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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Long-term evolution and effects of primary brown carbon aerosol in China

  • Guochao Chen
  • Yiheng Wang
  • Qi Ying
  • Xiaofei Wang
  • Hongliang Zhang1,2
  1. 1Fudan University (Shanghai, China)
  2. 2University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (Shanghai, China)
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Abstract

Brown carbon (BrC) is a light-absorbing component of organic aerosols that influences atmospheric environment and climate. Although biomass burning is recognized as the major source of primary BrC (PBrC) globally, anthropogenic sources can contribute comparably or more to PBrC in regions with intensive human activities, yet variations in concentrations and effects of PBrC remain underexplored in China, where dramatic emission changes occurred in last two decades. We apply an internal mixing model to simulate the long-term (2005–2020) variations of PBrC surface and vertical concentrations and their effects across China. The mean surface PBrC concentration is 0.81 µgC m ⁻³ , with anthropogenic emissions dominating: residential, industrial combustion, and agricultural sectors contribute on average 57 %, 22 %, and 18 %, respectively, together accounting for 91 % of column concentrations in 2010. PBrC (−20.8 %) declined more than PM 2.5 (−8.1 %), accompanied by a slight reduction in O ₃ and a decrease in direct radiative effect (DRE) from +0.032 W m ⁻² in 2005 to +0.023 W m ⁻² in 2020 (−25.7 %), with anthropogenic sources contributing 84.2 % of total DRE. This study provides the first long-term assessment of PBrC trends, sources, and radiative effects in human-dominated regions, demonstrating that emission controls can deliver both environment and climate co-benefits.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{chen2026longterm,
  title = {{Long-term evolution and effects of primary brown carbon aerosol in China}},
  author = {Guochao Chen and Yiheng Wang and Qi Ying and Xiaofei Wang and Hongliang Zhang},
  journal = {Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.5194/acp-26-14867-2026},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14867-2026},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Long-term evolution and effects of primary brown carbon aerosol in China
AU  - Guochao Chen
AU  - Yiheng Wang
AU  - Qi Ying
AU  - Xiaofei Wang
AU  - Hongliang Zhang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/23
JO  - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
DO  - 10.5194/acp-26-14867-2026
UR  - https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14867-2026
AB  - Brown carbon (BrC) is a light-absorbing component of organic aerosols that influences atmospheric environment and climate. Although biomass burning is recognized as the major source of primary BrC (PBrC) globally, anthropogenic sources can contribute comparably or more to PBrC in regions with intensive human activities, yet variations in concentrations and effects of PBrC remain underexplored in China, where dramatic emission changes occurred in last two decades. We apply an internal mixing model to simulate the long-term (2005–2020) variations of PBrC surface and vertical concentrations and their effects across China. The mean surface PBrC concentration is 0.81 µgC m ⁻³ , with anthropogenic emissions dominating: residential, industrial combustion, and agricultural sectors contribute on average 57 %, 22 %, and 18 %, respectively, together accounting for 91 % of column concentrations in 2010. PBrC (−20.8 %) declined more than PM 2.5 (−8.1 %), accompanied by a slight reduction in O ₃ and a decrease in direct radiative effect (DRE) from +0.032 W m ⁻² in 2005 to +0.023 W m ⁻² in 2020 (−25.7 %), with anthropogenic sources contributing 84.2 % of total DRE. This study provides the first long-term assessment of PBrC trends, sources, and radiative effects in human-dominated regions, demonstrating that emission controls can deliver both environment and climate co-benefits.
SN  - 1680-7324
SN  - 1680-7316
ER  -