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Optimal reactive nitrogen control pathways identified for cost-effective PM2.5 mitigation in Europe.
- Source :
- Nature Communications; 7/17/2023, Vol. 14 Issue 1, p1-10, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Excess reactive nitrogen (Nr), including nitrogen oxides (NO<subscript>x</subscript>) and ammonia (NH<subscript>3</subscript>), contributes strongly to fine particulate matter (PM<subscript>2.5</subscript>) air pollution in Europe, posing challenges to public health. Designing cost-effective Nr control roadmaps for PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> mitigation requires considering both mitigation efficiencies and implementation costs. Here we identify optimal Nr control pathways for Europe by integrating emission estimations, air quality modeling, exposure-mortality modeling, Nr control experiments and cost data. We find that phasing out Nr emissions would reduce PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> by 2.3 ± 1.2 μg·m<superscript>−3</superscript> in Europe, helping many locations achieve the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and reducing PM<subscript>2.5</subscript>-related premature deaths by almost 100 thousand in 2015. Low-ambition NH<subscript>3</subscript> controls have similar PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> mitigation efficiencies as NO<subscript>x</subscript> in Eastern Europe, but are less effective in Western Europe until reductions exceed 40%. The efficiency for NH<subscript>3</subscript> controls increases at high-ambition reductions while NO<subscript>x</subscript> slightly decreases. When costs are considered, strategies for both regions uniformly shift in favor of NH<subscript>3</subscript> controls, as NH<subscript>3</subscript> controls up to 50% remain 5-11 times more cost-effective than NO<subscript>x</subscript> per unit PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> reduction, emphasizing the priority of NH<subscript>3</subscript> control policies for Europe. Reactive nitrogen (Nr) contributes strongly to PM<subscript>2.5</subscript> air pollution in Europe. Here, authors identify diverse Nr control pathways for Europe depending on emission and pollution formation and a priority of NH<subscript>3</subscript> control when costs are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20411723
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Nature Communications
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 164982306
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39900-9