Chemical characteristics and source apportionment of PM2.5 during the harvest season in eastern China's agricultural regions

To determine the contribution of the open burning of wheat straw residues to local PM2.5 during the harvest season of June 2013, PM2.5 was sampled in an agricultural region in eastern China. The sampling site was approximately 1 km from the nearest wheat field. Chemical compositions were analyzed, and source apportionment was undertaken using the positive matrix factorization model. The average PM2.5 concentration was 110.7 μg/m3, containing 36.4 μg/m3 organics, 7.3 μg/m3 EC, 6.0 μg/m3 potassium (K) and 4.9 μg/m3 chloride ion (Cl−). The sampling period was divided into three phases: the pre-local-burning phase (Phase 1), the local-burning phase (Phase 2) and the post-local-burning phase (Phase 3). In Phase 2, the concentrations of PM2.5 and the organics, EC, K and Cl− in PM2.5 were 163.6 μg/m3, 59.0 μg/m3, 12.2 μg/m3, 11.0 μg/m3 and 10.8 μg/m3, respectively, which were all remarkably higher than in both Phase 1 and Phase 3. Eight sources of PM2.5 were determined, including two types of wheat residue burning sources, which showed a significant difference in Cl− content. The atmospheric relative humidity (RH) and the aging process of PM2.5 might be the causes: only fresh particulate emissions from wheat residue burning could feature high-concentration Cl− under high RH conditions. In Phase 2, wheat residue burning contributed 51.3% of PM2.5, 75.8% of OC, 74.5% of EC, 90.1% of K and 104.1% of Cl−. These percentages were lower in Phases 1 and 3 than in Phase 2. Wheat residue burning caused such severe air pollution that it's necessary to prohibit the open burning of crop residues in order to protect public health and the environment.