Elucidating severe urban haze formation in China
Open accessAbstract
Significance: We illustrate the similarity and difference in particulate matter (PM) formation between Beijing and other world regions. The periodic cycle of PM events in Beijing is regulated by meteorological conditions. While the particle chemical compositions in Beijing are similar to those commonly measured worldwide, efficient nucleation and growth over an extended period in Beijing are distinctive from the aerosol formation typically observed in other global areas. Gaseous emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides from urban transportation and sulfur dioxide from regional industry are responsible for large secondary PM formation, while primary emissions and regional transport of PM are insignificant. Reductions in emissions of the aerosol precursor gases from transportation and industry are essential to mediate severe haze pollution in China.
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This exposure replicated several key PM properties observed during polluted haze events in Asia, including chemical composition, size, hygroscopicity, and acidity.
“This exposure replicated several key PM properties observed during polluted haze events in Asia, including chemical composition, size, hygroscopicity, and acidity [70].”
From Air pollution and children’s health—a review of adverse effects associated with prenatal exposure from fine to ultrafine particulate matter (2021) · cites this paper as [70]
The paper reports chemical composition, particle size, and hygroscopicity during polluted haze episodes in Beijing (Significance; Results and Discussion, “PM2.5 Episodes”; page unavailable in our copy). It does not report particle acidity, and its field observations cannot establish whether the citing study’s exposure replicated those properties. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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- Authors
- Guo, S., Hu, M., Zamora, M. L., Peng, J., Shang, D., Zheng, J., Du, Z., Wu, Z., Shao, M., Zeng, L., Molina, M. J., & Zhang, R.
- Affiliations
- Peking University (CN)
- Texas A&M University (US)
- University of California San Diego (US)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2014-11-24
- Volume
- 111
- Issue
- 49
- Pages
- 17373-17378
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC4267398
- OpenAlex
- W2040113717
- Cited by
- 1,711
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 62 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 104 · 2023: 150 · 2022: 189 · 2021: 233 · 2020: 224 · 2019: 162 · 2018: 187 · 2017: 148 · 2016: 110 · 2015: 62
- FWCI
- 70.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- OakTrust (Texas A&M University Libraries) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Welch Foundation (A‐1417)
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (21025728, 21190052, 41121004, 21190052, 41121004, 21025728)
- National Key Research and Development Program of China (2013CB228503, 2013CB955800)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Keywords
- urban haze, PM2.5, aerosol formation, nucleation, particle growth, secondary aerosol, weather conditions, particle composition, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, emission control, Beijing
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