Research Articles

An assessment of the atmospheric nitrogen budget on the South African Highveld

Kirsten S. Collett, Stuart J. Piketh, Kristy E. Ross
South African Journal of Science | Vol 106, No 5/6 | a220 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajs.v106i5/6.220 | © 2010 Kirsten S. Collett, Stuart J. Piketh, Kristy E. Ross | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 12 April 2010 | Published: 01 June 2010

About the author(s)

Kirsten S. Collett, Climatology Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Stuart J. Piketh, Climatology Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Kristy E. Ross, Eskom Generation, Megawatt Park, South Africa

Abstract

Atmospheric reactive nitrogen concentrations on the South African Highveld have become a growing concern, with satellite images indicating very high nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in the region. This study investigated the nitrogen budget on the Highveld through the analysis of the concentration of the atmospheric nitrogen species on a temporal scale as well as the atmospheric conversion, transport and removal of these species. Data were collected at Eskom’s Elandsfontein ambient air quality monitoring site, which is centrally located on the industrialised Highveld. A year’s dataset from 2005 and 2006 was analysed and it was found that nitrogen oxide (NOx) concentrations were higher in winter as a result of stable atmospheric conditions, as well as prevalent westerly and north-westerly airflow, which transported emissions directly from the nearby power station sources to the monitoring site. Nitrate (NO3) concentrations also peaked during winter, with a distinct biomass burning peak during August 2005. Diurnally, NOx concentrations indicated a tall-stack industrial source, where concentrations peaked at midday. The NO3 concentrations were higher at night than during the day; during the day the NO3 radical is rapidly photolysed and nitrates cannot be produced. Case studies indicated that the conversion rate of nitric oxide (NO) to NO2 was highly variable as a result of varying atmospheric factors, which include time of day, dispersion, stability and regional atmospheric chemistry. These rates ranged from 11% to 59% per hour. Rates of dry deposition of NO, NO2 and NO3 were generally higher during winter as a result of higher atmospheric concentrations and increased atmospheric stability. Nitrogen was predominantly deposited as NO2 throughout the year, except during spring when NO3 deposition dominated. The total annual amount of nitrogen that was deposited to the Mpumalanga Highveld region was in the range of 6.7 kg/ha –13.1 kg/ha per year, which is well below the stipulated critical load value. Such deposition, therefore, should not pose significant threats to the natural environment on the Highveld. Between 4% and 15% of the total emitted nitrogen from power generation on the Highveld was deposited to the surface via wet and dry deposition. The remainder was advected out of the region.

Keywords

atmospheric conversion; deposition; diurnal variations; nitrate; nitrogen oxides; seasonal variations

Metrics

Total abstract views: 2550
Total article views: 4532

Reader Comments

Before posting a comment, read our privacy policy.

Post a comment (login required)

 

Crossref Citations

1. General overview: European Integrated project on Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality interactions (EUCAARI) – integrating aerosol research from nano to global scales
M. Kulmala, A. Asmi, H. K. Lappalainen, U. Baltensperger, J.-L. Brenguier, M. C. Facchini, H.-C. Hansson, Ø. Hov, C. D. O'Dowd, U. Pöschl, A. Wiedensohler, R. Boers, O. Boucher, G. de Leeuw, H. A. C. Denier van der Gon, J. Feichter, R. Krejci, P. Laj, H. Lihavainen, U. Lohmann, G. McFiggans, T. Mentel, C. Pilinis, I. Riipinen, M. Schulz, A. Stohl, E. Swietlicki, E. Vignati, C. Alves, M. Amann, M. Ammann, S. Arabas, P. Artaxo, H. Baars, D. C. S. Beddows, R. Bergström, J. P. Beukes, M. Bilde, J. F. Burkhart, F. Canonaco, S. L. Clegg, H. Coe, S. Crumeyrolle, B. D'Anna, S. Decesari, S. Gilardoni, M. Fischer, A. M. Fjaeraa, C. Fountoukis, C. George, L. Gomes, P. Halloran, T. Hamburger, R. M. Harrison, H. Herrmann, T. Hoffmann, C. Hoose, M. Hu, A. Hyvärinen, U. Hõrrak, Y. Iinuma, T. Iversen, M. Josipovic, M. Kanakidou, A. Kiendler-Scharr, A. Kirkevåg, G. Kiss, Z. Klimont, P. Kolmonen, M. Komppula, J.-E. Kristjánsson, L. Laakso, A. Laaksonen, L. Labonnote, V. A. Lanz, K. E. J. Lehtinen, L. V. Rizzo, R. Makkonen, H. E. Manninen, G. McMeeking, J. Merikanto, A. Minikin, S. Mirme, W. T. Morgan, E. Nemitz, D. O'Donnell, T. S. Panwar, H. Pawlowska, A. Petzold, J. J. Pienaar, C. Pio, C. Plass-Duelmer, A. S. H. Prévôt, S. Pryor, C. L. Reddington, G. Roberts, D. Rosenfeld, J. Schwarz, Ø. Seland, K. Sellegri, X. J. Shen, M. Shiraiwa, H. Siebert, B. Sierau, D. Simpson, J. Y. Sun, D. Topping, P. Tunved, P. Vaattovaara, V. Vakkari, J. P. Veefkind, A. Visschedijk, H. Vuollekoski, R. Vuolo, B. Wehner, J. Wildt, S. Woodward, D. R. Worsnop, G.-J. van Zadelhoff, A. A. Zardini, K. Zhang, P. G. van Zyl, V.-M. Kerminen, K. S Carslaw, S. N. Pandis
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics  vol: 11  issue: 24  first page: 13061  year: 2011  
doi: 10.5194/acp-11-13061-2011

