Articles | Volume 4, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-189-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-189-2026
Research article
 | 
21 May 2026
Research article |  | 21 May 2026

Impact of agricultural interventions on ammonia emissions and on PM2.5 concentrations in the UK: a local and regional modelling study

Matthieu Pommier, Robert Benney, Jamie Bost, Becky Jenkins, Joe Richardson, Liam Rock, Olivia Blythe, Oliver Marshall, and Alexandra Spence

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Cited articles

AFBI (Agri Food and Biosciences Institute): Typical ammonia concentrations in agricultural landscapes, https://www.afbini.gov.uk/page/typical-ammonia-concentrations-agricultural-landscapes (last access: 2 January 2026), 2025. 
Appel, K. W., Chemel, C., Roselle, S. J., Francis, X. V., Hu, R.-M., Sokhi, R. S., Rao, S. T., and Galmarini, S.: Examination of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model performance over the North American and European domains, Atmos. Environ., 53, 142–155, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.11.016., 2012. 
AQEG: Fine Particulate Matter in the United Kingdom. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Deparment of the Environment in Northern Ireland, https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/reports/cat11/1212141150_AQEG_Fine_Particulate_Matter_in_the_UK.pdf (last access: 6 May 2026), 2012. 
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This study examines NH3 emissions from UK agriculture and the role it plays in PM2.5 formation, focusing on the dairy, pig, and poultry sectors. Using regional and local air quality models, we find that a 13 % NH3 reduction cuts PM2.5 by only ~1 % due to NH3-rich air. The regional model may underestimate PM2.5, while the local modelling shows that emissions disperse within 700 m. The study highlights the value of combining models to better understand the spread of pollutants and to improve PM2.5 control strategies.
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