Occurrence, distribution, potential sources, and risks of organophosphate esters in fresh snow on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, eastern Tien Shan, China.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), extensively used as flame retardants, are widely detected in various regions and environments. The potential toxicity of OPEs has caused great concern in recent years. Based on the global distillation model, the Tien Shan glaciers, such as Urumqi Glacier No. 1, could be as a potential "sink" for OPEs. However, little is known about the concentration, distribution, potential sources, and ecological risks of OPEs in Tien Shan glaciers. In this study, fresh snow samples were collected at various altitudes on the Urumqi Glacier No. 1, eastern Tien Shan, China. The total concentrations of ten OPEs (Σ10OPEs) ranged from 116 to 152 ng/L. The most abundant OPE was tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), contributing to 74 % of the total OPEs. Σ10OPEs, tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), and TCIPP concentrations showed positive correlations with altitude, indicating the effect of cold condensation on OPEs deposition. Based on air mass back-trajectory analysis and principal component analysis, we found that emissions from both traffic and household products in indoor environment were the important sources, and OPEs on the Urumqi Glacier No. 1 might mainly originate from Europe. Our assessment also showed triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) posed a low ecological risk in snow. This is the first systematic study of OPEs on the Tien Shan glaciers.

Water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIs) in the aerosols from Central Asia via transboundary transport measured in Jimunai in 2020.

Air pollution is a global issue that often transcends national borders, leading to disputes over environmental concerns and climate-mitigation responsibilities. Between March and July 2020, we collected aerosol samples in Jimunai, a town in western China neighboring Kazakhstan, to assess transboundary air pollution in the region. Our analysis focused on major water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIs), with Ca2+ and SO42- accounting for almost 60% of the total ion loading. The ratio of cations to anions was greater than one (1.33 ± 0.27), indicating alkaline aerosols during the sampling period. Our results suggest that the pollutants measured were primarily sourced from Kazakhstan, as demonstrated by local meteorological data, air-mass trajectory analysis, and pollutant emission inventories in Kazakhstan. Correlation and primary component analysis indicated that NH4+ played an important role in neutralizing NO3- and SO42-, while Cl- was significantly depleted by the probable reaction HNO3↑ + NaCl = HCl↑ + NaNO3. These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and regulation of air pollution sources in the region to address transboundary air pollution.

Urban air quality in Xinjiang and snow chemistry of Urumqi Glacier No. 1 during COVID-19's restrictions.

The unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak impacted the world in many aspects. Air pollutants were largely reduced in cities worldwide in 2020. Using samples from two snow pits dug separately in 2019 and 2020 in Urumqi Glacier No. 1 (UG1) in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang), China, we measured water-stable isotopes, soluble ions, and black and organic carbon (BC and OC). Both carbon types show no significant variations in the snow-pit profiles dated from 2018 through 2020. The deposition of anthropogenically induced soluble ions (K+, Cl-, SO42-, and NO3-) in the snow decreased to 20-40% of their respective concentrations between 2019 and 2020; however, they increased 2- to fourfold from 2018 to 2019. We studied the daily concentrations of SO2 (2019-2020), NO2 (2015-2020), CO (2019-2020), and PM2.5 (2019-2020) measured in the sixteen major cities and towns across Xinjiang. The variabilities in these air pollutants were supposed to illustrate the air quality in the urban area and represent the change in the source area. The NO2 decreased in response to mobility restrictions imposed by local governments, while SO2, CO, and PM2.5 did not consistently correspond. This difference indicates that the restriction measures primarily affected traffic. The increases in chemical species in the snow from 2018 to 2019 and the subsequent decreases from 2019 to 2020 were consistent with the variations in SO2 and NO2 measured in urban air and estimated by MERRA-2 model. Therefore, the pandemic could possibly have an impact on snow chemistry of the Tien-Shan glaciers via reduced traffic and industrial intensity; more evidence would be obtained from ice cores, tree rings, and other archives in the future.

Multisize particulate matter and volatile organic compounds in arid and semiarid areas of Northwest China.

