South and Southeast Asia controls black carbon characteristics of Meili Snow Mountains in southeast Tibetan Plateau.

South and Southeast Asia (SSA) emitted black carbon (BC) exerts potential effects on glacier and snow melting and regional climate change in the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, online BC measurements were conducted for 1 year at a remote village located at the terminus of the Mingyong Glacier below the Meili Snow Mountains. The Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was used to investigate the contribution and potential effect of SSA-emitted BC. In addition, variations in the light absorption characteristics of BC and brown carbon (BrC) were examined. The results indicated that the annual mean concentration of BC was 415 ± 372 ngm-3, with the highest concentration observed in April (monthly mean: 930 ± 484 ngm-3). BC exhibited a similar diurnal variation throughout the year, with two peaks observed in the morning (from 8:00 to 9:00 AM) and in the afternoon (from 4:00 to 5:00 PM), with even lower values at nighttime. At a short wavelength of 370 nm, the absorption coefficient (babs) reached its maximum value, and the majority of babs values were < 20 Mm-1, indicating that the atmosphere was not overloaded with BC. At the same wavelength, BrC substantially contributed to babs, with an annual mean of 25.2 % ± 12.8 %. SSA was the largest contributor of BC (annual mean: 51.1 %) in the study area, particularly in spring (65.6 %). However, its contributions reached 20.2 % in summer, indicating non-negligible emissions from activities in other regions. In the atmosphere, the SSA BC-induced radiative forcing (RF) over the study region was positive. While at the near surface, the RF exhibited a significant seasonal variation, with the larger RF values occurring in winter and spring. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of controlling BC emissions from SSA to protect the Tibetan Plateau against pollution-related glacier and snow cover melting.

Concentration, seasonality, and sources of trace elements in atmospheric aerosols from Godavari in the southern Himalayas.

Atmospheric pollution has detrimental effects on human health and ecosystems. The southern region of the Himalayas, undergoing rapid urbanization and intense human activities, faces poor air quality marked by high aerosol loadings. In this study, we conducted a two-year PM10 sampling in the suburban area (Godavari) of Kathmandu, a representative metropolis situated in the southern part of the central Himalayas. The trace elements were measured to depict aerosol-bound element loadings, seasonality, and potential sources. The mean concentrations of trace elements varied considerably, ranging from 0.27 ± 0.19 ng m-3 for Tl to 1252.78 ng m-3 for Zn. The average concentration of Co and Ni was 1.2 and 22.4 times higher, respectively, than those in Lhasa city in Tibet in the northern Himalayas. The concentration of Pb was 38 times lower than that in Lahore, Pakistan, and 9 times lower than urban sites in India. For the seasonality, the trace element concentrations displayed remarkable variation, with higher concentrations during the non-monsoon seasons and lower concentrations during the monsoon season. This trend was primarily influenced by anthropogenic activities such as low-grade fuel combustion in vehicles, coal combustion in brick kilns, and biomass burning, along with seasonal rainfall that induced aerosol washout. The enrichment factors (EFs) analysis revealed that Cd, Zn, Sb, Ni, Cu, Cr, and Pb had higher EFs, indicating their significant contributions from anthropogenic sources. In contrast, elements like Tl, Co, V, Cs, U, Ba, Th, and Sr, characterized by lower EFs, were mainly associated with natural sources. The Pb isotopic ratio profiles exhibited the Pb in PM10 are derived major contribution from legacy lead. Biomass burning contributed to the Pb source in winter. These findings provide policymakers with valuable insights to develop guidelines and strategies aimed at improving air quality and mitigating the impact of aerosol pollution on human health in the Himalayan region.

Characteristics, sources, and health risk assessment of atmospheric particulate mercury in Guanzhong Basin.

