articleScientific ReportsFeb 25, 2014GOLD OA

Mineral dust and NOx promote the conversion of SO2 to sulfate in heavy pollution days

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences · Chinese Academy of Sciences · +4 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

Haze in China has been increasing in frequency of occurrence as well as the area of the affected region. Here, we report on a new mechanism of haze formation, in which coexistence with NOx can reduce the environmental capacity for SO2, leading to rapid conversion of SO2 to sulfate because NO2 and SO2 have a synergistic effect when they react on the surface of mineral dust. Monitoring data from five severe haze episodes in January of 2013 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions agreed very well with the laboratory simulation. The combined air pollution of motor vehicle exhaust and coal-fired flue gases greatly reduced the atmospheric environmental capacity for SO2, and the formation of sulfate was found to be a…

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