Impacts of Coal Burning on Ambient PM_2.5 Pollution in China

Abstract

Abstract. High concentration of fine particles (PM2.5), the primary concern about air quality in China, is believed to closely relate to China’s large consumption of coal. In order to quantitatively identify the contributions of coal combustion in different sectors to ambient PM2.5, we developed an emission inventory for the year 2013 using up-to-date information on energy consumption and emission controls, and conducted standard and sensitivity simulations using the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem. According to the simulation, coal combustion contributes 22 μg m−3 (40 %) to the total PM2.5 concentration at national level (averaged in 74 major cities), and up to 37 μg m−3 (50 %) in Sichuan Basin. Among major coal-burning sectors, industrial coal burning is the dominant contributor with a national average contribution of 10 μg m−3 (17 %), followed by coal combustion in power plants and domestic sector. The national average contribution due to coal combustion is estimated to be 18 μg m−3 (46 %) in summer and 28 μg m−3 (35 %) in winter. While the contribution of domestic coal burning shows an obvious reduction from winter to summer, contributions of coal combustion in power plants and industrial sector remain at relatively constant levels through out the year.