Mercury (Hg) has received increasing public attention owing to its high toxicity and global distribution capability via long-range atmospheric transportation. Guanzhong Basin (GB) is vital for the industrial and economic development of Shaanxi Province. To determine the concentration, spatial distribution, seasonal variation, sources, and health risks of particulate-bound mercury (PBM), PM2.5 samples were collected at three sampling sites representing urban, rural, and remote areas during winter and summer in GB. The three sampling sites were in Xi'an (XN), Taibai (TB), and the Qinling Mountains (QL). The mean PBM concentrations in XN, TB, and QL in winter were 130 ± 115 pg m-3, 57.5 ± 47.3 pg m-3, and 53.6 ± 38.5 pg m-3, respectively, higher than in summer (13.7 ± 7.11 pg m-3, 8.01 ± 2.86 pg m-3, and 7.75 ± 2.85 pg m-3, respectively). PBM concentrations are affected by precipitation, meteorological conditions (temperature and mixed boundary layer), emission sources, and atmospheric transport. During the sampling period, the PBM dry deposition in XN, TB, and QL was 1.90 µg m-2 (2 months), 0.835 µg m-2 (2 months), and 0.787 µg m-2 (2 months), respectively, lower than the range reported in national megacities. According to backward trajectory and potential source contribution factor (PSCF) analysis, mercury pollution in XN is mainly affected by local pollution source emissions, whereas the polluted air mass in TB and QL originates from local anthropogenic emissions and long-distance atmospheric transmission. The non-carcinogenic health risk values of PBM in XN, TB, and QL in winter and summer were less than 1, indicating that the risk of atmospheric PBM to the health of the residents was negligible.

Concentrations and light absorption properties of PM2.5 organic and black carbon based on online measurements in Lanzhou, China.

To elucidate the variations in mass concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) in PM2.5 and their light absorption characteristics in Lanzhou, we conducted one-year online measurements by using a newly developed total carbon analyzer (TCA08) coupled with an aethalometer (AE33) from July 2018 to July 2019. The mean OC and BC concentrations were 6.4 ± 4.4 and 2.0 ± 1.3 µg/m3, respectively. Clear seasonal variations were observed for both components, with winter having the highest concentrations, followed by autumn, spring, and summer. The diurnal variations of OC and BC concentrations were similar throughout the year, with daily two peaks occurring in the morning and evening, respectively. A relatively low OC/BC ratio (3.3 ± 1.2, n = 345) were observed, indicating that fossil fuel combustion was the primary source of the carbonaceous components. This is further substantiated by relatively low biomass burning contribution (fbiomass: 27.1% ± 11.3%) to BC using aethalometer based measurement though fbiomass value which increased significantly in winter (41.6% ± 5.7%). We estimated a considerable brown carbon (BrC) contribution to the total absorption coefficient (babs) at 370 nm (yearly average of 30.8% ± 11.1%), with a winter maximum of 44.2% ± 4.1% and a summer minimum of 19.2% ± 4.2%. Calculation of the wavelength dependence of total babs revealed an annual mean AAE370-520 value of 4.2 ± 0.5, with slightly higher values in spring and winter. The mass absorption cross-section of BrC also exhibited higher values in winter, with an annual mean of 5.4 ± 1.9 m2/g, reflecting the impact of emissions from increased biomass burning on BrC concentrations.

Insights into dissolved organics in non-urban areas - Optical properties and sources.

Brown carbon aerosols show obvious light absorption properties in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) range, which has an important impact on photochemistry and climate. In this study, experimental samples originated from the North slope of the Qinling Mountains (at two remote suburb sites) to study the optical properties of water-soluble brown carbon (WS-BrC) in PM2.5. The WS-BrC of TY (a sampling site on the edge of Tangyu of Mei county) has a stronger light absorption ability than CH (a rural sampling site, near the Cuihua Mountains scenic spot). The direct radiation effect of WS-BrC relative to elemental carbon (EC) is 6.67 ± 1.36% in TY and 24.13 ± 10.84% in CH in the UV range, respectively. In addition, two humic-like and one protein-like fluorophore components in WS-BrC were identified by fluorescence spectrum and parallel factor (EEMs-PARAFAC). Humification index (HIX), biological index (BIX) and fluorescence index (FI) together showed that the WS-BrC in the two sites may originate from fresh aerosol emissions. Potential source analysis of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model show that the combustion process, vehicle, secondary formation and road dust are the main contributors to WS-BrC.

Concentrations, sources, fluxes, and absorption properties of carbonaceous matter in a central Tibetan Plateau river basin.

