Toxic Potencies of Particulate Matter from Typical Industrial Plants Mediated with Acidity via Metal Dissolution.

Acidity is an important property of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere, but its association with PM toxicity remains unclear. Here, this study quantitively reports the effect of the acidity level on PM toxicity via pH-control experiments and cellular analysis. Oxidative stress and cytotoxicity potencies of acidified PM samples at pH of 1-2 were up to 2.8-5.2 and 2.1-13.2 times higher than those at pH of 8-11, respectively. The toxic potencies of PM samples from real-world smoke plumes at the pH of 2.3 were 9.1-18.2 times greater than those at the pH of 5.6, demonstrating a trend similar to that of acidified PM samples. Furthermore, the impact of acidity on PM toxicity was manifested by promoting metal dissolution. The dramatic increase by 2-3 orders of magnitude in water-soluble metal content dominated the variation in PM toxicity. The significant correlation between sulfate, the pH value, water-soluble Fe, IC20, and EC1.5 (p < 0.05) suggested that acidic sulfate could enhance toxic potencies by dissolving insoluble metals. The findings uncover the superficial association between sulfate and adverse health outcomes in epidemiological research and highlight the control of wet smoke plume emissions to mitigate the toxicity effects of acidity.

Exploring the synergistic interplay of sulfur metabolism and electron transfer in Cr(VI) and Cd(II) removal by Clostridium thiosulfatireducens: Genomic and mechanistic insights.

In this study, a sulfate-reducing bacterium, Clostridium thiosulfatireducens (CT) was reported and the performance and removal mechanism of Cr(VI) and Cd(II) removal were investigated. It is noteworthy that the dsrAB gene is absent in this strain, but the strain is capable of producing sulfide. The conversion rate of Cr(VI) by CT was 84.24 % at a concentration of 25 mg/L, and the conversion rate of Cd(II) was 94.19 % at a concentration of 28 mg/L. The complete genome is 6,106,624 bp and the genome consisted of a single chromosome. The GC content of the chromosomes was 29.65 %. The mechanism of heavy metal removal by CT bacteria mainly includes biosorption, electron transfer and redox, with reduction combined with S2- precipitation as the main pathway. The product characterization results showed that the formation of mainly ionic crystals and precipitates (CdS, Cd(OH)2, Cr(OH)3, Cr2O3) after adsorption. Genome-wide techniques have shown that the clearance of Cr(VI) and Cd(II) by CT is largely dependent on sulfate transport, sulfur metabolism, and energy metabolism to some extent. In addition, genes related to ATP binding, electron carrier activity, transporter protein genes, and DNA repair are also important factors to improve the heavy metal resistance and transformation ability of CT strains. Both the Fe-S cycle and the ROS-resistant system can enhance the electron transfer activity and thus slow down the damage of heavy metals to microorganisms. This study fills the gap in the understanding of the basic properties and heavy metal transformation mechanism of CT.

Exploring the accumulation capacity of dominant plants based on soil heavy metals forms and assessing heavy metals contamination characteristics near gold tailings ponds.

Heavy metal contamination of soil commonly accompanies problems around gold mine tailings ponds. Fully investigating the distribution characteristics of heavy metals and the survival strategies of dominant plants in contaminated soils is crucial for effective pollution management and remediation. This study aims to investigate the contamination characteristics, sources of heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Ni) in soils around gold mine tailings ponds areas (JHH and WZ) and to clarify the form distribution of heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Hg) in contaminated plots as well as their accumulation and translocation in native dominant plants. The results of the study showed that the concentrations of As, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn in soil exceeded the national limits at parts of the sampling sites in both study areas. The Nemerow pollution index showed that both study areas reached extreme high pollution levels. Spatial analysis showed that the main areas of contamination were concentrated around metallurgical plants and tailings ponds, with Cd exhibiting the most extensive area of contamination. In the JHH, As (74%), Cd (66%), Pb (77%), Zn (47%) were mainly from tailings releases, and Cu (52%) and Hg (51%) were mainly from gold ore smelting. In the WZ, As (42%), Cd (41%), Pb (73%), Cu (47%), and Zn (41%) were mainly from tailings releases. As, Cd, Pb, and Hg were mostly present in the residue state, and the proportion of water-soluble, ion-exchangeable, and carbonate-bound forms of Cd (19.93%) was significantly higher than that of other heavy metals. Artemisia L. and Amaranthus L. are the primary dominating plants, which exhibited superior accumulation of Cd compared to As, Pb, and Hg, and Artemisia L. demonstrated a robust translocation capacity for As, Pb, and Hg. Compared to the concentrations of other forms of soil heavy metals, the heavy metal content in Artemisia L correlates significantly better with the total soil heavy metal concentration. These results offer additional systematic data support and a deeper theoretical foundation to bolster pollution-control and ecological remediation efforts in mining areas.

