Contribution of dust emissions from farmland to particulate matter concentrations in North China Plain: Integration of WRF-Chem and WEPS model

Abstract

Wind erosion from farmland is a significant contributor to atmospheric particulate matter, particularly PM₁₀ (atmospheric particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm), in regions with intensive agricultural activities such as the North China Plain (NCP). However, the specific impact of farmland dust emissions on regional air quality remains underexplored. This study integrated the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) model with the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to investigate the effect of agricultural dust emissions on PM₁₀ concentrations in the NCP. Results indicated that wind erosion from agricultural fields in the NCP produced approximately 33.8 × 10⁵ tons of PM₁₀ annually. These emissions are predominantly concentrated during the winter months from October to next April, with the highest emissions occurring in Hebei, Henan, and Shandong provinces. Using scenario experiments with the WRF-Chem model, we further quantified the contribution of agricultural dust emissions to atmospheric PM₁₀ concentrations. The findings revealed that farmland emissions contributed approximately 13% of atmospheric PM₁₀ concentrations during winter months (January and December), underscoring the significant role of agricultural activities in regional air pollution. This study highlights the importance of including farmland wind erosion into chemical transport models to more accurately understand and mitigate the effects of agricultural activities on atmospheric pollution in agricultural regions worldwide.