Significant contributions of combustion-related sources to ammonia emissions

Chen, Zhi-Li; Song, Wei; Hu, Chao-Chen; Liu, Xue-Jun; Chen, Guan-Yi; Walters, Wendell W.; Michalski, Greg; Liu, Cong-Qiang; Fowler, David; Liu, Xue-Yan. 2022 Significant contributions of combustion-related sources to ammonia emissions. Nature Communications, 13, 7710. 10, pp. 10.1038/s41467-022-35381-4

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35381-4

Abstract/Summary

Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) can substantially influence air quality, ecosystems, and climate. NH3 volatilization from fertilizers and wastes (v-NH3) has long been assumed to be the primary NH3 source, but the contribution of combustion-related NH3 (c-NH3, mainly fossil fuels and biomass burning) remains unconstrained. Here, we collated nitrogen isotopes of atmospheric NH3 and NH4+ and established a robust method to differentiate v-NH3 and c-NH3. We found that the relative contribution of the c-NH3 in the total NH3 emissions reached up to 40 ± 21% (6.6 ± 3.4 Tg N yr−1), 49 ± 16% (2.8 ± 0.9 Tg N yr−1), and 44 ± 19% (2.8 ± 1.3 Tg N yr−1) in East Asia, North America, and Europe, respectively, though its fractions and amounts in these regions generally decreased over the past decades. Given its importance, c-NH3 emission should be considered in making emission inventories, dispersion modeling, mitigation strategies, budgeting deposition fluxes, and evaluating the ecological effects of atmospheric NH3 loading.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s41467-022-35381-4
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	UKCEH Fellows
ISSN:	2041-1723
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	atmospheric chemistry, element cycles, geochemistry
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	16 Jun 2023 13:31 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/534729

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1038/s41467-022-35381-4

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

UKCEH Fellows

ISSN:

2041-1723

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

atmospheric chemistry, element cycles, geochemistry