Spatial and temporal variation of Beijing inhalable particulate matter and its meteorological factors based on geostatistical analysis
基于地统计学的北京市可吸入颗粒物时空变异性及气象因素分析

The quality and pollution of inhalable particulate matter (IPM) and its impact on the environment and in particular on human health, is an issue of significant public and governmental concern. Analyzing IPM spatial characteristics and the factors influencing IPM distribution are therefore greatly significant. This research provides suggestions for more effective air particulate pollution control policies by the government. Inhalable particulate matter (IPM) samples PM0.3, PM3.0 and PM5.0 were taken in heating season from 2007 to 2009 in order to determine temporal and spatial variations of IPM concentration based on the indicator Kriging of geostatistics. The correlation between IPM and meteorological factors is discussed and the influences of different factors on pollutant concentration are compared. The results show: spherical models with nuggets could fit the variograms of airborne inhalable particulates; in the past three years, the inhalable particle pollution in Beijing has dramatically decreased both in pollution level and area; the main polluted area was centralized in the southwest area of the city. The pollution level in suburban areas was worse than in the central city. The meteorological factors are crucial elements influencing the concentration of IPM. Different meteorological factors had different influences on IPM in different years, as well as different average temperatures during different seasons. The pollutant sources were different at different times, too. The results suggest that the influence of meteorological factors on IPM has some uncertainty, however, some regular trends still can be found.