Carbonaceous matter (CM) (such as water-insoluble organic carbon (WIOC), black carbon (BC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC)) has a significant impact on the carbon cycle and radiative forcing (RF) of glacier. Precipitation samples and glacier's snow/ice samples (snowpit, surface snow, and granular ice) (Xiao dongkemadi Glacier) were collected at the Dongkemadi River Basin (DRB) in the central Tibetan Plateau (TP) between May and October 2016 to investigate the characteristics and roles of CM in the TP River Basin. WIOC, BC, and WSOC concentrations in precipitation were relatively higher than that in snowpit, but lower than that in surface snow/ice, with the wet deposition fluxes of 0.10 ± 0.002, 0.04 ± 0.001, and 0.12 ± 0.002 g C m-2 yr-1 at DRB, respectively. The positive matrix factorization model identified four major sources (biomass burning source, secondary precursors, secondary aerosol, and dust source) of CM in precipitation at DRB. Two source areas (South Asia and the interior of TP) contributing to the pollution at DRB were identified using a potential source contribution function model, a concentration-weighted trajectory method, and the back-trajectory model. Moreover, the light-absorption by WSOC in the ultraviolet region was 23.0%, 12.1%, and 3.4% relative to the estimated total light-absorption in precipitation, snowpit, and surface snow/ice, respectively. Optical indices analysis revealed that WSOC in snowpit samples presented higher molecular weight, while presented higher aromatic and higher molecule sizes in surface snow/ice and precipitation samples, respectively. RF by WSOC relative to that of BC was estimated to be 17.6 ± 17.6% for precipitation, 10.9 ± 5.8% for snowpit, and 10.7 ± 11.6% for surface snow/ice, respectively, during the melt season in the central TP River Basin. These results help us understand how CM affects glaciers, and they can be utilized to create policies and recommendations that efficiently reduce emissions.

South Asian black carbon is threatening the water sustainability of the Asian Water Tower.

Long-range transport of black carbon from South Asia to the Tibetan plateau and its deposition on glaciers directly enhances glacier melt. Here we find South Asian black carbon also has an indirect effect on the plateau's glaciers shrinkage by acting to reduce the water supply over the southern Tibetan plateau. Black carbon enhances vertical convection and cloud condensation, which results in water vapor depletion over the Indian subcontinent that is the main moisture flux source for the southern Tibetan plateau. Increasing concentrations of black carbon causes a decrease in summer precipitation over the southern Tibetan plateau, resulting in 11.0% glacier deficit mass balance on average from 2007 to 2016; this loss rises to 22.1% in the Himalayas. The direct (accelerated melt) and indirect (mass supply decrease) effects of black carbon are driving the glacial mass decline of the so-called "Asian Water Tower".

Spatio-temporal hydrochemistry of two selected Ramsar sites (Rara and Ghodaghodi) of west Nepal.

The present study was conducted in two Ramsar sites, Lake Rara and Lake Ghodaghodi, of the western Nepal covering pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of 2019 to find out the dynamics of the hydrochemistry. A total of 11 major ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4 +, F-, Cl-, SO4 2-, NO3 -, NO2 -, HCO3 -) along with six on-site parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity) were sampled in replicates from 18 sites in Lake Rara and 13 sites in Lake Ghodaghodi. Major ions were analyzed using ion chromatography including field and procedural blanks to maintain quality standards, whereas on-site parameters were measured by using standard multi-meter probes. The most dominant cation and anions were Ca2+ and HCO3 - in both lakes indicating rock dominance through carbonate weathering as the primary source of dissolved ions in the lake waters. Further analysis indicated that Rara belongs to Ca(Mg)HCO3 and Ghodaghodi belongs to Ca-HCO3 type. The higher concentrations of Na+ and Cl- during the post-monsoon indicates a possibility of long-range marine transport through monsoon precipitation.

Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediment residues of Mahanadi River Estuary: Abundance, source, and risk assessment.

In this study, we examined the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments from the Mahanadi River Estuary (MRE), identified sources, and evaluated the ecological toxicity. The PAHs distributions in MRE ranged from 13.1 to 685.4 ng g-1 (dry weight), with a mean value of 192.91 ± 177.56 ng g-1 (dry weight). Sediments at sites S11, S8, and S13 have the highest 3-rings, 4-rings, and 5-rings PAHs, respectively. In MRE, pyrene has a significantly higher concentration with a mean value of 30.51 ng g-1, followed by Fluoranthene (86.2 ng g-1), Chrysene (67.4 ng g-1), and Benzo(k)fluoranthene (54.2 ng g-1). Site S8 had a higher total PAH concentration than sites S11, S13, and S1. The diagnostic and principal component analysis suggests that PAHs originated from petroleum, oil, biomass, and coal combustion. Higher toxic and mutagenic equivalent quotients indicate potential aquatic toxicity and a need for continuous monitoring of MRE for PAHs pollution.

Anthropogenic and natural drivers of seesaw-like spatial patterns in precipitation mercury over western China.