Single-atom catalysts: promotors of highly sensitive and selective sensors.

Sensors, the underlying technology that supports the Internet of Things, are undergoing multi-disciplinary integration development to constantly improve the efficiency of human production and life. Simultaneously, the application scenarios in emerging fields such as medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring and industrial safety put forward higher requirements for sensing capabilities. Over the last decade, single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted tremendous attention in fields such as environment and energy due to their high atom utilization efficiencies, controllable active sites, tailorable coordination environments and structural/chemical stability. These extraordinary characteristics extend the sensitivity and selectivity of sensors beyond their current limitations. Here, we start with the working principles of SAC-based sensors, and summarize the relationship between sensor performance and intrinsic properties of SACs, followed by an overview of the design strategy development. We then review the recent advances in SAC-based sensors in different fields and highlight the future opportunities and challenges in their exciting applications.

High-density volatile organic compound monitoring network for identifying pollution sources.

The elusive sources of air pollution have hampered effective control across all sectors, with long-term consequences for the greenhouse effect and human health. Multiple monitoring systems have been highly desired for locating the sources. However, when faced with extensive sources, diverse air environments and meteorological conditions, the low spatiotemporal resolution, poor reliability and high cost of existing monitors were significant obstacles to their applications. Extending our previous demonstration of sensitive and reliable electrochemical sensors, we here present a machine-learning-assisted sensor arrays for monitoring typical volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which shows the consistent response with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the actual air environment. As a proof-of-concept, a low-cost and high-resolution VOC network of 152 sets of monitors across ~55 km2 of mixed-used land is established in southwest Beijing. Benefiting from the strong reliability, the pollution sources are revealed by the VOC network and supported by the joint mobile sampling of a vehicle-mounted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. With the sustained help of the network, the sources polluted by the local industrial facilities, traffic, and restaurants are effectively site-specific abatement by the local authorities and enterprises during the next half-year. Our findings open up a promising path toward more effective tracing of regional pollution sources, as well as accelerate the long-term transformation of industry and cities.

Impacts of Drought and Rehydration Cycles on Isoprene Emissions in Populus nigra Seedlings.

The volatile organic compounds emitted by plants significantly impact the atmospheric environment. The impacts of drought stress on the biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions of plants are still under debate. In this study, the effects of two drought-rehydration cycle groups with different durations on isoprene emissions from Populus nigra (black poplar) seedlings were studied. The P. nigra seedlings were placed in a chamber that controlled the soil water content, radiation, and temperature. The daily emissions of isoprene and physiological parameters were measured. The emission rates of isoprene (Fiso) reached the maximum on the third day (D3), increasing by 58.0% and 64.2% compared with the controlled groups, respectively, and then Fiso significantly decreased. Photosynthesis decreased by 34.2% and 21.6% in D3 in the first and second groups, respectively. After rehydration, Fiso and photosynthesis recovered fully in two groups. However, Fiso showed distinct inconsistencies in two groups, and the recovery rates of Fiso in the second drought group were slower than the recovery rates of Fiso in the first groups. The response of BVOC emissions during the drought-rehydration cycle was classified into three phases, including stimulated, inhibited, and restored after rehydration. The emission pattern of isoprene indicated that isoprene played an important role in the response of plants to drought stress. A drought-rehydration model was constructed, which indicated the regularity of BVOC emissions in the drought-rehydration cycle. BVOC emissions were extremely sensitive to drought, especially during droughts of short duration. Parameters in computational models related to BVOC emissions of plants under drought stress should be continuously improved.

[Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Trace Elements in Atmospheric PM1 During Autumn and Winter in Qingdao].

From November 1,2018 to January 31,2019 (OP2018-2019) and from November 1,2019 to January 20, 2020 (OP2019-2020), PM1 measurement was conducted daily for two consecutive years. The concentration of trace elements in the atmospheric PM1 in Qingdao in autumn and winter was analyzed. The observation period was divided into four air quality levels (Level Ⅰ, Level Ⅱ, Level Ⅲ, and Level Ⅳ), and the characteristics and sources of the concentration of trace elements in PM1 were analyzed. The non-carcinogenic risks (Zn, Pb, Mn, Cu, and V) and carcinogenic risks (As, Cr, Ni, Cd, and Co) of different people with different air quality levels were evaluated. The results showed that the changes in total metal element concentrations were associated with changes in Ca, K, and Al concentrations at different air quality classes during OP2019-2020 compared to those during OP2018-2019 and were more influenced by dust and biomass combustion sources. Compared with that during OP2018-2019, the V concentration in different air quality levels (Level Ⅰ, Level Ⅱ, Level Ⅲ, and Level Ⅳ) during OP2019-2020 decreased by 19.0%, 60.5%, 82.7%, and 77.5%, respectively. This was presumed to be related to the implementation of the Domestic Emission Control Area (DECA) policy for ships, which led to the significant reduction in V concentration due to the change in fuel quality of ships in the waters around Qingdao. The results of the enrichment factor, the ratio method, and the backward trajectory of airflow further indicated that the changes in V concentrations were mainly influenced by the DECA policy. However, after the implementation of the DECA, the V/Ni value as a limit for judging the influence of ship sources in the area required further exploration. The health risk assessment results showed that the risk factor of Mn ranged from 0.07 to 1.22 during OP2018-2019 and OP2019-2020. It was recommended to strengthen the management and control of Mn-containing pollution sources. The lifetime carcinogenic risk (ILCR) value of As and Cd under different air qualities during OP2018-2019 and OP2019-2020 was lower than 10-4 but higher than 10-6, indicating that there was a carcinogenic probability, although it was still at an acceptable level. During OP2018-2019, when the air quality was Ⅳ, the ILCR value of Cr was higher than 10-4, and there was a risk of cancer.

Self-Supervised Object Distance Estimation Using a Monocular Camera.

Distance estimation using a monocular camera is one of the most classic tasks for computer vision. Current monocular distance estimating methods need a lot of data collection or they produce imprecise results. In this paper, we propose a network for both object detection and distance estimation. A network-based on ShuffleNet and YOLO is used to detect an object, and a self-supervised learning network is used to estimate distance. We calibrated the camera, and the calibrated parameters were integrated into the overall network. We also analyzed the parameter variation of the camera pose. Further, a multi-scale resolution is applied to improve estimation accuracy by enriching the expression ability of depth information. We validated the results of object detection and distance estimation on the KITTI dataset and demonstrated that our approach is efficient and accurate. Finally, we construct a dataset and conduct similar experiments to verify the generality of the network in other scenarios. The results show that our proposed methods outperform alternative approaches on object-specific distance estimation.

Characterization and sources of trace elements in PM1 during autumn and winter in Qingdao, Northern China.

Atmospheric sub-micrometer particles (PM1, particles with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 1.0 µm) monitoring in Qingdao, a coastal city in Northern China, was conducted for two consecutive years from November 1, 2018 to January 31, 2019 (hereafter referred to as OP2018-2019) and from October 28, 2019 to January 20, 2020 (hereafter referred to as OP2019-2020). The results showed that compared with OP2018-2019, the concentrations of V, Ni, As, Pb, and Cd in PM1 in OP2019-2020 decreased by 61.9%, 31.4%, 49.2%, 25.4%, and 27.1%, respectively. For the indicators of ship emission sources, a significant reduction in V (73.3%) and Ni (22.1%) concentrations were observed after the implementation of the updated Domestic Emission Control Area (DECA 2.0) policy for ships since January 1, 2019 proposed by the Ministry of Transportation. This result demonstrated that the implementation of the DECA 2.0 policy had a significant effect on reducing ship emissions. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope analysis identified the impact of ship emission sources, while the inconsistent distribution of V and Ni revealed other potential sources of Ni. The V/Ni ratios during the pre-policy and post-policy periods decreased by 40.7%. Along with the further implementation of the domestic coastal ship pollution control zone policy, V/Ni ratio should be cautiously used as a parameter for ship emission sources. The positive matrix factorization method identified five source factors: coal combustion/biomass burning (47.8%), crustal sources (21.2%), vehicle exhaust/road dust (15.1%), industrial emissions (11.1%), and ship emissions (4.9%). The contribution rates of ship emission sources before and after the DECA 2.0 policy were analyzed and found to be 5.6% and 3.4%. The potential source contribution factor analysis of As showed that the potential emission source areas were significantly reduced in OP2019-2020, which might be related to the coal fired cleanup operations conducted in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and surrounding areas.

