Publication Date:
2012-05-02
Description:
In-situ measurements of atmospheric hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have been conducted at the Shangdianzi (SDZ) Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) regional background station, China, from May 2010 to May 2011. The time series for 5 HFCs and 4 PFCs periodically showed high concentration events while background conditions occurred for 36% (HFC-32) to 83% (PFC-218) of all measurements. The mean mixing ratios during background conditions for HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-125, HFC-134a, HFC-152, CF4, PFC-116, PFC-218 and PFC-318 were 24.5, 5.86, 9.97, 66.0, 9.77, 79.1, 4.22, 0.56, 1.28 ppt (parts per trillion, 10−12, molar), respectively. The background mixing ratios for the compounds at SDZ are consistent with those obtained at mid to high latitude sites in the Northern Hemisphere, except for HFC-32 and PFC-318 for which background mixing ratios were not reported in recent years. All HFCs and PFCs show positive trends at rates of 0.7, 1.4, 1.6, 4.1, 1.1, 0.43, 0.05, 0.01, 0.04 ppt yr−1 for HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-125, HFC-134a, HFC-152, CF4, PFC-116, PFC-218 and PFC-318, respectively. North-easterly winds were connected with small contributions to atmospheric HFCs and PFCs loadings, whereas south-westerly advection (urban sector) showed increased loadings. Chinese emissions were estimated by a tracer ratio method using CO as tracer with rather well known emissions. The emissions, as derived from our measurement period, were 4.4 ± 0.7, 6.9 ± 0.9, 2.5 ± 0.3, 9.0 ± 1.3, 2.2 ± 0.4, 2.1 ± 0.3, 0.24 ± 0.06, 0.07 ± 0.04, 0.45 ± 0.09 kt yr−1 for HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-125, HFC-134a, HFC-152, CF4, PFC-116, PFC-218, and PFC-318, respectively. The lower HFC-23 emissions compared to earlier studies may be a result of the HFC-23 abatement measures taken as part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project that started in 2005.
Electronic ISSN:
1680-7375
Topics:
Geosciences
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