Investigation of mercury (Hg) from atmospheric precipitation is important for evaluating its ecological impacts and developing mitigation strategies. Western China, which includes the Tibetan Plateau and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is one of the most remote region in the world and is understudied in regards to Hg precipitation. Here we report seesaw-like patterns in spatial variations of precipitation Hg in Western China, based on Hg speciation measurements at nine stations over this remote region. The Hg fraction analyzed included total Hg (HgT), particulate-bound Hg (HgP) and methylmercury (MeHg). Spatially, HgT concentrations and percentage of HgP in precipitation were markedly greater in the westerlies domain than those in the monsoon domain, but the higher wet HgT flux, MeHg concentration and percentage of MeHg in precipitation mainly occurred in the monsoon domain. Similar spatial patterns of wet Hg deposition were also obtained from GEOS-Chem modeling. We show that the disparity of anthropogenic and natural drivers between the two domains are mainly responsible for this seesaw-like spatial patterns of precipitation Hg in Western China. Our study may provide a baseline for assessment of environmental Hg pollution in Western China, and subsequently assist in protecting this remote alpine ecosystem.

Molecular compositions, optical properties, and implications of dissolved brown carbon in snow/ice on the Tibetan Plateau glaciers.

Brown carbon (BrC)/water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) plays a crucial role in glacier melting. A quantitative evaluation of the light absorption characteristics of WSOC on glacier melting is urgently needed, as the WSOC release from glaciers potentially affects the hydrological cycle, downstream ecological balance, and the global carbon cycle. In this work, the optical properties and composition of WSOC in surface snow/ice on four Tibetan Plateau (TP) glaciers were investigated using a three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometer and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The total light-absorption of WSOC in snow/ice at 250-400 nm (ultraviolet region) and 400-600 nm (visible region) accounted for about 60.42% and 27.17% of the light absorption by the total organics, respectively. Two protein-like substances (PRLIS), one humic-like substance (HULIS), and one undefined species of chromophores in snow/ice on the TP glacier surfaces were identified. The lignins and lipids were the main compounds in the TP glaciers and were presented as CHO and CHNO molecules, while CHNOS molecules were only observed in the southeast TP glacier. The light absorption capacity of WSOC in snow/ice was mainly affected by their oxidizing properties. PRLIS and undefined species were closely linked to microbial sources and the local environment of the glaciers (lignins and lipids), while HULIS was significantly affected by anthropogenic emissions (protein/amino sugars). Radiative forcing (RF)-induced by WSOC relative to black carbon were accounted for about 11.62 ± 12.07% and 8.40 ± 10.37% in surface snow and granular ice, respectively. The RF was estimated to be 1.14 and 6.36 W m-2 in surface snow and granular ice, respectively, during the melt season in the central TP glacier. These findings contribute to our understanding of WSOC's impact on glaciers and could serve as a baseline for WSOC research in cryospheric science.

14C characteristics of organic carbon in the atmosphere and at glacier region of the Tibetan Plateau.

As an important component of carbonaceous aerosols (CA), organic carbon (OC) exerts a strong, yet insufficiently constrained perturbation of the climate. In this study, we reported sources of OC based on its natural abundance radiocarbon (14C) fingerprinting in aerosols and water-insoluble organic carbon (WIOC) in snowpits across the Tibetan Plateau (TP) - one of the remote regions in the world and a freshwater reservoir for billions of people. Overall, the proportions from 14C-based non-fossil fuel contribution (fnon-fossil) for OC in aerosols was 74 ± 10%, while for WIOC in snowpits was 81 ± 10%, both of which were significantly higher than that of elemental carbon (EC). These indicated sources of OC (WIOC) and EC were different at remote TP. Spatially, high fnon-fossil of WIOC of snowpit samples appeared at the inner part of the TP, indicating the important contribution of local non-fossil sources. Therefore, local non-fossil sources rather than long-range transportation OC dominants its total amount of the TP. In addition, the contribution of local non-fossil sourced WIOC increased during the monsoon period because heavy precipitation removed a high ratio of long-range transportation WIOC. The results of this study showed that not only OC and EC but also their different fuel sources should be treated separately in models to investigate their sources and atmospheric transportation.