To investigate the chemical components, sources, and interactions of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a field campaign was implemented during the spring of 2018 in nine cities in northwestern (NW) China. PM was mainly contributed by organic matter and water-soluble inorganic ions (41% for PM10 and approximately 60% for PM2.5 and PM1). Two typical haze patterns were observed: anthropogenic pollution type (AP-type), wherein contributions of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium (SNA) increased, and dust pollution type (DP-type), wherein contributions of Ca2+ increased and SNA decreased. Source appointment suggested that regional sources contributed close to half to PM2.5 pollution (40% for AP-type and 50% for DP-type). Thus, sources from regional transport are also important for haze and dust pollution. The ranking of VOC concentrations was methanol > acetaldehyde > formic acid + ethanol > acetone. Compared with other cities, there are higher oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) and lower aromatics in NW China. The relationships between VOCs and PM were discussed. The dominating secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formation potential precursors were C10-aromatics, xylene, and styrene under low-nitrogen oxide (NOx) conditions, and benzene, C10-aromatics, and toluene dominated under high-NOx conditions. The quadratic polynomial was the most suitable fitting model for their correlation, and the results suggested that VOC oxidations explained 6.1-10.8% and 9.9-20.7% of SOA formation under high-NOx and low-NOx conditions, respectively.

Effects of black carbon and mineral dust on glacial melting on the Muz Taw glacier, Central Asia.

Light-absorbing impurities (LAIs), including black carbon (BC) and mineral dust, in snow can trigger a positive feedback. In this study, we estimate the contribution of BC and dust to glacial melting in Central Asia. Average BC and dust concentrations in the surface snow of the Muz Taw glacier are 1788 ± 1754 ng g-1 and 172 ± 178 µg g-1, respectively. Simulation using the Snow Ice and Aerosol Radiation (SNICAR) model indicates that the combined effect of BC and dust reduces the snow albedo by approximately 6.24% to 50.4% relative to clean snow. Radiative forcing (RF) induced by BC and dust deposited in snow ranges from 1.61 to 32.69 W m-2, with an average of 16.74 W m-2 for the central scenario. Thus, glacier melting can be enhanced by 36.37 cm w.e. by BC and dust in snow, accounting for about 16.3% of the total glacier melt. LAIs deposited on the Muz Taw glacier mostly originate from Central Asia, West Siberia and local emissions during the study period. More than 80% of BC deposited is attributed to anthropogenic emissions. These results strengthen the important role of BC and dust in glacier melting in Central Asia, and further highlights the potential benefits of mitigation of BC emissions.

Data on DOC and N from the Muz taw glacier in Central Asia.

This Data in Brief article provides a supplementary information to the dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from the snow of Muz taw glacier in the Central Asia, which is related to the scientific article titled with "Characterization, sources and transport of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from a glacier in the Central Asia"[1]. Meanwhile, major ions (including Na+, K +, NH4 +, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO4 2-, NO3 -, and NO2 -) were also reported. These data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as correlations and principle component analysis. Additionally, we conducted a literature review on DOC and N concentrations for the comparison. This article also presents the analysis data of the mass absorption cross section of DOC in snow.

Characterization, sources and transport of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from a glacier in the Central Asia.

Glacier melting represents an important flux of carbon and nitrogen (N) and affects the hydrological cycle. In this study, we presented the features of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and N concentrations, their potential sources and export from the Muz Taw glacier in Central Asia. The average DOC and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations were 1.12 ± 1.66 and 0.62 ± 0.59 mg L-1 in surface snow and 0.21 ± 0.04 and 0.31 ± 0.10 mg L-1 in snowpit samples, respectively. The values from snowpit of the Muz Taw glacier were comparable to data reported from glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau but were considerably higher than those from polar regions. The C/N ratios in snow ranged from 0.7 to 11.7, indicating the high bioavailability of DOC. Mass absorption cross section of DOC at 365 nm in snow indicated that during the snow melting process, light-absorbing DOC was prone to be attached to particles, especially in the ablation zone of the Muz Taw glacier. Radiative forcing caused by DOC contributed approximately 38 ± 26% and 18 ± 9.8% of that caused by black carbon for surface snow and snowpit samples, respectively. DOC and N deposition on the glacier surface were influenced by the combined sources from anthropogenic input, wild biomass burning emission, and dust input from local regions and long range transport. Export of DOC and N from the Muz Taw glacier was estimated to be 3.47-18.5 t C yr-1 and 5.11-10.23 t N yr-1 respectively, based on their concentrations and current glacier mass balance. These results enhanced our understanding of the sources and cycle of DOC and N released from glaciers in Central Asia, where glacier meltwater can protect the population from drought stress.

