Analysis of source regions and transport pathways of sub-micron aerosol components in Europe
File(s)
Published version (pre-proof)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
It is important to study aerosols and their origins, as they pose various negative health and environmental impacts. In this study, we combined year-long datasets from 15 different countries with Trajectory Statistical Methods (TSMs) on such a comprehensive scale for the first time. We found possible source regions and seasonal variations of various particulate matter (PM) components, including total organic aerosol (OA), biomass burning OA (BBOA), oxygenated OA (OOA), ammonium (NH4), nitrate (NO3), and sulphate (SO4) in Europe. We found that for all of the studied components, Eastern Europe was among the highest contributors. For NO3, other important source regions were northern France and the Benelux, while for SO4, there were significant contributions from the Mediterranean region. We also compared our measurement-based model with simulated concentrations of an atmospheric chemistry transport model (CAMx). We observed a satisfactory agreement in regions where we had sufficient coverage with air pollution monitoring stations. The main deviations for OA were found around the Po Valley, where CAMx consistently estimated higher concentrations, while the TSM analysis did not highlight it as a hot spot because long-term monitoring data sets in this region are lacking. CAMx also underestimated the concentrations around Poland, mainly from residential burning. Our results provide opportunities to refine European emission inventories and deliver valuable information on long-range transported air pollutants. It suggests that policies mitigating air pollution in Eastern Europe and the Benelux could help improve overall air quality in entire Europe more efficiently.
Editor(s)
ing-Hsuan, Lin
Date Issued
2025-09-12
Date Acceptance
2025-09-10
Citation
Environmental Pollution, 2025, 385 (127110)
ISSN
0269-7491
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Environmental Pollution
Volume
385
Issue
127110
Copyright Statement
© 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40946774
PII: S0269-7491(25)01484-8
Publication Status
Published online
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
127110
Date Publish Online
2025-09-12