ACEIC: a comprehensive anthropogenic chlorine emission inventory for China

Abstract. Chlorine species play a crucial role as precursors to Cl radicals, which can significantly impact the atmospheric oxidation capacity and influence the levels of trace gases related to climate and air quality. Several studies have established a chlorine emission inventory in China in recent years, but the emission remains uncertain and requires further investigation. The Anthropogenic Chlorine Emission Inventory for China (ACEIC) was the first chlorine emission inventory for China based on local data developed in our previous study, which only includes the emissions from coal combustion and waste incineration. In this study, we updated this inventory to include data for a more recent year (2019) and expanded the range of species considered (HCl, fine particulate Cl−, Cl2, and hypochlorous acid (HOCl)) and the number of anthropogenic sources (41 specific sources). Compared with previous studies, this updated inventory considered more anthropogenic sources, used more localized emission factors, and adopted more refined estimation methods. The total emissions of HCl, fine particulate Cl−, Cl2, and HOCl in mainland China for the year 2019 were estimated to be 361 (−18 % to 27 %), 174 (−27 % to 59 %), 18 (−10 % to 15 %), and 79 (−12 % to 18 %) Gg, respectively. To facilitate analysis, we aggregated the chlorine emissions from various sources into five economic sectors: power, industry, residential, agriculture, and biomass burning. HCl emissions were primarily derived from the industry (43 %), biomass burning (38 %), and residential (13 %) sectors. The biomass burning and industry sectors accounted for 74 % and 19 % of the fine particulate Cl− emissions, respectively. Residential and industry sectors contributed 61 % and 29 % of the total Cl2 emissions. HOCl emissions were predominantly from the residential sector, constituting 90 % of the total emissions. Notably, the usage of chlorine-containing disinfectants was identified as the most significant source of Cl2 and HOCl emissions in the residential sector. Geographically, regions with high HCl and fine particulate Cl− emissions were found in the North China Plain, northeastern China, central China, and the Yangtze River Delta, whereas the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei regions exhibited elevated levels of Cl2 and HOCl emissions. Regarding monthly variation, emissions of HCl and fine particulate Cl− were higher during early spring (February to April) and winter (December to January) due to intensified agricultural activities, while Cl2 and HOCl emissions were higher in the summer months due to increased demand for water disinfection. We incorporated this emission inventory into the chemical transport model and found the simulated concentrations of chlorine species agreed reasonably well with the observations, which suggested the relatively faithful estimations of their emissions. This updated inventory contributes to a better understanding of anthropogenic sources of chlorine species and can aid in the formulation of emission control strategies to mitigate secondary pollution in China.