2. Vegetation change in northern KwaZulu-Natal since the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879: local or global drivers?
Jennifer Russell, David Ward
African Journal of Range & Forage Science  vol: 31  issue: 2  first page: 89  year: 2014  
doi: 10.2989/10220119.2013.827740

3. Long-term variability of planetary boundary layer heights derived from radiosonde and flux tower observations in South Africa
Pfano M. Makhokha, Anzel De Lange, Liesl Dyson, Gregor Feig, Abri de Buys, Kathleen Smart
Atmospheric Research  vol: 336  first page: 108842  year: 2026  
doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108842

4. Rainwater Chemistry and Total Deposition of Acidity from the Northern Savanna to the Southern Coastal Fynbos of South Africa
Mpho K. Mompati, Stuart J. Piketh, Wenche Aas, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Jacobus J. Pienaar, Christopher J. Curtis
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution  vol: 233  issue: 7  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1007/s11270-022-05714-6

5. Seasonal influences on surface ozone variability in continental South Africa and implications for air quality
Tracey Leah Laban, Pieter Gideon van Zyl, Johan Paul Beukes, Ville Vakkari, Kerneels Jaars, Nadine Borduas-Dedekind, Miroslav Josipovic, Anne Mee Thompson, Markku Kulmala, Lauri Laakso
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics  vol: 18  issue: 20  first page: 15491  year: 2018  
doi: 10.5194/acp-18-15491-2018

6. Bush encroachment in southern Africa: changes and causes
Tim G O'Connor, James R Puttick, M Timm Hoffman
African Journal of Range & Forage Science  vol: 31  issue: 2  first page: 67  year: 2014  
doi: 10.2989/10220119.2014.939996

7. Intra-pixel variability in satellite tropospheric NO2 column densities derived from simultaneous space-borne and airborne observations over the South African Highveld
Stephen Broccardo, Klaus-Peter Heue, David Walter, Christian Meyer, Alexander Kokhanovsky, Ronald van der A, Stuart Piketh, Kristy Langerman, Ulrich Platt
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques  vol: 11  issue: 5  first page: 2797  year: 2018  
doi: 10.5194/amt-11-2797-2018

8. Surface ozone variability and trends over the South African Highveld from 1990 to 2007
Nikolay V. Balashov, Anne M. Thompson, Stuart J. Piketh, Kristy E. Langerman
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres  vol: 119  issue: 7  first page: 4323  year: 2014  
doi: 10.1002/2013JD020555

9. Spatial, temporal and source contribution assessments of black carbon over the northern interior of South Africa
Kgaugelo Euphinia Chiloane, Johan Paul Beukes, Pieter Gideon van Zyl, Petra Maritz, Ville Vakkari, Miroslav Josipovic, Andrew Derick Venter, Kerneels Jaars, Petri Tiitta, Markku Kulmala, Alfred Wiedensohler, Catherine Liousse, Gabisile Vuyisile Mkhatshwa, Avishkar Ramandh, Lauri Laakso
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics  vol: 17  issue: 10  first page: 6177  year: 2017  
doi: 10.5194/acp-17-6177-2017

