Spatial variability and source apportionment of PM2.5 across multiple sampling locations in southwest China

Abstract:

The Chengdu Plain, which is located in the west of the Sichuan Basin, is the largest plain and the fastest-growing area in southwest China. The Chengdu Plain is considered one of the hotspot areas in China. The pollution pattern in this area is unique due to the hilly topography, humid and stagnant weather. To investigate the composition and major sources of the ambient PM_2.5, a one-year observation was performed at five sites in the Chengdu Plain during August, 2013 to August, 2014. The five sites contained three urban background sites and two rural background sites. Samples were analyzed for major water-soluble ions, organic carbon (OC), element carbon (EC), and trace elements. The Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) receptor model based on the combined data from five locations was applied to identify and quantify the likely sources. The annual mean mass concentration of PM_2.5 in Chengdu Plain was 81 μg·m^-3 with the maximum in winter and the minimum in summer. Eight main factors were identified for the PM_2.5 fraction: vehicle emission, secondary nitrate, biomass burning and waste incineration emission, secondary sulfate, Mo-related manufacturing, fugitive dust, coal combustion and industry pollution. The five-site annual mean contributions of each source were 13%, 19%, 9%, 25%, 2%, 13%, 9% and 10%,respectively, to PM_2.5, while exhibiting large spatial variability. The contribution of secondary sulfate to the PM_2.5 mass was largest at all sites, indicating severe secondary pollution in the region. Biomass burning and waste incineration emission made larger proportion at rural sites than that of urban sites, while the vehicle emission was larger at urban sites. The Enrichment factors for Cd, Zn, Pb, As, Cu and Mo in PM_2.5 were larger than 100 indicated that those elements were largely from anthropogenic origins. Cd, As and Cu can mainly originate from nonferrous metal industry, while Mo may mainly generated from ferromolybdenum and Mo powder manufacture. The contribution of Mo-related manufacturing profile was largest at a rural site which is located in the north of the Chengdu Plain, where several small-scale Mo metal processing factories scattered around. The analysis of the combined data from five sites helped to study the common origins affecting the whole area and the spatial variability of the different locations.