Evolution of chemical composition of fogwater in winter in Chengdu, China

• Published in: Journal of environmental sciences (China) Vol. 25; no. 9; pp. 1824 - 1832
• Main Authors: Yin, Hongling, Ye, Zhixiang, Yang, Yingchun, Yuan, Wei, Qiu, Changyan, Yuan, Huawei, Wang, Min, Li, Shiping, Zou, Changwu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2013
• Subjects: air; Air Pollutants - chemistry; air pollution; alkanes; carbon; China; dicarboxylic acid; Dicarboxylic Acids - analysis; Environmental Monitoring; fog; glutaric acid; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Inorganic Chemicals - analysis; inorganic ions; nitrogen content; Organic Chemicals - analysis; organic pollution; PAHs; physicochemical properties; pollutants; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Seasons; suburban areas; Weather; winter; 中国; 冬季; 化学成分; 成都市区; 有机化工原料; 浓度范围; 演变; 物理化学性质; China; China, People's Rep; organic pollution; PAHs; air pollution; dicarboxylic acid; fog
• ISSN: 1001-0742; 1878-7320
• DOI: 10.1016/S1001-0742(12)60230-7

Two sampling sites representing the urban and suburban area of Chengdu, China were sampled and analyzed for selected chemicals to characterize the evolution of the chemical composition of fogwater. A trend of total organic carbon (TOC) > total nitrogen (TN) > total inorganic carbon (TIC) was observed for both sites. Variation of inorganic ions indicated that inorganic pollutants were not accumulated in the fog. Concentrations of n-alkanes (C11–C37) at the urban site ranged from 7.58 to 27.75 ng/mL while at the suburban site concentrations were 2.57–21.55 ng/mL. The highest concentration of n-alkanes was observed in the mature period of fog (393.12 ng/mL) which was more than ten times that in the fog formation period (27.83 ng/mL) and the fog dissipation period (14.87 ng/mL). Concentrations of Σ15PAHs were in the range of 7.27–38.52 ng/mL at the urban site and 2.59–22.69 ng/mL at the suburban site. Contents of PAHs in the mature period of fog (27.15 ng/mL) > fog dissipation period (11.59 ng/mL) > fog formation period (6.42 ng/mL). Concentrations of dicarboxylic acids (C5–C9) ranged from 10.92 to 40.78 ng/mL, with glutaric acid (C5) as the dominant dicarboxylic acid. These data provide strong indications of the accumulation of certain organic chemicals of environmental concern in fog and fog water, and provide additional insights about processes in urban and suburban air acting on organic chemicals with similar physical chemical properties.