Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Environmental Air Quality and Its Relationship with Seasonal Climatic Conditions in Eastern China during 2015–2018

Abstract

Exploring the relationship between environmental air quality (EAQ) and climatic conditions on a large scale can help better understand the main distribution characteristics and the mechanisms of EAQ in China, which is significant for the implementation of policies of joint prevention and control of regional air pollution. In this study, we used the concentrations of six conventional air pollutants, i.e., carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), coarse particulate matter (PM10), and ozone (O3), derived from about 1300 monitoring sites in eastern China (EC) from January 2015 to December 2018. Exploiting the grading concentration limit (GB3095-2012) of various pollutants in China, we also calculated the monthly average air quality index (AQI) in EC. The results show that, generally, the EAQ has improved in all seasons in EC from 2015 to 2018. In particular, the concentrations of conventional air pollutants, such as CO, SO2, and NO2, have been decreasing year by year. However, the concentrations of particulate matter, such as PM2.5 and PM10, have changed little, and the O3 concentration increased from 2015 to 2018. Empirical mode decomposition (EOF) was used to analyze the major patterns of AQI in EC. The first mode (EOF1) was characterized by a uniform structure in AQI over EC. These phenomena are due to the precipitation variability associated with the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM), referred to as the “summer–winter” pattern. The second EOF mode (EOF2) showed that the AQI over EC is a north–south dipole pattern, which is bound by the Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River (about 35° N). The EOF2 is mainly caused by seasonal variations of the mixed concentration of PM2.5 and O3. Associated with EOF2, the Mongolia–Siberian High influences the AQI variation over northern EC by dominating the low-level winds (10 m and 850 hPa) in autumn and winter, and precipitation affects the AQI variation over southern EC in spring and summer.

Association of air pollutants and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in Lanzhou, China, 2014–2019

“…A study in Lanzhou, China (the same area as this study) from 2001 to 2005 showed that the average concentration of SO 2 was 79.09 μg/m 3 and total RD hospital admissions were significantly increased by 3.4% (RR = 1.034, 95% CI 1.002, 1.067) per inter-quartile range increase in SO 2 (Tao et al, 2014 ). Comparing Tao’s study (Tao et al, 2014 ) with this study, the mean concentrations of SO 2 during different periods showed a decrease, mainly attributable to the large-scale deployment of flue gas desulfurization at China’s power plants (Wang et al, 2014 ), the strict control of SO 2 industrial emissions (Wang et al, 2021 ), innovation in engine technology and the use of clean fuels. Evidence from Wuhan also showed that cleaner fuel with a lower SO 2 levels has been associated with substantial reductions in respiratory morbidity (Wang, 2017 ).…”

Interaction of PM2.5 and pre-pregnancy body mass index on birth weight: A nationwide prospective cohort study

“…Subgroup analysis was conducted in BMI-stratified subgroups (baseline characteristics shown in Table S2 ( supplementary material ), which were classified as underweight (n=25,821), normal (n=146,081), overweight (n=18,187), obese (n=3,372). PM 2.5 was divided into four specific groups with an interval of about 40 μg/m 3 based on the air quality index (AQI) derived from a four-year (January 2015-December 2018) EAQ data of Eastern China (EC) ( 9 ). In each subgroup, mean values (± 2SE, standard error) of birthweight were calculated at four PM 2.5 groups of the whole pregnancy and demonstrated in a broken-line graph ( Figure 3 ).…”

“…The prevalence of macrosomia in China was 6.9% in 2007-2008, and ranged from 7.3% to 8.7% in 2010-2014, higher than the average of 23 lowincome and middle-income countries (5,6), while the incidence of low birthweight in babies (≥28 gestational weeks) was unchanged between 2012-2018 at around 5.5% (5). Birthweight is closely related to intrauterine environment, whose establishment is rooted in multi-factorial interactions including maternal metabolic status, genetic expression, life style, and also physical environment (7)(8)(9).…”

Regional Differences, Distribution Dynamics, and Convergence of Air Quality in Urban Agglomerations in China

“…However, with this rapid economic growth [2], the coal-dominated energy structure and extensive economic development have led to excessive consumption of resources and aggravated environmental and ecological damage [3,4]. Air pollution, one of the most prominent environmental problems at present [5], has exerted a series of negative impacts on human health [6], social harmony and stability [7], and sustainable economic growth [8]. In response to this problem, the Chinese government has enacted a series of laws and regulations to oversee the conduct of all walks of life, protect and improve the atmospheric environment, and advance the construction of an ecological culture.…”