Differences in urban –rural gradient and driving factors of PM2.5 concentration in the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area

AbstractThe escalation of PM2.5 pollution in the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area (ZMA) underscores the pressing need for air pollution mitigation measures. We utilized high-resolution PM2.5 data from 2020, with a 1  km spatial resolution, to identify and comprehend the factors influencing PM2.5 concentration across the urban –rural continuum. This extensive dataset, inclusive of terrain, meteorological data, vegetation cover, population density, GDP, nighttime light data, and land use categories, facilitated our analysis of PM2.5 trends across the urban –rural spectrum in nine ZMA cities. Our results demonstrate that there is no consistent correlation between city size and classification with PM2.5 pollution levels. However, urban and suburban regions demonstrated higher pollution levels compared to rural areas. The PM2.5 concentrations exhibited considerable variance along the urban –rural continuum. Spring and summer exhibited rising concentrations along the continuum, while autumn witnessed a decrease. Spatially, the PM2.5 concentration demonstrated higher trends in the eastern and southern regions compared to the western and northern areas, indicating distinctive urban –rural gradient patterns. The influencing factors displayed a scale effect: metropolitan areas showed a stronger correlation with natural elements such as elevation and wind speed; suburban regions correlated with meteorological factors; urban areas were notably impacted by socio-economic factors. Effe...
Source: Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research