Organic aerosol compositions and source estimation by molecular tracers in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

To elucidate the molecular composition and sources of organic aerosols in Central Asia, carbonaceous compounds, major ions, and 15 organic molecular tracers of total suspended particulates (TSP) were analyzed from September 2018 to August 2019 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Extremely high TSP concentrations (annual mean ± std: 211 ± 131 µg m-3) were observed, particularly during summer (seasonal mean ± std: 333 ± 183 µg m-3). Organic carbon (OC: 11.9 ± 7.0 µg m-3) and elemental carbon (EC: 5.1 ± 2.2 µg m-3) exhibited distinct seasonal variations from TSP, with the highest values occurring in winter. A high concentration of Ca2+ was observed (11.9 ± 9.2 µg m-3), accounting for 50.8% of the total ions and reflecting the considerable influence of dust on aerosols. Among the measured organic molecular tracers, levoglucosan was the predominant compound (632 ± 770 ng m-3), and its concentration correlated significantly with OC and EC during the study period. These findings highlight biomass burning (BB) as an important contributor to the particulate air pollution in Dushanbe. High ratios of levoglucosan to mannosan, and syringic acid to vanillic acid suggest that mixed hardwood and herbaceous plants were the main burning materials in the area, with softwood being a minor one. According to the diagnostic tracer ratio, OC derived from BB constituted a large fraction of the primary OC (POC) in ambient aerosols, accounting for an annual mean of nearly 30% and reaching 63% in winter. The annual contribution of fungal spores to POC was 10%, with a maximum of 16% in spring. Measurements of plant debris, accounting for 3% of POC, divulged that these have the same variation as fungal spores.

Seasonal taxonomic composition of microbial communal shaping the bioaerosols milieu of the urban city of Lanzhou.

Here, the taxonomical composition and seasonal dynamics of airborne microbial communities were described in the urban city of Lanzhou, Northwest China. Year-long samples were studied in two filter membranes (Quartz and PTFE). Higher microbial loads were reported in the PTFE than in the quartz filter. Onefold decrease was reported in bacterial loads in spring and summer than winter and autumn for both filters. The fungal loadings were lowest during winter and highest during autumn, followed by summer. The microbial communities included Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota as major components. Maximum abundance of the members from Gammaproteobacteria, Coriobacteria and Clostridia were studied in all seasons on PTFE membrane, followed by, Erysipelotrichia, Negativicutes and Fusobacteria. Members of Actinobacteria and Bacilli showed higher abundance in spring and winter, with a small proportion during autumn. Members of Clostridia, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Actinobacteria showed maximum abundance on the quartz filter in all the seasons. Similarly, on the PTFE, fungi including Dothideomycetes and Agaricomycetes were dominant, followed by Saccharomycetes during summer and winter. The result showed that PM2.5, SO42-, NO2-, Na+, EC, and OC are important environmental parameters influencing the seasonal microbial community. However, the relation of the microbiome with the environment cannot be confidently defined because the environmental factors are changeable and yet interrelated.

Chromophoric dissolved organic carbon cycle and its molecular compositions and optical properties in precipitation in the Guanzhong basin, China.

The investigation of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), which is important in the biogeochemical cycle of precipitation, can provide a comprehensive view of chromophores within the atmospheric boundary layer. In this work, the optical properties and molecular characteristics of WSOC in precipitation over the Guanzhong Basin (GB) of North China were investigated using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption and excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI). Furthermore, sources and wet deposition of WSOC were estimated using in-situ measurements and modeling. The light-absorption by WSOC at 250-300 nm (UV region) and 400-550 nm (visible region) was 64.17% and 15.36% relative to the estimated total light-absorption, respectively. Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis revealed three types of fluorophores in WSOC at Xi'an (XN), including two humic-like substances (HULIS) and one protein-like substance (PRLIS), with HULIS accounting for 79% of total fluorescence intensity. FT-ICR MS analysis revealed that CHO and CHON were the most abundant components of WSOC at XN, each containing a variety of lignins, protein/amino sugars, and lipids. Moreover, the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified the contributions from three main sources (secondary precursors and aerosols, and coal combustion) of WSOC in precipitation at XN. The annual wet deposition flux of WSOC in precipitation at XN was estimated as about 0.63 g C m-2 yr-1, lower than that at other polluted cities. These findings add to our understanding of chromophoric dissolved organic carbon budgets, which is critical for accurately assessing the global carbon cycle.

Observational Study of Ground-Level Ozone in the Desert Atmosphere.

Arid lands such as deserts cover more than 35% of the Earth's land surface. Concerns regarding ground-level O3 pollution have been widely addressed in many regions in China, but the behavior of the O3 cycles in the desert atmosphere remains poorly understood. An 8-year observation was conducted to investigate the long-term temporal O3 variations in the atmosphere of the Taklimakan Desert, western China. The results showed that the diurnal and seasonal variations of O3 were mainly influenced by natural processes such as temperature, leading to a different temporal pattern compared with other Chinese regions under the intensive influence of anthropogenic activities. Moreover, the long-term pattern indicates that there exists decoupling trends of O3 variations between our study site (i.e., decreasing trend) and the developed regions in China (i.e., increasing trend). Knowledge of the temporal O3 patterns could therefore provide crucial insights for future effective O3 control strategies in China.

