AOD have a high impact on PM2.5 concentration, but there was negligent correlation with PM2.5. The results indicated that the level of PM2.5 pollution continuously decreased from 2015 to 2019, and there were significant seasonal differences in PM2.5 concentration and its variations. In 2019, due to the impact of heating and adverse meteorological conditions, PM2.5 pollution during the heating period increased significantly. This study provides theoretical and data support for the analysis of PM2.5 pollution in Harbin and formulation of air pollution control policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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21 pages, 8402 KiB  
Article
Demarcation of Coordinated Prevention and Control Regions in the Yangtze River Delta Based on Spatio-Temporal Variations in PM2.5 and O3 Concentrations
by Leilei Wang, Zhen Zhang and Zhengnan Gu
Atmosphere 2022, 13(8), 1300; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13081300 - 16 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1463
Abstract
The PM2.5 and O3 pollution situation in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region is increasingly complex. Existing coordinated prevention and control programs are demarcated according to administrative regions, making fine-scale pollution control difficult. This study proposed a method for delineating regional [...] Read more.
The PM2.5 and O3 pollution situation in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region is increasingly complex. Existing coordinated prevention and control programs are demarcated according to administrative regions, making fine-scale pollution control difficult. This study proposed a method for delineating regional control and pollution types based on the analysis of PM2.5 and O3 pollution characteristics. Four key indicators were used to comprehensively evaluate regional pollution trends: PM2.5 concentration ρ(PM2.5), O3 concentration ρ(O3), and the rates of change r(PM2.5) and r(O3). Our results demonstrate that from 2015 to 2020, cities in the YRD show a transition in the main pollution type from PM2.5 to O3. By 2020, the main types of pollution in the YRD region are co-pollution (ρ(PM2.5) > 35 µg/m3 and ρ(O3) > 100 µg/m3), O3 pollution (ρ(PM2.5) < 35 µg/m3 and ρ(O3) > 100 µg/m3), and low pollution (ρ(PM2.5) < 35 µg/m3 and ρ(O3) < 100 µg/m3), accounting for 41.9%, 26.3%, and 30% of the study area, respectively, which is roughly consistent with the remote sensing results (40.4%, 25.6%, and 33.7%, respectively). The proposed method can predict future trends in pollution and assist in decision-making for the coordinated prevention and control of PM2.5 and O3 pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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13 pages, 5842 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Surface Treatment Process of Filter Bags on the Performance of Hybrid Electrostatic Precipitators and Bag Filters
by Shaobo Xia, Lu Duan, Jianpeng Wang and Renshan Ji
Atmosphere 2022, 13(8), 1294; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13081294 - 15 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2116
Abstract
Hybrid electrostatic precipitators consisting of electrostatic precipitation (ESP) and a bag filter are potential devices for ultralow emissions. The ESP captures and charges the particles; subsequently, the charged particles that escape enter the bag filter. The charged particles can cause the electric field [...] Read more.
Hybrid electrostatic precipitators consisting of electrostatic precipitation (ESP) and a bag filter are potential devices for ultralow emissions. The ESP captures and charges the particles; subsequently, the charged particles that escape enter the bag filter. The charged particles can cause the electric field of the filter bag to develop, thereby enhancing the filtration efficiency due to the force of the electric field. Experiments based on the coupling-reinforced electrostatic–fabric integrated precipitator system were conducted to investigate the outlet total dust concentration, dust removal efficiency, pressure drop, energy consumption of bag filter, and hybrid electrostatic precipitators with various filter bags. The measured results demonstrate that the removal performance of filter bags with smaller fiber diameters was superior. However, the pressure drop and energy consumption were high due to the increased filtration resistance. Compared to bag filters, hybrid electrostatic precipitators had lower total and grade dust mass concentrations at the outlet, higher total and grade dust removal efficiencies, a minor average pressure drop variation per minute, and lower total energy consumption. Consequently, the quality factor was utilized to comprehensively evaluate the overall performance of dust collectors. The hybrid electrostatic precipitators had a significant greater quality factor; their overall performance was superior to that of bag filters. Overall, a smaller filter bag’s fiber diameter resulted in more effective dust removal capabilities. Hybrid electrostatic precipitators with various filter bags were significantly better than bag filters in terms of dust removal performance, cycle life, and energy consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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15 pages, 1142 KiB  
Article
Study on Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Control and Reduction Potential in the Pesticide Industry in China
by Na Wang, Mali Shi, Shengmin Wu, Xinyan Guo, Xiaohui Zhang, Ni Ni, Sha Sha and Houhu Zhang
Atmosphere 2022, 13(8), 1241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13081241 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2515
Abstract
The pesticide industry is one of the primary industries with large and complex VOC emissions. The present study examined the emission characteristics and whole-process control of VOCs in the pesticide industry in China by reviewing pollutant discharge permits, questionnaires, and site investigations. After [...] Read more.
