Anthropogenic sources and air mass transport affect spatial and seasonal variations of ambient halocarbons in southeastern China

Zhaoyang Wu; Zhiwei Cao; Xinyi Huang; Yonglong Lu; Pei Wang; Zian Liang; Xupeng An

doi:10.1016/j.jes.2024.04.040

Anthropogenic sources and air mass transport affect spatial and seasonal variations of ambient halocarbons in southeastern China

J Environ Sci (China). 2025 Jun:152:340-352. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2024.04.040. Epub 2024 May 3.

Authors

Zhaoyang Wu¹, Zhiwei Cao¹, Xinyi Huang¹, Yonglong Lu², Pei Wang³, Zian Liang⁴, Xupeng An¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and International Institute for Sustainability Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
² Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and International Institute for Sustainability Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China. Electronic address: yllu@xmu.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and International Institute for Sustainability Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.

PMID: 39617557
DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2024.04.040

Abstract

Halocarbons play a vital role in ozone depletion and global warming, and are regulated by the Montreal Protocol (MP) and its amendments. China has been identified as an important contributor to the halocarbon emissions, but the regional sources of halocarbons in China are not yet well comprehended. To investigate the characteristics, emissions, and source profiles, this study conducted a field campaign in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China. Higher enhancements were found in the unregulated halocarbons (CH₃Cl, CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃) than in the MP eliminated species (CCl₄, CH₃Br) and the MP controlled species (HCFCs, HFCs). Many of the measured halocarbons varied seasonally and regionally, depending on the anthropogenic sources and atmospheric transport. Backward trajectory analysis showed that the air masses from inland were polluted over Shandong, Hebei, and northern Fujian in the cold season, while the air masses from the sea in the warm season were clean. Different air masses in two seasons were associated with the halocarbon patterns in the study area. Industrial activities, especially solvent usage, were the primary sources of halocarbons. The emission hot spots in Fujian Province were concentrated in Sanming, Fuzhou, and Xiamen, and the unregulated halocarbons made the largest contribution. This study provides an insight for a deep understanding of the characteristics and potential sources of halocarbons, and for strengthened management of halocarbons in China.

Keywords: Halocarbons; Montreal Protocol; Seasonal variations; Source apportionment; Southeastern China.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data
China
Environmental Monitoring*
Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / analysis
Seasons*

Substances

Air Pollutants
Hydrocarbons, Halogenated