Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Measurements of Trace Gases in the Inflow of South China Sea Background Air and Outflow of Regional Pollution at Tai O, Southern China

  • Published:
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present a 16-month record of ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), total reactive nitrogen (NO y ), sulphur dioxide (SO2), methane (CH4), C2 – C8 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), C1 – C2 halocarbons, and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) measured at a southern China coastal site. The study aimed to establish/update seasonal profiles of chemically active trace gases and pollution tracers in subtropical Asia and to characterize the composition of the `background' atmosphere over the South China Sea (SCS) and of pollution outflow from the industrialized Pearl River Delta (PRD) region and southern China. Most of the measured trace gases of anthropogenic origin exhibited a winter maximum and a summer minimum, while O3 showed a maximum in autumn which is in contrast to the seasonal behavior of O3 in rural eastern China and in many mid-latitude remote locations in the western Pacific. The data were segregated into two groups representing the SCS background air and the outflow of regional continental pollution (PRD plus southern China), based on CO mixing ratios and meteorological conditions. NMHCs and halocarbon data were further analyzed to examine the relationships between their variability and atmospheric lifetime and to elucidate the extent of atmospheric processing in the sampled air parcels. The trace gas variability (S) versus lifetime (τ) relationship, defined by the power law, S lnx = Aτ− b, (where X is the trace gas mixing ratio) gives a fit parameter A of 1.39 and exponent b of 0.42 for SCS air, and A of 2.86 and b of 0.31 for the regional continental air masses. An examination of ln[n-butane]/ln[ethane] versus ln[propane]/ln[ethane] indicates that their relative abundance was dominated by mixing as opposed to photochemistry in both SCS and regional outflow air masses. The very low ratios of ethyne/CO, propane/ethane and toluene/benzene suggest that the SCS air mass has undergone intense atmospheric processing since these gases were released into the atmosphere. Compared to the results from other polluted rural sites and from urban areas, the large values of these species in the outflow of PRD/southern China suggest source(s) emitting higher levels of ethyne, benzene, and toluene, relative to light alkanes. These chemical characteristics could be unique indicators of anthropogenic emissions from southern China.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akimoto, H. and Narita, H., 1994: Distribution of SO2, NO x and CO2 emissions from fuel combustion and industrial activities in Asia with 1” ×1” resolution, Atmos. Environ. 28, 213–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akimoto, H., 2004: Global air quality and pollution, Science 302, 1716.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake, D. R., Smith Jr., W. J., Chen, T. Y., Whipple, W. J., and Rowland, F. S., 1994: Effects of biomass burning on summertime non-methane hydrocarbon concentrations in the Canadian wetlands, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 1699–1719.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barletta, B., Meinardi, S., Simpson, I. J., Khwaja, H. A., Blake, D. R., and Rowland, F. S., 2002: Mixing ratios of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere of Karachi, Pakistan, Atmos. Environ. 36, 3429–3443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boudries, H., Toupance, G., and Dutot, A. L., 1994: Seasonal variation of atmospheric nonmethane hydrocarbons on the western coast of Brittany, France, Atmos. Environ. 28, 1095–1112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carmichael, G. R., Tang, Y. H., Kurata, G., Uno, I., Streets, D. G., Thongboonchoo, N., Woo, J. H., Guttikunda, S., White, A., Wang, T., Blake, D. R., Atlas, E., Fried, A., Potter, B., Avery, M. A., Sachse, G. W., Sandholm, S. T., Kondo, Y., Talbot, R. W., Bandy, A., Thornton, D., and Clarke, A. D., 2003: Evaluating regional emission estimates using the TRACE-P observations, J. Geophys. Res. 108(D21), 8810, 10.1029/2002JD003116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan, L. Y., Liu, H. Y., Lam, K. S., Wang, T., Oltmans, S. J., and Harris, J. M., 1998: Analysis of the seasonal behavior of tropospheric ozone at Hong Kong, Atmos. Environ. 33, 159–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Z. L., Lam, K. S., Chan, L. Y., Wang, T., and Cheng, K. K., 2000: Chemical characteristics of aerosols at coastal station in Hong Kong. I. Seasonal variation of major ions, halogens and mineral dust between 1995 and 1996, Atmos. Environ. 34, 2771–2783.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, D. D., Garton, D., Stelcer, E., Hawas, O., Wang, T., Poon, S., Kim, J., Choi, B. C., Oh, S. N., Shin, H. J., Ko, M. Y., and Uematsu, M., 2004: Multielemental analysis and characterization of fine aerosols at several key ACE-Asia sites, J. Geophys. Res. 109, doi:10.1029/2003JD003569.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colman, J. J., Swanson, A. L., Meinardi, S., Sive, B. C., Blake, D. R., and Rowland, F. S., 2001: Description of the analysis of a wide range of volatile organic compounds in whole air samples collected during PEM-Tropics A and B, Anal. Chem. 73, 3723–3731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derwent, R. G., Davies, T. J., Delaney, M., Dollard, G. J., Field, R. A., Dumitrean, P., Nason, P. D., Jones, B. M. R., and Pepler, S. A., 2000: Analysis and interpretation of the continuous hourly monitoring data for 26 C2–C8 hydrocarbons at 12 United Kingdom sites during 1996, Atmos. Environ. 34, 297–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehhalt, D. H., Rohrer, F., Wahner, A., Prather, M. J., and Blake, D. R., 1998: On the use of hydrocarbons for the determination of tropospheric OH concentrations, J. Geophys. Res. 103, 18981–18997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fehsenfeld, F. C., Trainer, M., Parrish, D. D., Volz-Thomas, A., and Penkett, S., 1997: North Atlantic Regional Experiment (NARE), J. Geophys., Res. 101(D22), 28869–29351

