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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 21(6)

Diversity of ammonia sources in Tianjin: nitrogen isotope analyses and simulations of aerosol ammonium

Libin Wu https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3898-1192 A # , Yiwen Zhang B # , Yunting Xiao A , Jialei Zhu A , Zongbo Shi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7157-543X C , Yuantao Wang A , Hong Xu D , Wei Hu A , Junjun Deng A , Miao Tang D * and Pingqing Fu A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.

B School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Tianjin Vocational Institute, Tianjin, 300410, PR China.

C School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.

D Tianjin Eco-Environmental Monitoring Center, Tianjin, 300191, PR China.

* Correspondence to: tangmiao32@163.com, fupingqing@tju.edu.cn
# These authors contributed equally to this paper

Handling Editor: Noel Aquilina

Environmental Chemistry 21, EN24030 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN24030
Submitted: 12 April 2024  Accepted: 17 August 2024  Published: 18 September 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing.

Abstract

Environmental context

Atmospheric particulate NH4+, primarily produced from the reaction of NH3 and acids, is an important component of PM2.5. In this study, nitrogen stable isotope analyses and an atmospheric chemistry model were used to estimate the contribution of major NH3 sources to particulate NH4+ in Tianjin, a megacity in North China Plain (NCP). Our research has implications for investigations of NH3 emission sources and relevant pollution control in Tianjin and NCP.

Rationale

The North China Plain (NCP) has been identified as an NH3 emission hotspot. Source apportionment of NH3 is a prerequisite for controlling NH3 or NH4+ pollution. Nitrogen stable isotope (δ15N) analysis is a promising method for NH3 source apportionment but its accuracy is still in question.

Methodology

In this study, daytime and nighttime PM2.5 samples were collected from two sites in Tianjin, NCP, in autumn. Concentrations and δ15N of particulate NH4+ were then measured. Nitrogen stable isotope analyses and isotope mixing model (MixSIAR), and an atmospheric chemistry model (WRF-CMAQ-ISAM) were used to estimate the sources of NH3 in Tianjin.

Results

Results from the MixSIAR and WRF-CMAQ-ISAM models suggested that all the sources including livestock breeding, N-fertiliser application, fossil fuels, NH3 slip (especially from traffic), human waste and biomass burning (mostly from bioapplication) were non-negligible to NH3 and NH4+ in Tianjin. This high complexity is due to significant agricultural and industrial production and residential life in Tianjin and the surrounding regions. Our results indicate all NH3 sources need to be considered if we want to reduce NH4+ pollution in Tianjin in autumn.

Keywords: ammonia, nitrogen isotope analyses, North China Plain, particulate ammonium, PM2.5, source apportionment, Tianjin, WRF-CMAQ-ISAM model.

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