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Air quality expert group - Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in ... - Defra

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<strong>PM2.5</strong> <strong>in</strong> the UK<br />

110<br />

is predicated on the assumption that emissions of elemental carbon from<br />

combustion sources are always accompanied by a constant proportion of<br />

organic carbon, and that the ratio of OC to EC <strong>in</strong> those primary emissions<br />

is equal to the m<strong>in</strong>imum ratio observed <strong>in</strong> atmospheric measurements. An<br />

<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g was that secondary organic carbon showed a marked<br />

seasonal variation, shown <strong>in</strong> Figure 4.9, which closely paralleled that of nitrate<br />

but not sulphate <strong>in</strong> <strong>PM2.5</strong>. This is strongly suggestive of the semi-volatile<br />

nature of secondary organic <strong>matter</strong>, broadly parallel<strong>in</strong>g the semi-volatility of<br />

ammonium nitrate, and hence lead<strong>in</strong>g to higher concentrations <strong>in</strong> the cooler<br />

parts of the year and substantial evaporation <strong>in</strong> the summer months. The<br />

observed peak <strong>in</strong> April, which has been observed <strong>in</strong> March or April data for<br />

nitrate <strong>in</strong> many years, is thought to arise from a comb<strong>in</strong>ation of the prevalence<br />

of advection of cont<strong>in</strong>ental air masses <strong>in</strong> the spr<strong>in</strong>g comb<strong>in</strong>ed with low average<br />

atmospheric temperatures.<br />

Concentration (µgm-3)<br />

9.0<br />

8.0<br />

7.0<br />

6.0<br />

5.0<br />

4.0<br />

3.0<br />

2.0<br />

1.0<br />

0.0<br />

<strong>PM2.5</strong> – BCCS<br />

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec<br />

Month<br />

SecOC NO3 SO4<br />

Figure 4.9: Monthly mean concentrations of secondary OC, nitrate and<br />

sulphate <strong>in</strong> <strong>PM2.5</strong> at the Birm<strong>in</strong>gham City Centre site (BCSS) (urban centre)<br />

(Y<strong>in</strong> et al., 2010).<br />

85. The exam<strong>in</strong>ation of differences between roadside, urban background and rural<br />

sites also led to the follow<strong>in</strong>g conclusions:<br />

(a) There is a substantial regional background of organic carbon consist<strong>in</strong>g<br />

of long-lived primary compounds and secondary species. This tends to<br />

dom<strong>in</strong>ate the overall concentration of organic carbon.<br />

(b) Superimposed upon the regional background described by rural<br />

measurements is an urban <strong>in</strong>crement of ma<strong>in</strong>ly elemental carbon with a<br />

composition consistent with that of road traffic emissions, but not with<br />

wood burn<strong>in</strong>g emissions.<br />

(c) Roadside samples conta<strong>in</strong> an additional EC-rich contribution due to vehicle<br />

emissions. In this traffic-generated <strong>in</strong>crement, elemental carbon typically<br />

accounts for about 70% of total carbon.

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