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldan, P. D., Parrish, D. D., Kuster, W. C., Trainer, M., McKeen, S. A., Holloway, J., Jobson, B. T., Sueper, and D. T., 2000: Airborne measurements of isoprene, CO, and anthropogenic hydrocarbons and their implications, J. Geophys. Res. 105(D7), 9091–9105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guenther, A. B., Zimmerman, P. R., and Wildermuth, M., 1994: Natural volatile organic compound emission rate estimate for U.S. woodland landscapes, Atmos. Environ. 28A, 1197–1210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo, H., Wang, T., Simpson, I. J., Blake, D. R., Yu, X. M., Kwok, Y. H., and Li, Y. S., 2004: Source contributions to ambient CO and VOCs at a rural site in eastern China, Atmos. Environ. 38, 4551–4560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoell, J. M., Davis, D. D., Liu, S. C., Newell, R., Shipham, M., Akimoto, H., McNeal, R. J., Bendura, R. J., and Drewry, J. W., 1996: The Pacific Exploratory Mission-West A (PEM-West A): September-October, 1991, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 1641–1653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoell, J. M., Davis, D. D., Liu, S. C., Newell, R. E., Akimoto, H., McNeal, R. J., and Bendura, R. J., 1997: The Pacific Exploratory Mission West phase B: February–March 1994, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 28223–28239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huebert, B. J., Bates, T., Russell, P. B., Shi, G., Kim, Y. J., Kawamura, K., Carmichael, and G., Nakajima, T., 2003: An overview of ACE-Asia: Strategies for quantifying the relationships between Asian aerosols and their climatic impacts, J. Geophys. Res. 108(D23), 8633, doi: 10.1029/2003JD003550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacob, D. J., Crawford, J. H., Kleb, M. M., Connors, V. S., Bendura, R. J., Raper, J. L., Sachse, G. W., Gille, J. C., Emmons, L., and Heald, C. L., 2003: Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) aircraft mission: Design, execution, and first results, J. Geophys. Res. 108, (D20), 9000, doi: 10.1029/2002JD003276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, D., Anderson, T., Covert, D., Trost, B., Danielson, J., Simpson, W., Blake, D. R., Harris, J., and Streets, D., 2001: Observations of ozone and related species in the northeast Pacific during the PHOBEA campaigns. 1. Ground-based observations at Cheeka Peak, J. Geophys. Res. 106(D7), 7449–7461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jobson, B. T., Wu, Z., Niki, H., and Barrie, L. A., 1994: Seasonal trends of isoprene, C2–C5 alkanes, and acetylene at a remote boreal site in Canada, J. Geophys. Res. 99(D1), 1589–1599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jobson, B. T., Parrish, D. D., Goldan, P., Kuster, W., Fehsenfeld, F. C., Blake, D. R., Blake, N. J., and Niki, H., 1998: Spatial and temporal variability of nonmethane hydrocarbon mixing ratios and their relation to photochemical lifetime, J. Geophys. Res. 103(D11), 13557–13567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jobson, B. T., McKeen, S. A., Parrish, D. D., Fehsenfeld, F. C., Blake, D. R., Goldstein, A. H., Schauffler, S. M., and Elkins, J. C., 1999: Trace gas mixing ratio variability versus lifetime in the troposphere and stratosphere: Observations, J. Geophys. Res. 104(D13), 16091–16113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kato, S., Pochanart, P., and Kajii, Y., 2001: Measurements of ozone and nonmethane hydrocarbons at Chichi-jima island, a remote island in the western Pacific: Long-range transport of polluted air from the Pacific rim region, Atmos. Environ. 35, 6021–6029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kesselmeier, J., Meixner, F. X., Hofmann, U., Ajavon, A., Leimbach, S., and Andreae, M. O., 1993: Reduced sulphur compound exchange between the atmosphere and tropical tree species in southern Cameroon, Biogeochemistry 23, 23–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kok, F. L., Lind, J. A., and Fang, M., 1997: An airborne study of air quality around the Hong Kong territory, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 19043–19057.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, K. S., Wang, T. J., Chan, L. Y., Wang, T., and Harris, J., 2001: Flow patterns influencing the seasonal behavior of surface ozone and carbon monoxide at a coastal site near Hong Kong, Atmos. Environ. 35, 3121–3135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, J. A., 1989: Ozone in rural areas of the United States, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 8511–8532.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKeen, S. A. and Liu, S. C., 1993: Hydrocarbon ratios and photochemical history of air masses, Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 2363–2366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monks, P. S., 2000: A review of the observations and origins of the spring ozone maximum, Atmos. Environ. 34, 3545–3561.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morikawa, T., Wakamatsu, S., Tanaka, M., Uno, I., Kamiura, T., and Maeda, T., 1998: C2–C5 hydrocarbon concentrations in central Osaka, Atmos. Environ. 