Spatiotemporal Distribution of Atmospheric Particulate Matters and Correlations Among Them in Different Functional Areas of a Typical Mining City in Northwestern China

Identifying the coupling effect mechanisms of particulate matter (PM) in different functional areas on the atmospheric environment will help to carry out graded precision prevention and control measures against pollution within mining cities. This study monitored the pollution of three different functional areas in Wuhai, a typical mining city in Inner Mongolia. PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and TSP were sampled and analyzed for chemical fractions both in the daytime and at night in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The results showed that the average daily concentrations of PM were generally higher in the mining area than in the urban and sandy areas in different seasons. The results of the Kerriging analysis showed that the urban area was affected the most when specific ranges of high PM concentrations were detected in the mining area and specific ranges of low PM concentrations were detected in the sandy area. PMF results indicated that the source of pollutants in different functional areas and seasons were dust, industrial and traffic emissions, combustion, and sea salt. The contributions of dust in PM with different particle sizes in the mining and sandy areas were as high as 49–72%, while all the pollutant sources accounted for a large proportion of pollution in the urban area. In addition, dust was the largest source of pollution in summer and winter, and the contribution of combustion sources to pollution was higher in winter. Health risks associated with Cr were higher in the sandy area, and non-carcinogenic risks associated with Mn were higher in the mining area during spring and summer, while there was a greater impact on human health in the urban area during autumn and winter. The results of this study revealed the coupling effect mechanisms of different functional areas on the local atmospheric environment and contribute to the development of regional atmospheric defense and control policies.