Volatile organic compounds in a typical petrochemical industrialized valley city of northwest China based on high-resolution PTR-MS measurements: Characterization, sources and chemical effects.

To scientifically understand the emissions and chemistry of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a typical petrochemical industrialized and dust-rich region of Northwest China, VOCs were measured at a receptor site in the Lanzhou Valley using a high-resolution online proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). The ranking of VOC mixing ratios was methanol (32.72 ±â€¯8.94 ppb) > acetaldehyde (5.05 ±â€¯2.4 ppb) > acetic acid (3.42 ±â€¯1.71 ppb). Lanzhou has higher oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) mixing ratios (methanol and acetaldehyde) and lower aromatics levels (benzene, toluene and C8-aromatics) compared with other cities. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model showed eight sources of VOCs as follows: (1) mixed industrial process-1 (13.5%), (2) secondary formation (13.2%), (3) mixed industrial process-2 (11.8%), (4) residential biofuel use and waste disposal (13.80%), (5) solvent usage (10.1%), (6) vehicular exhaust (11.8%), (7) biogenic (13.8%) and (8) biomass burning (12.0%). Both the PSCF and the CWT results of mixed industrial process-1 were mainly from the northeast of Lanzhou and the biomass burning was from the southeast; the other four sources (without secondary formation and biogenic) were mainly from the west and northwest of Lanzhou, which were associated with the dust area of the Gobi Desert. A trajectory sector analysis revealed that the local emissions contributed 64.9-71.1% to the VOCs. OVOCs accounted for 43% of the ozone production potential (OFP), and residential biofuel use and waste disposal (25.1%), mixed industrial process-2 (15.3%) and solvent usage (13.4%) appeared to be the dominant sources contributors to O3 production. The rank of main secondary organic aerosols (SOA) precursors under low-NOx conditions is xylene > toluene > benzene > naphthalene > styrene > C10-aromatics > isoprene, while under high-NOx conditions, it is toluene > naphthalene > xylene > C10-aromatics > styrene > benzene > isoprene. Solvent usage and vehicular exhaust appeared to be the dominant contributors to SOA formation.

Single atom detachment from Cu clusters, and diffusion and trapping on CeO2(111): implications in Ostwald ripening and atomic redispersion.

Ostwald ripening is a key mechanism for sintering of highly dispersed metal nanoparticles in supported catalysts. However, our microscopic understanding of such processes is still primitive. In this work, the atomistic mechanism of the Ostwald ripening of Cu on CeO2(111) is examined via density functional theory calculations. In particular, the detachment of a single Cu atom from ceria supported Cun (n = 2-10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20) clusters and trapping on the CeO2(111) surface is investigated in the absence and presence of CO adsorption. It is shown that the adsorption of CO on Cu reduces its detachment energy, which helps in the formation of single atom species on CeO2(111). In addition, the Cu1-CO species is found to diffuse on the CeO2(111) surface with a much lower barrier than a Cu atom. These observations suggest an efficient mechanism for the Ostwald ripening of Cu clusters supported on ceria in the presence of CO. It is further predicted that the Cu1-CO species can eventually migrate to a step site on ceria, generating a stable single-atom motif with a relatively larger binding energy. Finally, the single Cu atom catalyst is shown to possess high activity for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Particulate and gaseous pollutants in a petrochemical industrialized valley city, Western China during 2013-2016.

