Chemical characterization and source apportionment model study of atmospheric aerosols in Asia

Atmospheric aerosols are important contributors to climate forcing. Due to the uncertainty associated with aerosol radiative forcing estimates, there is a need to gain a better understanding of the chemical and physical properties of aerosols in addition to their primary emission sources. This study presents the size-resolved chemical composition of aerosols collected from various sites across the Asian Continent. This region has received more attention in climate studies because it will play a major role in global climate forcing primarily due to the anticipated increase in economic and industrial development. The chemical species in aerosols are one of the many factors that contribute to the radiative properties of aerosols. This study reports the chemical composition of Asian aerosols in the TSP, PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0 size fractions with a focus on elemental carbon, organic carbon, individual organic compounds, and soluble and insoluble iron. The implications of these chemical species for radiative forcing are also discussed.; Aerosols are generated from a number of pollution sources and it is important to distinguish among these. Source contributions to particulate matter in Asia were determined in this study using a chemical mass balance receptor model. Trace elements were utilized as molecular markers to resolve the contributions of a variety of sources including biomass burning, sea salt, polluted dust, clean dust, and Asian soils. Individual organic species including n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, diacids, among many others were measured. From the organics data pollution sources including biomass burning, combustion sources, and secondary organic aerosol were inferred.; This study also examines policy related to climate change mitigation. Currently greenhouse gas reduction strategies have been implemented under the Kyoto Protocol. In the future as radiative forcing estimates improve, aerosols may be added to climate change mitigation policy. Potential policy options and outcomes for regulating species-specific aerosols are discussed.