Forward-looking: Over-reliance on foreign instruments is bound to be controlled by people

Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shanxi and other places have released PM2.5 monitoring data. People can understand relevant monitoring data as soon as they click the mouse. The inclusion of PM2.5 monitoring in the routine monitoring indicators for ambient air quality has stimulated a market. Then, how large is the monitoring of PM2.5 for China's environmental monitoring capabilities? In the face of the mixed market structure, how to choose equipment according to local conditions? At present, the core components of China's PM2.5 monitoring equipment are completely dependent on imports. Is there any opportunity for domestic monitoring equipment companies? Is the introduction of a large number of imported monitoring equipment likely to bring about other problems? With these questions, the reporter interviewed relevant experts.

Can I completely rely on imported equipment?

In the future, equipment maintenance, parts replacement, and personnel training will continue to be hampered by foreign equipment manufacturers.

During the interview, some experts stated that the integration of PM2.5 monitoring into routine air quality monitoring indicators is a challenge to our current monitoring capabilities. The first is monitoring technology. At present, apart from individual samplers, domestic particle monitoring equipment depends on foreign products or foreign patents. To a certain extent, it forms a monopoly for foreign equipment manufacturers, but foreign monitoring instruments are mainly designed for lower pollution concentrations. , The applicability of monitoring under conditions of higher pollution in China and in special areas needs to be verified by the system; secondly, in the aspect of basic capacity building, PM2.5 monitoring, after incorporating routine monitoring indicators, will drive supporting stations, balance rooms, and observations. Platform and a series of basic construction; the third is personnel and training, PM2.5 monitoring equipment maintenance work is relatively cumbersome, it will consume a lot of manpower, in addition to such monitoring equipment, the technical requirements are high, the need for regular training of operators.

As China's atmospheric PM2.5 and atmospheric pollution monitoring equipment technology started late, most of the monitoring equipment is almost completely dependent on imports. Some independently developed instruments and equipment have not yet been studied for key technologies such as engineering, standardization, technology, and networking. Equipment is difficult to meet the needs of the country's large-scale network deployment.

From the point of view of procurement of PM2.5 monitoring equipment throughout the country, from the analysis of technical requirements and location distribution, foreign manufacturers have great advantages. According to the survey conducted by reporters, foreign manufacturers have basically occupied more than 60% of the market share this year. At this stage, domestic manufacturers will mainly be in a follow-up position.

In response, Chai Fahe, deputy dean of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, said that foreign equipment has been dumped to the domestic market. If all (or most) foreign equipment is used, it will face certain risks. Therefore, the development of key technologies for atmospheric PM2.5 and air pollution monitoring and early warning equipment, and strengthening of the capability of atmospheric PM2.5 and air pollution monitoring and early warning equipment technical support systems are very important for improving air quality, protecting public health and national air safety. The practical significance.

In addition, in the initial stage of the construction of the PM2.5 monitoring system, excessive reliance on imported instruments and equipment will continue to be hampered by foreign equipment manufacturers in the areas of future equipment maintenance, parts replacement, and personnel training. The monitored monitoring system has had an adverse effect.

How to monitor the choice of equipment to adapt to local conditions?

Need to choose according to different monitoring purposes and natural conditions under the condition of ensuring accuracy

At present, PM2.5 monitoring methods include weighing, ray and spectroscopy. According to Chai Fahe, the weighing method is currently recognized as the most accurate particle measurement method. Its basic principle is to use a balance to weigh the sample weight on a sample under constant temperature and humidity conditions, and to calculate the particulate matter in the air in combination with the sampling flow rate. concentration. Weighing method is the standard method prescribed in the measurement of particle concentration in Europe and the United States and Europe. Although there is still some uncertainty and low time resolution, particle samples can be preserved for chemical composition analysis.

In the particle concentration concentration online analyzer, the two most widely used measurement methods are β-ray method and oscillating balance method. The β-ray method mainly relies on the attenuation of β-rays to calculate the mass concentration of particles, while the oscillation balance method mainly relies on the change of the oscillation coefficient of the balance by the accumulation of particles on the filter to calculate the mass concentration of particles.

In this regard, Dr. Gao Jian, Institute of Atmospheric Research, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said that, in terms of instrument theory, the oscillatory balance method is relatively more objective to reflect the true concentration of particulate matter, but it is prone to noise values ​​in high humidity environments, and its heating The tube also tends to lose the volatile matter in the particles and reduce the measured concentration. Due to the complex structure, the oscillating balance method instrument is relatively troublesome to maintain.