Airborne pollutant characteristics, potential sources, and variation trends of cause are investigated based on the hourly air concentrations of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter from 2013 to 2016 in Lanzhou. The mean concentration of SO2, NO2, CO, 8-hO3, PM2.5, and PM10 was 25.2 ± 16.0 µg m-3, 46.5 ± 21.1 µg m-3, 1.3 ± 0.7 mg m-3, 77.8 ± 45.5 µg m-3, 58.7 ± 32.9 µg m-3, and 131.1 ± 86.2 µg m-3, respectively. The concentrations of SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 present decreasing trends while NO2, CO, and O3 present increasing trends. PM is the most frequent major pollutants with much higher value than standard limit. However, NO2 pollution had obvious trends to reach the limit and was more serious in Lanzhou compared with other Chinese cities. Relationship between air pollutants and meteorological parameters suggested that lower primary pollutants were associated with higher wind speed from north and west. Modeled back trajectory demonstrated that the transport of air masses from the Hexi Corridor and Inner Mongolia was responsible for the high concentrations of the air pollutants in wintertime, and high PM10 level in springtime was related to long-range transport of dust from desert areas of the Sinkiang and the Central Asia. Effects of local pollutant emissions and meteorological condition were preliminary analyzed. Improvement of air quality might be related to the decreasing of pollutant emissions due to strict emissions controls, and the contribution of meteorological condition was not explicit and should be further investigated.

The online measured black carbon aerosol and source orientations in the Nam Co region, Tibet.

Equivalent black carbon (eBC) mass concentrations were measured by an aethalometer (AE-31) in the Nam Co, central Tibet from 2010 to 2014. Different from previous filter-sampling studies (Ming et al., J Environ Sci 22(11):1748-1756, 2010; Zhao et al., Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:5827-5838, 2013), the first high-resolution online eBC measurement conducted in central Tibet is reported here, allowing to discuss the diurnal variations as well as seasonal variabilities of eBC. Average daily eBC concentration was 74 ± 50 ng/m3, reflecting a global background level. Meteorological conditions influenced eBC concentrations largely at seasonal scale, which are higher in February-May but lower in June-January. The highest eBC concentrations (greater than 210 ng/m3) were more associated with the W and WSW winds smaller than 6 m/s. The diurnal variations of eBC showed plateaus from 10:00 to 15:00 with seasonal variations, associated with local anthropogenic activities, such as indigenous Tibetan burning animal waste and tourism traffic. The PBLHs showed a co-variance with eBC concentrations, implicating close sources. The aerosol optical depths derived from the MODIS data over the Nam Co Observatory Station (NCOS)-included sub-area (30° N-40° N, 90° E-100° E) showed significant relationship with eBC concentrations. This suggests that nearby or short-distance sources other than long-distance transported pollutants could be important contributors to eBC concentrations at the NCOS, different from the conclusions suggested by previous studies.

Grey Tienshan Urumqi Glacier No.1 and light-absorbing impurities.

The Tienshan Urumqi Glacier No.1 (TUG1) usually shows "grey" surfaces in summers. Besides known regional warming, what should be responsible for largely reducing its surface albedo and making it look "grey"? A field campaign was conducted on the TUG1 on a selected cloud-free day of 2013 after a snow fall at night. Fresh and aged snow samples were collected in the field, and snow densities, grain sizes, and spectral reflectances were measured. Light-absorbing impurities (LAIs) including black carbon (BC) and dust, and number concentrations and sizes of the insoluble particles (IPs) in the samples were measured in the laboratory. High temperatures in summer probably enhanced the snow ageing. During the snow ageing process, the snow density varied from 243 to 458 kg m(-3), associated with the snow grain size varying from 290 to 2500 µm. The concentrations of LAIs in aged snow were significantly higher than those in fresh snow. Dust and BC varied from 16 ppm and 25 ppb in fresh snow to 1507 ppm and 1738 ppb in aged snow, respectively. Large albedo difference between the fresh and aged snow suggests a consequent forcing of 180 W m(-2). Simulations under scenarios show that snow ageing, BC, and dust were responsible for 44, 25, and 7 % of the albedo reduction in the accumulation zone, respectively.