Nitrogenous and carbonaceous aerosols in PM2.5 and TSP during pre-monsoon: Characteristics and sources in the highly polluted mountain valley.

This study reports for the first time a comprehensive analysis of nitrogenous and carbonaceous aerosols in simultaneously collected PM2.5 and TSP during pre-monsoon (March-May 2018) from a highly polluted urban Kathmandu Valley (KV) of the Himalayan foothills. The mean mass concentration of PM2.5 (129.8 µg/m3) was only ~25% of TSP mass (558.7 µg/ m3) indicating the dominance of coarser mode aerosols. However, the mean concentration as well as fractional contributions of water-soluble total nitrogen (WSTN) and carbonaceous species reveal their predominance in find-mode aerosols. The mean mass concentration of WSTN was 17.43±4.70 µg/m3 (14%) in PM2.5 and 24.64±8.07 µg/m3 (5%) in TSP. Moreover, the fractional contribution of total carbonaceous aerosols (TCA) is much higher in PM2.5 (~34%) than that in TSP (~20%). The relatively low OC/EC ratio in PM2.5 (3.03 ± 1.47) and TSP (4.64 ± 1.73) suggests fossil fuel combustion as the major sources of carbonaceous aerosols with contributions from secondary organic aerosols. Five-day air mass back trajectories simulated with the HYSPLIT model, together with MODIS fire counts indicate the influence of local emissions as well as transported pollutants from the Indo-Gangetic Plain region to the south of the Himalayan foothills. Principal component analysis (PCA) also suggests a mixed contribution from other local anthropogenic, biomass burning, and crustal sources. Our results highlight that it is necessary to control local emissions as well as regional transport while designing mitigation measures to reduce the KV's air pollution.

Atmospheric particle-bound polycyclic aromatic compounds over two distinct sites in Pakistan: Characteristics, sources and health risk assessment.

Much attention is drawn to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as an air pollutant due to their toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Therefore, to understand the levels, seasonality, sources and potential health risk of PAHs in two distinct geographical locations at Karachi and Mardan in Pakistan, total suspended particle (TSP) samples were collected for over one year period. The average total PAH concentrations were 31.5 ± 24.4 and 199 ± 229 ng/m3 in Karachi and Mardan, respectively. The significantly lower concentration in Karachi was attributed to diffusion and dilution of the PAHs by the influence of clean air mass from the Arabian sea and high temperature, enhancing the volatilization of the particle phase PAHs to the gas phase. Conversely, the higher concentration (~6 times) in Mardan was due to large influence from local and regional emission sources. A clear seasonality was observed at both the sites, with the higher values in winter and post-monsoon due to higher emissions and less scavenging, and lower values during monsoon season due to the dilution effect. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis indicated that PAHs in both sites originated from traffic and mixed combustion sources (fossil fuels and biomass). The average total BaP equivalent concentrations (BaPeq) in Karachi and Mardan were 3.26 and 34 ng/m3, respectively, which were much higher than the WHO guideline of 1 ng/m3. The average estimates of incremental lifetime cancer risk from exposure to airborne BaPeq via inhalation indicated a risk to human health from atmospheric PAHs at both sites.

Contrasting changes in long-term wet mercury deposition and socioeconomic development in the largest city of Tibet.

Information about the long-term trends of wet mercury (Hg) deposition is important for assessing the impact of atmospheric pollution on environmental health. As the most populated and capital city of Tibet, Lhasa is isolated far away from the heavily-polluted urban clusters in China. In this study, a 10-year observation was conducted in Lhasa to establish the long-term trend of wet Hg deposition and investigate the possible causes of this variation trend. Our study showed no significant increase in wet Hg deposition while Lhasa has achieved rapid population and economic growth during the study period. The contrasting changes in long-term wet Hg deposition and socioeconomic development (e.g., GDP growth) could be greatly attributed to the efforts in preventing and controlling air pollution at regional and local levels. This trend in Lhasa differs greatly from those observed by a rapid increase of Hg trend in the remote areas of the Tibetan Plateau. Our findings indicate that the remote cryospheric areas over the Tibetan Plateau are prone to be affected by transboundary Hg pollution, and more attention should be paid to its environmental and health effects for future study.