Ozone pollution in the North China Plain spreading into the late-winter haze season

2021/03/01 by Ke Li, Daniel J. Jacob, Hong Liao +13 · 431 citations
Chemistry · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Air Quality and Health Impacts #Air pollution #Archaeology #Atmospheric Ozone and Climate #Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols #Atmospheric sciences #Biology #Chemistry #China #Climatology #Ecology #Environmental science #Geography #Geology #Haze #Meteorology #Ozone #Pollution

paper · doi:10.1073/pnas.2015797118

published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118(10) (National Academy of Sciences)

openalex publication_date 2021/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

Significance The North China Plain experiences severe summer ozone pollution, but ozone during winter haze (particulate) pollution events has been very low. Here, we show that the abrupt decrease in nitrogen oxide (NO x ) emissions following the COVID-19 lockdown in January 2020 drove fast ozone production during winter haze events to levels approaching the air quality standard. This fast ozone production was driven by formaldehyde originating from high emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The COVID-19 experience highlights a general 2013 to 2019 trend of rapidly increasing ozone pollution in winter–spring in China as NO x emissions have decreased. VOC emission controls would mitigate the spreading of ozone pollution into winter–spring with benefits for public health, crop production, and particulate pollution.

Citations

• The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2)
• Increases in surface ozone pollution in China from 2013 to 2019: anthropogenic and meteorological influences

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• Ozone pollution: a persistent challenge in large cities like Mexico City, Los Angeles and Beijing
• Invisible killer under the blue sky：Ozone pollution and infant mortality in China

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