In contrast, β-ray method is simple to operate and convenient to maintain, but the measured value is often higher than the measured value of the oscillation balance method, and there are great differences in the concentration of particulate matter, composition and environmental humidity. In short, the online measurement method has the advantages of simple operation and high time resolution compared with the weighing method, but there is still great controversy in accuracy.

The current application of PM2.5 measurement technology also includes light scattering particle measurement methods (spectroscopy). The principle of operation is to measure the size and quantity of particles by measuring the scattering characteristics of the measuring light after the particles enter the instrument.

In order to calculate the mass concentration of particles.

The advantages of this method include rapid response, small equipment footprint, easy installation and operation, and the ability to simultaneously measure the number of particles with multiple particle sizes. However, the relationship between light scattering and particle concentration is affected by many factors, such as the chemical composition, shape, specific gravity, and particle size distribution of the particles. This means that the conversion formula between light scattering and particle concentration may change at any time and place, requiring the instrument user to constantly use standard methods for calibration.

In response, Chai Fahe pointed out that in the selection of particle monitoring methods, it is necessary to select according to different monitoring purposes and natural conditions under the condition of ensuring accuracy. For example, on-line monitoring methods and spectroscopy can be selected for basic monitoring, and monitoring stations with personnel and laboratory conditions encourage the use of weighing methods, while emergency monitoring, special condition monitoring (health care, subway transportation, etc.) can be selected for spectroscopy. .

At present, considering the factors such as product technology maturity, the first batch of domestically-purchased PM2.5 monitoring instruments are mainly imported products. The most representative one is the products of Thermo Fisher Scientific. The technical principle is based on the oscillation balance method. The advantage is that real-time accurate measurements can be achieved every minute. However, to make the value measured by the oscillating balance method more accurate, a membrane dynamic measurement system (FDMS) is required. As early as February 2009, the US Environmental Protection Agency required the installation of FDMS on Thermo Fisher PM2.5 detectors.

At present, the core technology of the oscillating balance apparatus is monopolized by Thermo Fisher. The price of a single instrument is 280,000 yuan. After installing FDMS, it is as much as 380,000 yuan. The beta ray detector is only less than 15 meters. Ten thousand yuan.

At present, some domestic manufacturers have introduced prototypes of PM2.5 monitors using the beta ray method, and the price of a single unit is about 150,000 yuan. For the second and third-line urban environmental monitoring stations with insufficient funds and low real-time data requirements, the competitive advantage of this type of product is very obvious.

Can domestic companies catch up later?

Strengthen its own R&D capacity building, cooperate with research institutes to conduct product R&D, upgrade, evaluation and inspection

Chai Fahe said that from the current domestic PM2.5 equipment usage, foreign imported instruments and equipment occupy a dominant position, but the domestic PM2.5 monitoring and sampling technology in recent years has not been a small development, several equipment manufacturers are Have their own patented products, and gradually occupy a certain position in the domestic market.

In general, foreign manufacturers have many years of research accumulation and experience in product development and promotion. Their products have also been used for many years in Europe and the United States, so they can occupy most of the market in the early days. The large-scale R&D of PM2.5 monitoring and sampling equipment by domestic manufacturers has only improved in recent years, and they are basically modeled on foreign products. The products still do not have the capacity for mass production, nor have they been tested for long-term use.

Therefore, although domestic manufacturers can obtain a share in the current huge market, in the face of powerful international competitors, it is necessary to vigorously strengthen their own R&D capacity and cooperate with research institutes to conduct product development, upgrades, evaluations, and inspections. It also needs the support of the state and the government.

It is worth noting that although the current PM2.5 automatic monitoring equipment is in full swing, the status of the PM2.5 manual monitoring method in the atmospheric environment monitoring work in Europe and the United States is still not shaken.

Since manual monitoring of PM2.5 is based on a particulate matter sampling method, samples can be stored for a long period of time and used for the analysis of various contaminant components in PM2.5 to determine the source of the contamination, thereby helping the government formulate scientific and effective control strategies. Therefore, while encouraging the development of PM2.5 automatic monitoring equipment, it is also necessary to encourage the design and development of PM2.5 samplers, and to develop PM2.5 chemical composition automatic monitoring equipment (such as inorganic ions, carbon components, heavy metals, etc.) R & D to meet the needs of instruments and equipment in China's long-term atmospheric environmental protection work.

