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
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<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.