The Interrelated Pollution Characteristics of Atmospheric Speciated Mercury and Water-Soluble Inorganic Ions in Ningbo, China
Hui Yi,
Dan Li,
Jianrong Li,
Lingling Xu,
Zhongwen Huang,
Hang Xiao,
Lei Tong
Affiliations
Hui Yi
Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment & Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention & Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
Dan Li
Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment & Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention & Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
Jianrong Li
Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment & Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention & Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
Lingling Xu
Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment & Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention & Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
Zhongwen Huang
School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Hanshan Normal University, Chaozhou 521041, China
Hang Xiao
Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment & Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention & Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
Lei Tong
Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment & Fujian Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution Prevention & Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
Atmospheric mercury and water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) are commonly observable airborne pollutants in the atmosphere that may have similar emission sources. In this study, the interrelated pollution characteristics of atmospheric speciated mercury and WSIIs were studied using a Piper diagram, correlation analysis, pollution episode analysis and potential source contribution function (PSCF) techniques. Also, an empirical regression equation for predicting the temporal variation in gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) was constructed. The results showed that the concentrations of GEM and particle-bound mercury (PBM) roughly increased with the increasing percentage values of NH4+ in cationic normality, and exponentially increased with the decreasing percentage values of Na+ + Mg2+ in cationic normality. Correlation analysis revealed that the atmospheric speciated mercury was positively (p 2, NOx, CO, PM2.5, NO3− SO42−, NH4+ and K+ (r > 0.5, p 2.5, WSIIs (including SO42−, NO3−, NH4+, K+ and Cl−), SO2 and NO2 generally exhibited synchronous variations with GEM and PBM, and positive correlations were observed between GEM and PM2.5, SO42−, NO3−, NH4+, K+, Cl−, SO2 and NO2 (r = 0.35–0.74, p-value 2.5, SO42−, NO3−, NH4+, K+ and Ca2+. Based on the above findings, a satisfactory empirical regression equation, with PM2.5, NOx, CO and the percentage value of Na+ + Mg2+ in cationic normality as independent variables for GEM simulation, was constructed. The result showed that the variation in GEM concentrations could be predicted well by these variables. This model could serve as a potential substitute tool for GEM measurement in the future.
