Vehicular emissions in China in 2006 and 2010

Abstract

Vehicular emissions in China in 2006 and 2010 were calculated at a high spatial resolution based on the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, by taking the emission standards into consideration. China's vehicular emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH3), fine particulate matters (PM2.5), inhalable particulate matters (PM10), black carbon (BC), and organic carbon (OC) were 30,113.9, 4593.7, 6838.0, 20.9, 400.2, 430.5, 285.6, and 105.1 Gg, respectively, in 2006 and 34,175.2, 5167.5, 7029.4, 74.0, 386.4, 417.1, 270.9, and 106.2 Gg, respectively, in 2010. CO, VOCs, and NH3 emissions were mainly from motorcycles and light-duty gasoline vehicles, whereas NOX, PM2.5, PM10, and BC emissions were mainly from rural vehicles and heavy-duty diesel trucks. OC emissions were mainly from motorcycles and heavy-duty diesel trucks. Vehicles of pre-China I (vehicular emission standard of China before phase I) and China I (vehicular emission standard of China in phase I) were the primary contributors to all of the pollutant emissions except NH3, which was mainly from China III and China IV gasoline vehicles. The total emissions of all the pollutants except NH3 changed little from 2006 to 2010. This finding can be attributed to the implementation of strict emission standards and to improvements in oil quality.