Deficit of particulate chlorine and the nonacid rain in Beijing

The acidity of precipitation in both clean and polluted areas was calculated for atmospheric CO2 and SO2 in equilibrium with water. pH values of 5 and 4.5 were obtained. In Beijing the pH value is increased due to paniculate chlorine reactivity and rainout of CaO in the atmosphere. The increase of pH value is related to liquid water content in cloud and the elemental concentrations of paniculate Cl and Ca in the atmosphere. This mechanism may help to explain the nonacid rain observed in Beijing where the air pollution problem is serious, as viewed by SO2 concentration and paniculate burden in the atmosphere.