Lead release kinetics and film transformation of Pb-MnO2 pre-coated anode in long-term zinc electrowinning.

Lead pollution precaution caused by lead-based anode corrosion is a hot and challenging issue for zinc electrowinning. A novel functional lead-based anode (MnO2 pre-coated anode-MPA) was precisely fabricated and its long-term performances were studied compared with typical Pb-1%Ag anode (TPA). Results indicated that MPA posed excellent effects on synergistic inhibiting lead dissolution and reducing hazardous pollutants generation, and decreasing the lead content of zinc products by 81%. Further, the underlying mechanism of film growth and transformation in structure, composition and crystal phase, the migration and distribution of lead and anode slime during electrolytic, were clarified in-depth. Dynamic material flow analysis confirmed that MPA reduced the entire lead migration amount by over 92% compared with TPA. The compact multilayer structure of the MPA film and self-reparation effects of local structure provided better and persistent protection for the lead matrix, which greatly retarded the high-speed corrosion of lead anode. Compared with α-MnO2 in TPA, the formation and maintenance of γ-MnO2 in MPA accelerated the oxygen evolution reaction and inhibited the anode slime generation. This finding provides new insights in pollution precaution and control by designing and tuning new functional anode in hydrometallurgy process.

Evaluating Airborne Condensable Particulate Matter Measurement Methods in Typical Stationary Sources in China.

The dry impinger method, the indirect dilution method, and the direct dilution method can be used to measure the condensable particulate matter (CPM) emissions. We tested these methods in determining the CPM emissions from typical stationary sources in China and found that the CPM concentrations measured by the dry impinger method are much higher than those measured by the two dilution methods regardless of the type of stationary source. The soluble gases (e.g., SO2, HCl, and NH3) partially absorbed by the impinger solutions are the main reason for the overestimation of the CPM concentrations. This is supported by detecting more water-soluble ions (e.g., SO42-, Cl-, and NH4+) from the CPM collected using the dry impinger method. The positive biases of the CPM concentration and its water-soluble ions collected by the dry impinger method are larger under the conditions with high concentrations of soluble gases such as at the flue gas desulfurization inlet in coal-fired power plants. Comparing to the direct dilution method, the indirect dilution method can better capture the rapid dilution, cooling, and condensation of condensable gas precursors in the presence of filterable particulate matter and is recommended as the appropriate method for the CPM measurement in stationary sources.

[Effect of a Wet Flue Gas Desulphurization System on the Emission of PM2.5 from Coal-Fired Power Plants].

Wet flue gas desulphurization (WFGD) is wildly used to control SO2 emission from coal-fired power plants. The influence of WFGD on particulate matter (PM) emission has recently drawn significant public attentions in China. In this study, PM2.5 was collected at both the inlet and outlet from three WFGD units, including a single scrubber lime-stone-gypsum FGD unit, a cascade scrubber lime-stone-gypsum FGD unit, and a seawater FGD unit. PM2.5 mass concentrations and their chemical compositions were analyzed. A method to calculate the addition and removal ratios is proposed according to the concertation of PM2.5 components, such as Ti, Pb, Cr, and V. The results indicate that the removal ratio was similar between the three WFGD units (77.1% on average). However, the addition ratio varied significantly. The performance of the cascade scrubber lime-stone-gypsum FGD unit was best, with a lower addition ratio of 8.6%, which is attributed to the weaker evaporation of desulphurization slurry droplets in their second tower under the low temperature of the flue gas. The addition ratio of the seawater FGD unit was also low (23.9%) because of its low concentration of solids in the seawater. The addition ratio of the single scrubber lime-stone-gypsum FGD system was highest, with a value of 162.3%, which was probably due to the low efficiency of the de-mister.