10. South African EUCAARI measurements: seasonal variation of trace gases and aerosol optical properties
L. Laakso, V. Vakkari, A. Virkkula, H. Laakso, J. Backman, M. Kulmala, J. P. Beukes, P. G. van Zyl, P. Tiitta, M. Josipovic, J. J. Pienaar, K. Chiloane, S. Gilardoni, E. Vignati, A. Wiedensohler, T. Tuch, W. Birmili, S. Piketh, K. Collett, G. D. Fourie, M. Komppula, H. Lihavainen, G. de Leeuw, V.-M. Kerminen
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics  vol: 12  issue: 4  first page: 1847  year: 2012  
doi: 10.5194/acp-12-1847-2012

11. Assessment of polar organic aerosols at a regional background site in southern Africa
Wanda Booyens, Johan P. Beukes, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Jose Ruiz-Jimenez, Matias Kopperi, Marja-Liisa Riekkola, Miroslav Josipovic, Ville Vakkari, Lauri Laakso
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry  vol: 76  issue: 2  first page: 89  year: 2019  
doi: 10.1007/s10874-019-09389-y

12. The sensitivity of simulated surface-level pollution concentrations to WRF-ARW-model PBL parameterisation schemes over the Highveld of South Africa
Anzel de Lange, Mogesh Naidoo, Rebecca M. Garland, Liesl L. Dyson
Atmospheric Research  vol: 254  first page: 105517  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2021.105517

13. The importance of alkyl nitrates and sea ice emissions to atmospheric NOx sources and cycling in the summertime Southern Ocean marine boundary layer
Jessica M. Burger, Julie Granger, Emily Joyce, Meredith G. Hastings, Kurt A. M. Spence, Katye E. Altieri
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics  vol: 22  issue: 2  first page: 1081  year: 2022  
doi: 10.5194/acp-22-1081-2022

14. Contamination of depressional wetlands in the Mpumalanga Lake District of South Africa near a global emission hotspot
C.J. Curtis, N.L. Rose, H. Yang, S. Turner, K. Langerman, J. Fitchett, A. Milner, A. Kabba, J. Shilland
Science of The Total Environment  vol: 938  first page: 173493  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173493

15. A global single‐sensor analysis of 2002–2011 tropospheric nitrogen dioxide trends observed from space
P. Schneider, R. J. van der A
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres  vol: 117  issue: D16  year: 2012  
doi: 10.1029/2012JD017571

16. Simulating effects of aerosols on rainfall in southern Africa
Svante Henriksson, Anu-Maija Sundström, Micky Josipovic, Pieter van Zyl, Johan Paul Beukes
Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health  vol: 12  issue: 1  first page: 1  year: 2019  
doi: 10.1007/s11869-018-0619-8

17. An air quality assessment in the industrialised western Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa
Andrew D. Venter, Ville Vakkar, Johan P. Beukes, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Heikki Laakso, Desmond Mabaso, Petri Tiitta, Miroslav Josipovic, Markku Kulmala, Jacobus J. Pienaar, Lauri Laakso
South African Journal of Science  vol: 108  issue: 9/10  year: 2012  
doi: 10.4102/sajs.v108i9/10.1059

18. Size-resolved characteristics of inorganic ionic species in atmospheric aerosols at a regional background site on the South African Highveld
Andrew D. Venter, Pieter G. van Zyl, Johan P. Beukes, Jan-Stefan Swartz, Miroslav Josipovic, Ville Vakkari, Lauri Laakso, Markku Kulmala
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry  vol: 75  issue: 3  first page: 285  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1007/s10874-018-9378-z

19. The sensitivity of Afromontane tarns in the Maloti-Drakensberg region of South Africa and Lesotho to acidic deposition
JA Dunnink, CJ Curtis, JP Beukes, PG van Zyl, J Swartz
African Journal of Aquatic Science  vol: 41  issue: 4  first page: 413  year: 2016  
doi: 10.2989/16085914.2016.1244509

20. The transport of atmospheric NOx and HNO3 over Cape Town
B. J. Abiodun, A. M. Ojumu, S. Jenner, T. V. Ojumu
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics  vol: 14  issue: 2  first page: 559  year: 2014  
doi: 10.5194/acp-14-559-2014

21. Temporal and source assessments of organic and elemental carbon at sites in the northern South African interior
Petra Maritz, Johan P. Beukes, Pieter G. van Zyl, Catherine Liousse, Eric Gardrat, Avishkar Ramandh, Gabisile V. Mkhatshwa
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry  vol: 76  issue: 4  first page: 263  year: 2019  
doi: 10.1007/s10874-020-09398-2