The pesticide industry is one of the primary industries with large and complex VOC emissions. The present study examined the emission characteristics and whole-process control of VOCs in the pesticide industry in China by reviewing pollutant discharge permits, questionnaires, and site investigations. After evaluating the effectiveness of current treatment technologies, the potential of VOC emission reduction in China was analyzed. The results indicate that there are 41 key VOC substances in the pesticide industry that should be given considerable attention. Among treatment facilities, incineration was found to be the most efficient technology, with a removal rate of 53–98% and coverage rate of 23.3%. Multistage absorption–adsorption is a universal technology that had a removal rate of 35–95% and coverage rate of 64.14%. Multistage absorption was used most frequently, with a coverage rate of 71.99%, but its removal rate was between 16 and 85%. Pesticide factories were divided into three levels according to their pollution control capability; the comprehensive removal rates of benchmark, moderate, and poor factories were 81%, 46%, and 8%, respectively, and the emission reduction ratios for high, moderate, and low targets were 41.55%, 32.12%, and 24.32% with corresponding emission reduction costs of $0.653, $0.505, and $0.038 billion/year. The results and prospects from this study will provide support for policy development in industrial VOC emission control in China during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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15 pages, 1846 KiB  
Article
Volatile Organic Compound Emission Status and Control Perspectives in the Petroleum Refining Industry in China
by Sha Sha, Siming Liu, Minchao Huang, Na Fan, Na Wang and Mei Cai
Atmosphere 2022, 13(8), 1194; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13081194 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2100
Abstract
Given the increasingly serious ozone pollution, petroleum refining has received more attention, since it is one of the dominant volatile organic compound-emitting industries in China. Volatile organic compound emission source identification, control efficiency classification, emissions calculation, emission factor generation and uncertainty analysis were [...] Read more.
Given the increasingly serious ozone pollution, petroleum refining has received more attention, since it is one of the dominant volatile organic compound-emitting industries in China. Volatile organic compound emission source identification, control efficiency classification, emissions calculation, emission factor generation and uncertainty analysis were performed in this study. According to the VOC emission control level, petroleum refining enterprises were divided into three levels, accounting for 10.6%, 54.4% and 35% of the total refining capacity, and 0.6%, 1.2%, and 3% were generated as the emission factor for each designed level, respectively. The total volatile organic compound emissions of the China petroleum refining industry in 2020 are estimated to be 1150 Kt by applying the hierarchical accounting method. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of volatile organic compound emissions was analyzed. The emission intensity of 15 cities is greater than the national average value of 0.12 tons/km2, where the highest level is approximately 2.7 tons/km2. To reduce the volatile organic compound emissions of PR enterprises, the collection efficiency and operation effect of treatment facilities are the most important points based on the analysis of the current situation of volatile organic compound emissions in the PR industry in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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13 pages, 3336 KiB  
Article
Spatialized Analysis of Air Pollution Complaints in Beijing Using the BERT+CRF Model
by Xiaoshuang Wang, Yunqiang Zhu, Hongyun Zeng, Quanying Cheng, Xiaohong Zhao, Haihong Xu and Tianmo Zhou
Atmosphere 2022, 13(7), 1023; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13071023 - 27 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1402
Abstract
(1) Background: To better carry out air pollution control and to assist in accurate investigations of air pollution, in this study, we fully explore the spatial distribution characteristics of air pollution complaint results and provide guidance for air pollution control by combining regional [...] Read more.
