Work

Spatial characterization of periodic behaviors of ground PM2.5 concentration across the Yangtze River Delta and the North China Plain during 2014–2024: A new insight on driving processes of regional air pollution

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) has long been the major air pollutant across China, but its periodic behaviors are still not comprehensively understood at a regional scale. Spatial characterization of the periodic behaviors can sufficiently extract the spatiotemporal information of PM 2.5 time series and provide additional insights to understand key drivers of regional air pollution. This study collected PM 2.5 hourly concentrations at 168 sites across the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and the North China Plain (NCP) during 2014–2024 and identified PM 2.5 periodic behaviors based on a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm with a pseudo F statistic extraction and harmonic regression analysis with a linear trend term. Spatial characterization of PM 2.5 concentration periodicity was explored in long-term trend, daily and annual cycles. Results showed more local emissions and atmospheric upward dissipation in the NCP resulted in a stronger daily vibration of PM 2.5 concentration rather than in the YRD. Greater annual amplitude in the NCP than in the YRD reflected the significantly-elevated emissions from coal combustion for domestic heat in cold season. A strongly negative correlation between annual amplitude of PM 2.5 concentrations and spatial latitude of monitoring sites across the NCP was attributed to the decreasing washing–out effect of precipitation from southeast to northwest. PM 2.5 concentration across both regions was experienced a long-term decreasing trend in 2014–2024 and the trend has slowed down after 2021. This study provided a new insight on driving PM 2.5 concentrations across the NCP and the YRD of China and underlined the importance of periodic behaviors as complementing PM 2.5 characterization.

Source: Environmental Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.121648

Authors: Ying Liu, Andualem Tsehaye Adamu, Jianguo Tan

Institutions: Tongji University, China Meteorological Administration, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse

Language: English

Topic: Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,880