The smog pollution in Handan - a mining and industrial city in China

Numerous smog events have occurred in recent years in China. Their hazards in mining and industrial cities are more serious than clear days. The samples were collected in the mining and industrial city of Handan. During the smog episode, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations reach up to 980 μg/m3 and 660 μg/m3, respectively. Under SEM (scanning electron microscope) analysis, the particles consist of soot, fly ash and minerals, which could be from coal mines, power plants, steel mills and auto exhausts. Compared with the samples collected on a clear day, the increased PM10 particles are mainly composed of organic matter, especially aromatic compounds. The Pb content in PM10 of the smog day reaches 507.4 ng/m3 and could be caused by vehicle emissions.

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