(1) Background: To better carry out air pollution control and to assist in accurate investigations of air pollution, in this study, we fully explore the spatial distribution characteristics of air pollution complaint results and provide guidance for air pollution control by combining regional air monitoring data. (2) Methods: By selecting the air pollution complaint information in Beijing from 2019 to 2020, in this study, we extract the names and addresses of complaint points, as well as the complaint times and types by adopting the BERT (bidirectional encoder representations from transformers) + CRF (conditional random field) model deep learning method. Moreover, through further filtering and processing of the complaint points’ address information, we achieve address matching and spatial positioning of the complaint points, and realize the regional spatial representation of air pollution complaints in Beijing in the form of a heat map. (3) Results: The experimental results are compared and analyzed with the ranking data of total suspended particulate (TSP) concentration of townships (streets) in Beijing during the same period, indicating that the key areas of air pollution complaints have a high correlation with the key polluted township (street) areas. The distribution of complaints and the types of complaints in each township (street) differ according to the population density in each township (street), the level of education, and economic activity. (4) Conclusions: The results of this study show that the public, as the intuitive perceiver of air pollution, is sensitive to the air pollution situation at a smaller spatial scale; furthermore, complaints can provide guidance and reference for the direction of air pollution control and law enforcement investigations when coupled with geographical features and economic status. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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16 pages, 2961 KiB  
Article
Co-Production System Based on Lean Methane and Biogas for Power Generation in Coal Mines
by Feifei Yin, Baisheng Nie, Yueying Wei and Shuangshuang Lin
Atmosphere 2022, 13(5), 803; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13050803 - 14 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2059
Abstract
The problem of low efficiency of coal mine methane utilization is caused by the concentration of methane of less than 10%, or a concentration that varies dramatically directly emitted into the atmosphere. This work deals with the concept of a co-production system that [...] Read more.
The problem of low efficiency of coal mine methane utilization is caused by the concentration of methane of less than 10%, or a concentration that varies dramatically directly emitted into the atmosphere. This work deals with the concept of a co-production system that blends lean methane and biogas to produce electric energy. It is recommended to add the biogas generated by straws around the mines in a controlled manner to the lean methane flow to obtain the desired gas concentration in order to generate electricity. Potential electricity generation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions were also evaluated. The result shows that the co-production system can significantly improve the utilization efficiency of lean methane in coal mines; the average use of pure methane in three coal mines is 0.18, 1.12, and 5.32 million m3 every year, respectively, and the emission reduction effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent is, respectively, 3081, 18,796, and 89,050 tons. The electricity generated and the economic environmental benefits of the co-production system are remarkable, and it has economic feasibility and broad perspectives for popularization. It not only has the advantage of improving the utilization rate of methane and biomass and providing power supply and heat source for mines, but also has practical significance in terms of saving energy, reducing environmental pollution, adjusting the energy structure, and achieving the target of carbon emission peak and carbon neutrality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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14 pages, 8068 KiB  
Article
Parameter Optimization of Catering Oil Droplet Electrostatic Coalescence under Coupling Field with COMSOL Software
by Danyun Xu, Ling Zhu, Ziyu Yang, Jiale Gao and Man Jin
Atmosphere 2022, 13(5), 780; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13050780 - 12 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1775
Abstract
At present, the common cooking fume purification devices are mostly based on electrostatic technology. There are few researches on the microscopic process of coalescence and electric field parameters’ optimization. In this paper, COMSOL MultiphysicsTM was used to simulate the electrostatic coalescence of [...] Read more.
At present, the common cooking fume purification devices are mostly based on electrostatic technology. There are few researches on the microscopic process of coalescence and electric field parameters’ optimization. In this paper, COMSOL MultiphysicsTM was used to simulate the electrostatic coalescence of oil droplets in the coupling field of an electric field and flow field. The degree of deformation of oil droplets (D) and the starting coalescence time (tsc) were used to evaluate the coalescence process. The feasibility of the model was verified through experimental results. The effects of voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius on tsc were investigated, and the parameters were optimized by the response surface method and Matrix correlation analysis. It can be concluded that increasing the voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius appropriately would be conducive to the coalescence of oil droplets. When the oil droplet radius was in the range of 0–1.5 mm, it promoted the coalescence of oil droplets. The influence of various factors on oil droplet coalescence was flow speed > voltage > oil droplet radius. The optimal result obtained by simulation was that when the radius of the oil droplet was 1.56 mm, the voltage 12 kV and the flow speed 180 mm/ms, the shortest coalescence time of oil droplets was 16.8253 ms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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13 pages, 2032 KiB  
Article
Association between Ambient Air Pollutants and Pneumonia in Wuhan, China, 2014–2017
by Huihui Zhang, Suyang Liu, Qiujun Dou, Zenghui Huang, Chengcheng Lv, Jingling Liao, Fengxi Tao, Yuehua Liu and Lu Ma
Atmosphere 2022, 13(4), 578; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13040578 - 03 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1927
Abstract
Objectives: To assess associations between short-time air pollution exposure and outpatient visits for pneumonia by the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). Methods: Daily outpatient visits for pneumonia and air pollutant data were collected from Wuhan Basic Medical Insurance Database in China and 10 [...] Read more.
