Physiochemistry and sources of individual particles in response to intensified controls during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

To investigate the particle sources before, during, and after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic (WOP) in Beijing, ambient particles were passively collected from January to March 2022. The physicochemical properties including morphology, size, shape parameters, and elemental compositions were analyzed by the IntelliSEM EPAS (an advanced computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy [CCSEM] system). Using the user-defined classification rules, 37,174 individual particles were automatically classified into 27 major groups and further attributed to seven major sources based on the source-associated characteristics, including mineral dust, secondary aerosol, combustion/industry, carbonaceous particles, salt-related particles, biological particles, and fiber particles. Our results showed that mineral dust (66.5%), combustion/industry (12.6%), and secondary aerosol (6.3%) were the three major sources in a wide size range of 0.2-42.8 μm. During the Winter Olympic Games period, low emission of anthropogenic particles and favorable meteorological conditions contributed to significantly improved air quality. During the Winter Paralympic Games period, more particles sourced from the dust storm, secondary formed particles, and the adverse meteorological conditions resulted in relatively worse air quality. The secondary aerosol all decreased during the competition period, while increased during the non-competition period. Sulfate-related particles had explosive growth and further aggravate the pollution degree during the non-competition period, especially under adverse meteorological conditions. These results provide microscopic evidence revealing variations of physicochemical properties and sources in response to the control measures and meteorological conditions.

Computer-controlled scanning electron microscope: Methodologies and application scenarios in atmospheric particle research

Understanding the physicochemical properties of atmospheric particles and the refined source apportionment become a vital foundation for targeted control of air pollution. The rapid development of the computer-controlled scanning electron microscope (CCSEM) provides a new era for atmospheric particle research by improving the efficiency of individual particle analysis. This study summarized the methodologies for CCSEM-based individual particle analysis and introduced the principle, characteristics, and development of CCSEM. The application scenarios of CCSEM in the field of air quality assessment, health assessment, and climate effects of atmospheric particles were reviewed. CCSEM has a great application prospect in the refined particle source apportionment, health effect assessment, and particle source spectrum database establishment. Much attention should be paid to the establishment of a well-developed methodology system for CCSEM, including particle identification, classification method and standardization, quantitative source appointment method establishment, and analysis timeliness enhancement.