32(11), 2007–2016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mowrer, J., and Lindskog, A., 1991: Automatic unattended sampling and analysis of background levels of C2–C5 hydrocarbons, Atmos. Environ. 25A, 1971–1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parrish, D. D., Hahn, C. J., Williams, E. J., Norton, R. B., Fehsenfeld, F. C., Singh, H. B., Shetter, J. D., Gandrud, B. W., and Ridley, B. A., 1992: Indications of photochemical histories of Pacific air masses from measurements of atmospheric trace gas species at Pt. Arena, California, J. Geophys. Res. 97, 15883–15901.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prospero, J. M., 2001: The Atmosphere-Ocean Chemistry Experiment (AEROCE): Background and major accomplishments, IGACtivities Newsletter 24, 3–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramanathan, V., Crutzen, P. J., Lelieveld, J., Althausen, D., Anderson, J., Andreae, M. O., Cantrell, W., Cass, G., Chung, C. E., Clarke, A. D., Collins, W. D., Coakley, J. A., Dulac, F., Heintzenberg, J., Heymsfield, A. J., Holben, B., Hudson, J., Jayaraman, A., Kiehl, J. T., Krishnamurti, T. N., Lubin, D., Mitra, A. P., McFarquhar, G., Novakoy, T., Ogren, J. A., Podgomy, I. A., Prather, K., Prospero, J. M., Priestley, K., Quinn, P. K., Rajeev, K., Rasch, P. J., Rupert, S., Sadourney, R., Satheesh, S. K., Sheridan, P., Shaw, G. E., and Valero, F. P. J., 2001: The Indian Ocean Experiment: An Integrated Assessment of the Climate Forcing and Effects of the Great Indo-Asian Haze, J. Geophys. Res. 106(D22), 28,371–28,399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, J., 1995: The tropospheric distribution and budget of ethane, J. Geophys. Res. 100, 11369–11381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russo, R. S., Talbot, R. W., Dibb, J. E., Scheuer, E., Seid, G., Jordan, C. E., Fuelberg, H. E., Sachse, G. W., Avery, M. A., Vay, S. A., Blake, D. R., Blake, N. J., Atlas, E., Fried, A., Sandholm, S. T., Tan, D., Singh, H. B., Snow, J., and Heikes, B. G., 2003: Chemical composition of Asian continental outflow over the western Pacific: Results from TRACE-P, J. Geophys. Res. 108(D20), 8804, doi:10.1029/2002JD003184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saito, T., Yokouchi, Y., and Kawamura, K., 2000: Distributions of C2–C6 hydrocarbons over the western North Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean, Atmos. Environ. 34, 4373–4381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seinfeld, J. H., 1989: Urban air pollution: state of the science, Science 243, 745–752.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sin, D. W. M., Wong, Y. C., and Louie, P. K. K., 2000: Monitoring of ambient volatile organic compounds at two urban sites in Hong Kong from 1997 to 1998, Indoor Built Environ. 9, 216–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • So, K. L., and Wang, T., 2004: C3–C12 non-methane hydrocarbons in subtropical Hong Kong:spatial-temporal variations, source-receptor relationships and photochemical reactivity, Science of the Total Environment 328, 161–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spivakovsky, C. M., Logan, J. A., Montzka, S. A., et al., 2000: Three-dimensional climatological distribution of tropospheric OH: Update and evaluation, J. Geophys. Res. 105(D7), 8931–8980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Streets, D. G. and Waldhoff, S. T., 2000: Present and future emissions of air pollutants in China: SO2, NO x , and CO, Atmos. Environ. 34, 363–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Streets, D. G., Bond, T. C., Carmichael, G. R., Fernandes, S. D., Fu, Q., He, D., Klimont, Z., Nelson, S. M., Tsai, N. Y., Wang, M. Q., Woo, J. H., and Yarber, K. F., 2003: An inventory of gaseous and primary aerosol emissions in Asia in the year 2000, J. Geophys. Res. 108(D21), 8809, doi:10.1029/2002JD003093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, A., Penkett, Volz-Thomas, A., Parrish, D. D., Honrath, R. E. and Fehsenfeld. F. C., 1998: North Atlantic Regional Experiment (NARE II), J. Geophys. Res. D11, 13353–13634.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Aardenne, J. A., Carmichael, G. R., Levy II, H., Streets, D., and Hordijk, L., 1999: Anthropogenic NO x emissions in Asia in the period 1990–2020, Atmos. Environ. 33, 633–646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., Lam, K. S., Chan, L. Y., and Lee, A. S. Y., 1997: Trace gas measurements in coastal Hong Kong during the PEM-West B, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 28575–28588.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., Cheung, T. F., Lam, K. S., Kok, G. L., and Harris, J. M., 2001a: The characteristics of O3 and related compounds in the boundary later of the South China coast: temporal and vertical variations during autumn season, Atmos. Environ. 35, 2735–2746.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., Cheung, T. F., Anson, M., and Li, Y. S., 2001b: Ozone and related gaseous pollutants in the boundary layer of eastern China: Overview of the recent measurements at a rural site, Geophys. Res. Lett. 28(12), 2373–2376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., Cheung, V. T. F., Li, Y. S., Yu, X. M., and Blake, D. R., 2002: Emission characteristics of CO, NO x , SO2 and indications of biomass burning observed at a rural site in eastern China, J. Geophys., Res. 107, 10.1029/2001JD000724.