Objectives: To assess associations between short-time air pollution exposure and outpatient visits for pneumonia by the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). Methods: Daily outpatient visits for pneumonia and air pollutant data were collected from Wuhan Basic Medical Insurance Database in China and 10 national air quality monitoring stations in Wuhan from 2014 to 2017, respectively. Taking the first percentile of the concentration as the reference, DLNM was used to estimate the impact of moderate (50th) and high levels (99th) of pollutants on pneumonia. Results: A total of 133,882 outpatient visits were identified during the period of the study. Moderate-level (P50) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or sulfur dioxide (SO2) and high-level nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (P99) can increase the risk of pneumonia. The maximum RR was 1.198 (95% CI: 1.094–1.311) at lag0-11, 1.304 (95% CI: 1.166–1.458) at lag0-13, and 1.286 (95% CI: 1.060–1.561) at lag0-14, respectively. Females and children had greater risks. Conclusions: Short-time PM2.5, SO2, and NO2 exposure were associated with outpatient visits for pneumonia in Wuhan, China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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16 pages, 4921 KiB  
Article
Study on the Characteristics of Aerosol Radiative Forcing under Complex Pollution Conditions in Beijing
by Qianjun Mao and Hui Wan
Atmosphere 2022, 13(3), 501; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13030501 - 21 Mar 2022
Viewed by 1865
Abstract
Aerosol radiative effects usually have a heating effect on the atmosphere and a cooling effect on the surface, and they are also important uncertainty factors that cause climate change. Based on the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and Aerosol Optical Properties Observation Network (AERONET), [...] Read more.
Aerosol radiative effects usually have a heating effect on the atmosphere and a cooling effect on the surface, and they are also important uncertainty factors that cause climate change. Based on the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and Aerosol Optical Properties Observation Network (AERONET), a study on the distribution characteristics of aerosol optical depth (AOD) in Beijing was developed, and a method to calculate the regional aerosol direct radiative forcing (ADRF) was improved. ADRF was calculated for Beijing by inputting aerosol optical parameters and surface parameters based on this method. The results show that the MODIS AOD and AERONET AOD both reached the correlation coefficient of 0.9 at 412 nm, 470 nm and 660 nm. Additionally, the correlation coefficient of ADRF as calculated by SBDART reached 0.8 through verification with AERONET ADRF. In addition, the ADRF of the atmosphere (ATM) under different degrees of pollution in Beijing was also calculated; the results indicate that the aerosol radiative effect becomes more obvious with higher pollution degrees. Finally, the interaction between the relevant factors (relative humidity, lower troposphere stability and wind speed) and the aerosol radiative effect was analyzed. Studies have found that the aerosol radiative effect influences the occurrence and continuation of pollution and provides a supporting basis for preventing the occurrence of pollution and predicting the climate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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13 pages, 2514 KiB  
Article
The Efficiency of Pd Addition and Sr Substitution on La1−xSrxMnO3 to Remove Ventilation Air Methane in a Catalytic Flow Reversal Reactor
by Yanxia Wang and Tao Zhu
Atmosphere 2022, 13(1), 54; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13010054 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1382
Abstract
Ventilation air methane (VAM) is the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions in coal mining. Catalytic flow reverse reactor (CFRR) is widely used in VAM to mitigate methane emissions. In this study, palladium (Pd) and La1−xSrxMnO3 were used [...] Read more.