Characteristics of particulate matter from four coal-fired power plants with low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator in China.

The performance of traditional electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) is strongly affected by the flue gas temperature. Operating under much lower temperatures (e.g., ~90 °C), the low-low temperature electrostatic precipitators (LLT-ESPs) are considered as an effective technology to improve the particulate matter (PM) removal efficiency in coal-fired power plants (CFPPs). Wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) can also be affected by the decrease in the operating temperature of the ESP. This study evaluates the influence of various ESP operating temperatures on ESP performance, PM2.5 (particles with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 µm), and total dust emission characteristics at the ESP and WFGD outlets in CFPPs equipped with LLT-ESPs. PM2.5 and total dust concentrations at the ESP and WFGD outlets in CFPPs installed with LLT-ESPs are much lower than those with traditional ESPs. The PM concentrations at both the ESP and WFGD outlets show a decreasing trend with a decrease in the operating temperature. However, the concentration of total water-soluble ions (mainly SO42-, Cl-, and NH4+) in the total dust at the outlet of ESPs increases from 0.3 to 0.8 mg/m3 as the temperature decreases from > 90 °C to 80-90 °C, which is contrary to that at the WFGD outlet (decreases from 4.7 to 0.8 mg/m3). The PM2.5 and total dust concentrations increase by 10.2-80.2% and 13.7-77.0%, respectively, through the WFGD unit due to the entrainment of a gypsum slurry. A relatively lower operating temperature of LLT-ESPs in power plants is also beneficial to decrease the incremental effect of PM emissions in the process of WFGD. The recommended operating temperature for LLT-ESPs is ~90 °C, and limited improvement on PM reduction can be achieved with a further temperature decrease from 90 to 80 °C.

Characteristics of filterable and condensable particulate matter emitted from two waste incineration power plants in China.

Incineration technology is an effective treatment method for municipal solid waste (MSW). In this study, fine particulate matter emissions from two waste incineration power plants (WIPP) were characterized. Both filterable particulate matter (FPM2.5) and condensable particulate matter (CPM2.5) were collected using a direct sampling method. The FPM2.5 concentrations from stacks #1 and #2 in WIPP A were 0.87 ±â€¯0.10 and 0.68 ±â€¯0.19 mg/m3, respectively, and 3.30 ±â€¯0.65 mg/m3 was measured at stack #3 in WIPP B. Fe was the most abundant elemental component in the FPM2.5, followed by Na, Ca, Al, and K. Ca2+, SO42-, Cl-, and NH4+ accounted for the largest fraction of the total detected water-soluble ions in the FPM2.5. In the CPM2.5, Na was the most abundant elemental component, followed by Ca, Mg, and K. The total detected water-soluble ions accounted for 22.2% and 27.3% of the CPM2.5 collected from stack #1 and #2, respectively. High concentrations of NH4+ and NO3- were found in CPM2.5, which could be derived from the escape of excessive NH3 in the denitrification unit and that of the NOx in the flue gas, respectively. Alcohols, aromatic compounds, and ketones were the major organic species in the CPM2.5. Both fly ash and bottom ash were collected from WIPP A. Ca was the dominant element, followed by K, Mg, Na, and Fe. The enrichment of elements in the fly ash and bottom ash were analyzed. The enrichment factors of most elements were higher than 1, except for the Ti and Sn in the bottom ash. The fly ash had a higher enrichment of Cd, As, and Ti than the bottom ash. In contrast, Cu, Ni, and Cr had higher enrichments in the bottom ash because of their low volatility.

Influence of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) installations on emission characteristics of PM2.5 from coal-fired power plants equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR).

