Comparative Analysis of Long-Term Variation Characteristics of SO(2), NO(2), and O(3) in the Ecological and Economic Zones of the Western Sichuan Plateau, Southwest China

Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), and ozone (O(3)) are important atmospheric pollutants that affect air quality. The long-term variations of SO(2) and NO(2) in 2008–2018 and O(3) in 2015–2018 in the relatively less populated ecological and economic zones of Western Sichuan Plateau, Southwest China were analyzed. In 2008–2018, the variations in SO(2) and NO(2) in the ecological zone were not significant, but Ganzi showed a slight upward trend. SO(2) decreased significantly in the economic zone, especially in Panzhihua, where NO(2) changes were not obvious. From 2015 to 2018, the concentration of O(3) in the ecological zone increased significantly, while the economic zone showed a downward trend. The rising trend of the concentration ratio of SO(2) to NO(2) in the ecological zone and the declining trend in the economic zone indicate that the energy consumption structure of these two zones is quite different. The lower correlation coefficients between NO(2) and O(3) in the Western Sichuan Plateau imply that the variations of O(3) are mainly affected by the regional background. The effects of meteorological factors on SO(2), NO(2), and O(3) were more obvious in the economic zone where there are high anthropometric emissions.