Ventilation air methane (VAM) is the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions in coal mining. Catalytic flow reverse reactor (CFRR) is widely used in VAM to mitigate methane emissions. In this study, palladium (Pd) and La1−xSrxMnO3 were used as catalysts in a CFRR. Different types of catalysts were prepared by loading La0.8Sr0.2MnO3, La0.9Sr0.1MnO3, and 0.1%Pd-La0.9Sr0.1MnO3 on a cordierite honeycomb reactor coated with γ-Al2O3 to compare their performances. In addition, this study compared the performance of the three catalysts in an 800 °C reactor based on different methane inlet concentrations, inlet speeds, and conversion times. The results showed: (1) 0.1% addition of Pd increased methane conversion. (2) La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 had higher efficiency at lower methane inlet concentrations, whereas La0.9Sr0.1MnO3 was more efficient at higher methane concentrations. This study demonstrates that a higher Sr loading is worth implementing only when the methane concentration of VAM is lower than 0.6%. (3) To achieve a higher methane conversion efficiency, the inlet velocity of methane should also be considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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23 pages, 6996 KiB  
Article
Environmental Benefits of Ultra-Low Emission (ULE) Technology Applied in China
by Xiaomiao Jiao, Ruijing Ni, Lulu Chen, Jamiu Adetayo Adeniran, Hongjian Weng, Jingxu Wang, Youfan Chen, Shihua Ren and Xiao Liu
Atmosphere 2021, 12(12), 1693; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos12121693 - 17 Dec 2021
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Abstract
Seven scenarios were designed to study the national environmental benefits of ULE in coal-fired power plants (CPPs), ULE in industrial coal burning (ICB) and NH3 emission reduction by using the GEOS-Chem model. The results showed that although the CPPs have achieved the [...] Read more.
Seven scenarios were designed to study the national environmental benefits of ULE in coal-fired power plants (CPPs), ULE in industrial coal burning (ICB) and NH3 emission reduction by using the GEOS-Chem model. The results showed that although the CPPs have achieved the ULE transformation target, the PM2.5 concentration across the country has decreased by 4.8% (1.4 μg/m3). Due to the complex non-linear chemical competition mechanism among nitrate and sulfate, the average concentration of nitrate in the country has increased by 1.5% (0.1 μg/m3), which has reduced the environmental benefits of the power plant emission reduction. If the ULE technology is applied to the ICB to further reduce NOx and SO2, although the PM2.5 concentration can be reduced by 10.1% (2.9 μg/m3), the concentration of nitrate will increase by 2.7% (0.2 μg/m3). Based on the CPPs-ULE, NH3 emissions reduced by 30% and 50% can significantly reduce the concentration of ammonium and nitrate, so that the PM2.5 concentration is decreased by 11.5% (3.3 μg/m3) and 16.5% (4.7 μg/m3). Similarly, based on the CPPs-ICB-ULE, NH3 emissions can be reduced by 30% and 50% and the PM2.5 concentration reduced by 15.6% (4.4 μg/m3) and 20.3% (5.8 μg/m3). The CPPs and ICB use the ULE technology to reduce NOx and SO2, thereby reducing the concentration of ammonium and sulfate, causing the PM2.5 concentration to decline, and NH3 reduction is mainly achieved through reducing the concentration of ammonium and nitrate to reduce the concentration of PM2.5. In order to better reduce the concentration of PM2.5, NOx, SO2 and NH3 emission reduction control measures should be comprehensively considered in different regions of China. By comprehensively considering the economic cost and environmental benefits of ULE in ICB and NH3 emission reduction, an optimal haze control scheme can be determined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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Article
Health Risk Assessment of Toxic and Harmful Air Pollutants Discharged by a Petrochemical Company in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China
by Tao Zhu, Furong Li, Wenfeng Niu, Zijun Gao, Yiwei Han and Xing Zhang
Atmosphere 2021, 12(12), 1604; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos12121604 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1779
Abstract
Monitoring of toxic and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in a petrochemical company in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China to assess the impact of HAPs on the health risks of workers in the petrochemical company. The samples were tested by solid-phase adsorption thermal desorption/gas [...] Read more.
Monitoring of toxic and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in a petrochemical company in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China to assess the impact of HAPs on the health risks of workers in the petrochemical company. The samples were tested by solid-phase adsorption thermal desorption/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HJ734-2014), and the pollutant emission list was obtained. According to the pollutant emission inventory, it can be seen that benzene, toluene and xylene are the main components of toxic and harmful air pollutants emitted by the petrochemical enterprise. The method of combining actual monitoring and CALPUFF model prediction was used to evaluate the impact of the toxic and harmful air pollutants emitted by the enterprise on the health of workers. The risk characterization results show that when benzene is the maximum concentration value predicted by the model, it will pose a carcinogenic risk to the factory workers. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is recommended not to allow residents to live within the predicted concentration range of the model. The results of this study can enable China’s oil refining industry to better understand the characteristics of pollutant emissions from petrochemical companies in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Moreover, the results of this study can be used as a policy basis for improving the health of workers in petrochemical enterprises, and are of great significance to the protection of public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Control in China: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives)
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