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technologies have been widely used to control the emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) from coal-fired power plants (CFPPs). Field measurements of emission characteristics of four conventional CFPPs indicated a significant increase in particulate ionic species, increasing PM2.5 emission with FGD and SCR installations. The mean concentrations of PM2.5 from all CFPPs tested were 3.79 ± 1.37 mg/m3 and 5.02 ± 1.73 mg/m3 at the FGD inlet and outlet, respectively, and the corresponding contributions of ionic species were 19.1 ± 7.7% and 38.2 ± 7.8%, respectively. The FGD was found to enhance the conversion of NH3 slip from the SCR to NH4+ in the PM2.5, together with the conversion of SO2 to SO42-, and increased the primary NH4+ and SO42- aerosol emissions by approximately 18.9 and 4.2 times, respectively. This adverse effect should be considered when updating the emission inventory of CFPPs and should draw the attention of policy-makers for future air pollution control.

[Application of a Two-stage Virtual Impactor in Measuring of PM10 and PM2.5 Emissions from Stationary Sources].

Recently, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China started the development of emission inventories in fifteen Chinese cities. It includes the esmission of PM10 and PM2.5 from stationary sources. However, there is no national standard method in China for stationary source PM10 and PM2.5 sampling. In this study, a two-stage virtual impactor was developed for sampling PM10 and PM2.5 from stationary sources. Its performance was evaluated for four types of sataionary sources, i.e., coal-fired power plant, waste incineration, circulating fluid bed, and converter steelmaking. These four tested emission sources were equipped with high efficiency PM control devices. PM2.5 mass concentrations measured in the chimneys of these emission sources were (0.93±0.03), (3.3±0.65), (0.59±0.04), and (0.15±0.04) mg·m-3, respectively, while the PM10 mass concentrations were (1.13±0.11), (6.9±0.86), (1.12±0.16), and (0.43±0.15) mg·m-3, respectively.

[Characteristics of Water-Soluble Inorganic Ions in PM2.5 Emitted from Coal-Fired Power Plants].

To characterize the primary PM2.5 emission from coal-fired power plants in China, and to quantitatively evaluate the effects of flue gas denitrification and desulfurization on PM2.5 emission, a pulverized coal fired (PC) power plant and a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) plant were selected for measuring the mass concentration and water-soluble ion composition of PM2.5 in flue gas. The results showed that the mass concentration of PM2.5 generated from the CFB was much higher than that from the PC, while the mass concentrations of PM2.5 emitted from these two plants were very similar, because the CFB was equipped with an electrostatic-bag precipitator (EBP) with higher PM2.5 removal efficiency than the common electrostatic precipitator (ESP). Although the total concentration of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 generated from the PC was lower than that from the CFB, the total concentration of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 emitted from the PC was much higher than that from the CFB, which implied that PM2.5 emission from the PC was greatly affected by the flue gas treatment installations. For example, the flue gas denitrification system produced H2SO4 mist, part of which reacted with the excessive NH3 in the flue gas to form NH4HSO4 in PM2.5 and to increase the acidity of PM2.5. In addition, the escaping of desulfurization solution during the flue gas desulfurization process could also introduce NH4+ and SO2- into PM2.5. Therefore, although the main water-soluble ions in PM2.5 generated from both of the plants were Ca2+ and SO(4)2-, the major cation was changed to NH4+ when emitted from PC.

[Characteristics of water soluble inorganic ions in fine particles emitted from coal-fired power plants].

Currently, China suffers from serious pollution of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Coal-fired power plant is one of the most important sources of PM2.5 in the atmosphere. To achieve the national goals of total emission reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) during the 11th and 12th Five-Year Plan, most of coal-fired power plants in China have installed or will install flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and flue gas denitrification (DNO(x)) systems. As a result, the secondary PM2.5, generated from gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere, would be decreased. However, the physical and chemical characteristics of PM2.5 in flue gas would be affected, and the emission of primary PM2.5 might be increased. This paper summarized the size distributions of PM2.5 and its water soluble ions emitted from coal-fired power plants, and highlighted the effects of FGD and DNO(x) on PM2.5 emission, especially on water soluble ions (such as SO4(2-), Ca2+ and NH4+) in PM2.5. Under the current condition of serious PM2.5 pollution and wide application of FGD and DNO(x), quantitative study on the effects of FGD and DNO(x) installation on emission characteristics of PM2.5 from coal-fired power plants is of great necessity.