Mitigating NOX emissions does not help alleviate wintertime particulate pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, China

Stringent mitigation measures have reduced wintertime fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations by 42.2% from 2013 to 2018 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, but severe PM pollution still frequently engulfs the region. The observed nitrate aerosols have not exhibited a significant decreasing trend and constituted a major fraction (about 20%) of the total PM2.5, although the surface-measured NO2 concentration has decreased by over 20%. The contributions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions mitigation to the nitrate and PM2.5 concentrations and how to alleviate nitrate aerosols efficiently under the current situation still remains elusive. The WRF-Chem model simulations of a persistent and heavy PM pollution episode in January 2019 in the BTH reveal that NOX emissions mitigation does not help lower wintertime nitrate and PM2.5 concentrations under current conditions in the BTH. A 50% reduction in NOX emissions only decreases nitrate mass by 10.3% but increases PM2.5 concentrations by 3.2%, because the substantial O-3 increase induced by NOX mitigation offsets the HNO3 loss and enhances sulfate and secondary organic aerosols formation. Our results are further consolidated by the occurrence of severe PM pollution in the BTH during the COVID-19 outbreak, with a significant reduction in NO2 concentration. Mitigation of NH3 emissions constitutes the priority measure to effectively lower the nitrate and PM2.5 concentrations in the BTH under current conditions, with 35.5% and 12.7% decrease, respectively, when NH3 emissions are reduced by 50%. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Stringent mitigation measures have reduced wintertime fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations by 42.2% in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region from 2013 to 2018, but severe PM pollution still frequently engulfs the region. The contributions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions mitigation to nitrate and PM2.5 concentrations remains elusive, with simulations showing a 50% reduction in NOX emissions actually increasing PM2.5 concentrations. Mitigation of NH3 emissions is identified as the priority measure to effectively lower nitrate and PM2.5 concentrations in the BTH under current conditions.