Abstract With the rapid growth of global air transport, aviation-related pollutant emissions have expanded significantly, raising widespread concerns about the health risks posed by air pollutants such as CO, NO2, and SO2. This study collected monthly aircraft movement data from major Chinese airports between January 2006 and October 2023. Based on this data, monthly emissions of CO, SO2, and NO2 during the landing and take-off (LTO) phase were calculated for each airport. Additionally, the monthly average concentrations of these pollutants at each airport were estimated. The findings reveal a year-on-year increase in CO, SO2, and NO2 emissions, with the highest concentrations recorded at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK), Guangzhou Baiyun Airport (CAN), and Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG). Emission peaks typically occur in the third quarter (July to September), while troughs are observed in the first quarter (January to March). This study applies a computationally efficient Gaussian diffusion model to quantify CO, NO2, and SO2 concentrations from aviation activities at over 145 major airports in China using monthly data from 2006 to 2023, filling a critical gap in aviation pollutant emission research and providing a valuable database and methodological reference for advancing global carbon reduction goals.
Cui et al. (Tue,) studied this question.