It is understood that the existing air pollution source data survey in China has begun to count and control the precursors of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the perspective of the generation of acidic aerosols (acid rains). Some experts stated that the research on atmospheric pollution sources should also investigate and analyze the precursors of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia from the perspective of secondary particle transformation in order to further improve the existing statistical model of pollution sources. While attaching importance to single pollutant indicators, such as sulfur dioxide concentration and total control indicators, attention should be paid at the same time to the conversion of primary pollutants to secondary pollutants, and between primary pollutants and secondary pollutants. Comprehensive indicators such as the cumulative effects of health.

PM2.5 research is a weak link in the study of urban air pollution in China. The public will expect the sky of the city to be bluer while demanding the concentration of conventional atmospheric pollutants. Therefore, future studies should systematically and carefully analyze the basic components and cumulative pathways of PM2.5, and lay a solid foundation for studying effective ways to control PM2.5.

PM2.5 Surveillance Brings 2 Billion Yuan Market to 320 Cities with 1,400 Sites or Equipment Needed

In the new edition of Ambient Air Quality Standards, PM2.5 and ozone have become routine monitoring indicators. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection's “First Phase Monitoring Implementation Plan for New Air Quality Standards”, before the end of October this year, 496 points in 74 cities must complete the automatic addition of three new indicators such as PM2.5, carbon monoxide, and ozone in the new standard. Monitoring equipment installation. According to industry estimates, equipment procurement budget is expected to reach 661 million yuan, while the entire market share caused by PM2.5 monitoring is about 2 billion yuan.

When interviewed by reporters in Shanxi and other places, the reporter learned that all localities have successively issued plans and measures to gradually improve and optimize the automatic monitoring network for ambient air quality, and comprehensively improve the ability of automatic monitoring of ambient air quality. Among them, Shanxi Province proposed to eventually achieve full monitoring of PM2.5 (fine particles), ozone, and carbon monoxide throughout the province.

It is understood that in Shanxi province last year, PM2.5, ozone and carbon monoxide monitoring instruments were added to 22 automatic monitoring sites in 11 provinces and municipalities, and were put into trial operation in December last year. In the next three years, Shanxi Province will also invest 315 million yuan to gradually improve and optimize the environmental air quality automatic monitoring network and carry out six pollutant monitoring.

The reporter learned from the Shandong Provincial Department of Environmental Protection that in conjunction with the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” of the Joint Regional Air Pollution Joint Prevention and Control Plan of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, from 2012, 17 cities in Shandong Province will fully implement the PM2.5 monitoring pilot.

In an interview with reporters, Chai Fahe, the deputy head of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, said that at present, there are about 320 cities in China that monitor environmental air quality, with a total of more than 1,400 stations. If they are equipped with PM2.5 monitoring during the 12th Five-Year Plan period, Equipment, plus supporting equipment and follow-up maintenance work will involve billions or even billions of dollars in capital investment.

In addition, due to the importance and sensitivity of PM2.5, it is conceivable that a research heat of PM2.5 will also be set off in the scientific community. Therefore, relevant scientific equipment will also be sold hot. It can be said that the PM2.5 will not only be a discipline but also involve the development of multiple industries and industries.

According to relevant forecasting analysis, the investment scale of PM2.5 monitoring equipment in cities during the 12th Five-Year Plan period will reach at least RMB 2 billion. At the same time, this will further promote the improvement of industrial pollution monitoring work and promote the development of the entire environmental monitoring industry.

In response, Dr. Gao Jian, the Institute of Atmospheric Research of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said in an interview with reporters that the market driven by PM2.5 monitoring across the country is huge, including the monitoring of the configuration of basic equipment and related facilities, and monitoring equipment. Maintenance costs, construction of monitoring stations, construction of standard weighing laboratories, and personnel training. Among them, monitoring equipment, station buildings, and laboratories are basically one-time inputs, and related parts, maintenance costs, personnel, and equipment upgrades require continuous investment.

On the one hand, national and local investment has increased PM2.5 to monitor this piece of cake. On the other hand, due to the high replacement frequency of PM2.5 monitoring equipment, equipment and equipment updates will bring revenue to the company. This is a long-term process. According to reports, monitoring equipment must be replaced once every two or three years. There are more than 1,000 monitoring sites in the country. Each monitoring point is equipped with three instruments. This market share is also very large.