Journal Article Ppublish 7 citations
PubMed: 38385161 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00637
Vertical Evolution of Ozone Formation Sensitivity Based on Synchronous Vertical Observations of Ozone and Proxies for Its Precursors: Implications for Ozone Pollution Prevention Strategies.
Environ Sci Technol 58(9):4291-4301
Authors: Qihou Hu, Xiangguang Ji, Qianqian Hong, Jinhui Li, Qihua Li, Jinping Ou, Haoran Liu, Chengzhi Xing, Wei Tan, Jian Chen, Bowen Chang, Cheng Liu
Affiliations
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.
- School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
- Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.
- The Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China. Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China. Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China. Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Abstract
Photochemical ozone (O) formation in the atmospheric boundary layer occurs at both the surface and elevated altitudes. Therefore, the O formation sensitivity is needed to be evaluated at different altitudes before formulating an effective O pollution prevention and control strategy. Herein, we explore the vertical evolution of O formation sensitivity via synchronous observations of the vertical profiles of O and proxies for its precursors, formaldehyde (HCHO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO), using multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) in urban areas of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD) regions in China. The sensitivity thresholds indicated by the HCHO/NO ratio (FNR) varied with altitude. The VOC-limited regime dominated at the ground level, whereas the contribution of the NO-limited regime increased with altitude, particularly on heavily polluted days. The NO-limited and transition regimes played more important roles throughout the entire boundary layer than at the surface. The feasibility of extreme NO reduction to mitigate the extent of the O pollution was evaluated using the FNR-O curve. Based on the surface sensitivity, the critical NO reduction percentage for the transition from a VOC-limited to a NO-limited regime is 45-72%, which will decrease to 27-61% when vertical evolution is considered. With the combined effects of clean air action and carbon neutrality, O pollution in the YRD and PRD regions will transition to the NO-limited regime before 2030 and be mitigated with further NO reduction.
MeSH
Environmental Monitoring, Sanitation, Altitude, Environmental Pollution, Environmental Health