[Characteristics of carbonaceous aerosol concentration in snow and ice of glaciers in Tianshan Mountains].

The snow and ice samples, collected at Glacier No. 1 at the headwaters of Urumqi River (UG1) and Glacier No. 51 at Haxilegen of Kuytun River (HG51) in 2002 and 2004, were analyzed for organic carbon (OC) and element carbon (EC) by thermal/ optical reflectance (TOR). The spatio-temporal characteristics and environmental significance of OC and EC concentration were discussed in details. The concentration order of total carbon (TC) was: snowpack of west branch on UG1 (1 943 ng x g(-1)) > snowpack of east branch on UG1 (989 ng x g(-1)) > snowpack of HG51 (150 ng x g(-1)) > glacier ice of east branch on UG1 (77 ng x g(-1)), and the concentration order of OC and EC lay similar as TC. The concentration of OC and EC in snowpack of Tianshan Mountains were 557 ng x g(-1) and 188 ng x g(-1), respectively. Concentration peak of carbonaceous aerosol usually appeared near the dust layer at the bottom section of snowpack, but the some sudden events could increase the concentration in the surface snow. Because of the seasonality of carbon emission (e. g. heating and agricultural activities) and transportation (e. g. atmospheric circulation), the concentration of carbonaceous aerosol increased from July to November with fluctuations. Difference on the order of magnitude might exist between the concentration in snow (firn) and glacier ice, which was influenced by the glacier surroundings, sampling situation and other factors. EC on the surface snow affected the albedo significantly, and an average albedo reduction of 0.22 in the wavelength of 300-700 nm was simulated by SNICAR (snow, ice, and aerosol radiative) model.

[Influence of biomass burning in Central Asia on nitrate concentrations in Urumqi Glacier No. 1, eastern Tianshan Mountains, China].

Influence of biomass burning in Kazakhstan on nitrate concentrations in eastern Tianshan Mountains was studied. 52 samples of surface snow and snow pits were collected from Glacier No. 1 at the headwater of Urumqi River in eastern Tianshan Mountains, China. Nitrate concentrations in these samples were measured and atmospheric transmission was reconstructed with HYSPLIT air trajectory model. The objectives of this study were to identify the relationship between steppes fire and nitrate concentration in snow, and develop deposition process of nitrate caused by biomass burning in alpine glacier at high altitude. Results indicated that nitrate in surface snow could be regarded as a subsidiary indicator of biomass burning for long distance. Correlations for NO3- and K+ were 0.74 from mid September to late October 2002, which was obviously higher than mean concentration. It took 2-6 days from fire spots in Kazakhstan to sampling site. Whether the information in air mass with biomass burning products can be recorded or not, was mostly depend on local temperature and precipitation. Eluviation process was prominent at Glacier No. 1 in wet season, so postdepositional effect should be considered in paleoclimate reconstruction by ice core.

[Characteristics of atmospheric dust deposited in snow on Urumqi Glacier No.1 of eastern Tian Shan, China: a comparison of measurements during Asian dust period with non-dust period].

Deposition of atmospheric dust was measured in the snow on Glacier No.1 at the headwater of Urumqi River in eastern Tian Shan, central Asia. An analysis of seasonal change of concentration of dust particles in the snow cover suggests that number concentration of dust particle is significantly high from April to June (439 x 10(3)/mL), which may be caused by Asian dust storm in spring. The comparison of mass-size distribution of dust particles between April to August shows an obvious change trend. The distribution of particles changes from single model (3-21 microm) in non-dust period before April, to bio-model (3-21 microm and 20-80 microm) during Asian dust period, and to single model (3-21 microm) after June in non-dust period again. Ca2+ concentration in the snow is also very high from April to June, while NH4+ and SO4(2-), as water-soluble constituents the concentration change is different from each other. Backward trajectory was also employed to examine the transport process of air mass in this region.