  • Wang, T., Poon, C. N., Kwok, Y. H., and Li, Y. S., 2003a: Characterizing the temporal variability and emission patterns of pollution plumes in the Pearl River Delta of China, Atmos. Environ. 37, 3539–3550.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., Ding, A. J., Blake, D. R., Zahorowski, W., Poon, C. N., and Li, Y. S., 2003b: Chemical characterization of the boundary layer outflow of air pollution to Hong Kong during February - April 2001, J. Geophys. Res. 108(D20), 8787, doi: 10.1029/2002JD003272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., and Kwok, Y. H., 2003: Measurement and analysis of a multiday photochemical smog episode in the Pearl River Delta of China, J. Applied Meteorol. 42, 404–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warneck, P., 2000: Chemistry of the Natural Atmosphere, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 264–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warneke, C. and de Gouw, J. A., 2001: Organic trace gas composition of the marine boundary layer over the northwest Indian Ocean in April 2000, Atmos. Environ. 35, 5923–5933.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

    T. Wang, H. Guo, Y. H. Kwok & Y. S. Li

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA

    H. Guo, D. R. Blake & I. J. Simpson

Authors
  1. T. Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. R. Blake
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Y. H. Kwok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. J. Simpson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Y. S. Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, T., Guo, H., Blake, D.R. et al. Measurements of Trace Gases in the Inflow of South China Sea Background Air and Outflow of Regional Pollution at Tai O, Southern China. J Atmos Chem 52, 295–317 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-005-2219-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-005-2219-x

Key words

Search

Navigation