Variability in PM_2.5 and meteorological effects on their mass concentrations over Fuzhou, China during 2014-2016

Simultaneous measurements of mass concentrations of PM_2.5 along with other co-existence pollutants viz., SO₂, CO, NO₂ and O₃, were studied with hourly datasets and the data of meteorological conditions were measured per 3 hours from 1^st Sep 2014 to 30^th Sep 2016 at Fuzhou city, China. The concentration of PM_2.5 is 28.42 ± 14.75 in the study period. Meanwhile, the seasonal ratio of PM_2.5 was also analysed, with the maximal value as 0.61 in winter, 0.52 in spring, 0.49 in autumn and 0.44 in summer. This implied that fine particulate reaches the maximal value in winter and the minimum value in summer. The correlation coefficient between concentrations of PM_2.5 and SO₂, CO, NO₂, and O₃ concentrations were 0.64, 0.52, 0.53 and 0.67. There existed negative correlation between PM_2.5 and T (– 0.27), HCC (– 0.13), WS (– 0.16), VIS (– 0.46), DT (-0.31) and RF (-0.10). Subsequently, the impacts of typhoons on the mass concentrations of PM_2.5 during September 10th 2016 to September 16th 2016 were analyzed during which the mass concentration of PM_2.5 decreased at a large extent and the fine particulates have more prominent changes during the typhoon period compared with coarse particulates.