Global Sources of Fine Particulate Matter: Interpretation of PM2.5 Chemical Composition Observed by SPARTAN using a Global Chemical Transport Model
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-14-2018
Abstract
Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a leading risk factor for the global burden of disease. However, uncertainty remains about PM2.5 sources. We use a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) simulation for 2014, constrained by satellite-based estimates of PM2.5 to interpret globally dispersed PM2.5 mass and composition measurements from the ground-based surface particulate matter network (SPARTAN). Measured site mean PM2.5 composition varies substantially for secondary inorganic aerosols (2.4–19.7 μg/m3), mineral dust (1.9–14.7 μg/m3), residual/organic matter (2.1–40.2 μg/m3), and black carbon (1.0–7.3 μg/m3). Interpretation of these measurements with the GEOS-Chem model yields insight into sources affecting each site. Globally, combustion sectors such as residential energy use (7.9 μg/m3), industry (6.5 μg/m3), and power generation (5.6 μg/m3) are leading sources of outdoor global population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations. Global population-weighted organic mass is driven by the residential energy sector (64%) whereas population-weighted secondary inorganic concentrations arise primarily from industry (33%) and power generation (32%). Simulation-measurement biases for ammonium nitrate and dust identify uncertainty in agricultural and crustal sources. Interpretation of initial PM2.5 mass and composition measurements from SPARTAN with the GEOS-Chem model constrained by satellite-based PM2.5 provides insight into sources and processes that influence the global spatial variation in PM2.5 composition.
Recommended Citation
Weagle, C. L., Snider, G., Li, C., van Donkelaar, A., Philip, S., Bissonnette, P., Burke, J., Jackson, J., Latimer, R., Stone, E., Abboud, I., Akoshile, C., Anh, N. X., Brook, J. R., Cohen, A., Dong, J., Gibson, M. D., Griffith, D., He, K. B., … Martin, R. V. (2018). Global sources of fine particulate matter: Interpretation of PM2. 5 chemical composition observed by spartan using a global chemical transport model. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(20), 11670–11681. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b01658