05.01.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

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

72<br />

NO 3<br />

6<br />

4<br />

2<br />

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005<br />

Year<br />

Nitrate Sulphate<br />

2006 2007 2008 2009<br />

SO 4<br />

3<br />

2<br />

1<br />

0<br />

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005<br />

Year<br />

2006 2007 2008 2009<br />

Figure 3.20: Nitrate and sulphate concentrations (µg m -3 ) at rural sites, 1999-<br />

2009 (data from 12 AGANet sites fitted with a smoothed trendl<strong>in</strong>e). The<br />

shad<strong>in</strong>g represents the 95% confidence <strong>in</strong>terval. Note different scales.<br />

NO 2<br />

30<br />

25<br />

20<br />

15<br />

Nitrate<br />

J F M A M J J A S O N D<br />

month<br />

SO 4<br />

14<br />

12<br />

10<br />

08<br />

Sulphate<br />

J F M A M J J A S O N D<br />

month<br />

Figure 3.21: Nitrate and sulphate concentrations (µg m -3 ) at rural sites, 1999-<br />

2009 (data from 12 AGANet sites by month of the year). The shad<strong>in</strong>g represents<br />

the 95% confidence <strong>in</strong>terval. Note different scales.<br />

Sulphate<br />

49. PM sulphate concentrations have been monitored at the Eskdalemuir EMEP<br />

site for over 30 years. Over the period 1977-2002, sulphate concentrations<br />

decreased by a factor of two, whilst at the same time SO2 concentrations<br />

decreased by a factor of seven. The fraction of airborne sulphur present as<br />

sulphate has thus <strong>in</strong>creased from 0.3 to 0.65. By the end of this time series,<br />

sulphate had become the major vector of atmospheric sulphur because of<br />

its much longer atmospheric residence time compared with SO2. Changes <strong>in</strong><br />

sulphate have not responded l<strong>in</strong>early to changes <strong>in</strong> SO2 emissions over the 1977-<br />

2002 period. The simultaneous trends <strong>in</strong> precipitation sulphate at Eskdalemuir<br />

have followed closely those <strong>in</strong> PM sulphate, preserv<strong>in</strong>g a relatively constant<br />

ra<strong>in</strong>-out/wash-out ratio. This would argue aga<strong>in</strong>st there hav<strong>in</strong>g been any major<br />

change <strong>in</strong> the size distribution and neutralisation properties of PM sulphate.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!