In this study, the response of secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) concentrations to changes in precursor emissions during high PM<sub>10</sub> episodes over Central Europe in spring 2009 was investigated with the Eulerian Chemistry Transport Model (CTM) REM-Calgrid (RCG). The model performed well in capturing the temporal variation of PM<sub>10</sub> and SIA concentrations and was used to analyse the different origin, development and characteristics of the selected high PM<sub>10</sub> episodes. SIA concentrations, which attribute to about 50% of the PM<sub>10</sub> concentration in north-western Europe, have been studied by means of several emission scenarios varying SO<sub>2</sub>, NO<sub>x</sub> and NH<sub>3</sub> emissions within a domain covering Germany and within a domain covering Europe. It was confirmed that the response of sulphate, nitrate and ammonium concentrations and deposition fluxes of S and N to SO<sub>2</sub>, NO<sub>x</sub> and NH<sub>3</sub> emission changes is non-linear. The deviation from linearity was found to be lower for total deposition fluxes of S and N than for SIA concentrations. Furthermore, the study has shown that incorporating explicit cloud chemistry in the model adds non-linear responses to the system and significantly modifies the response of modelled SIA concentrations and S and N deposition fluxes to changes in precursor emissions. The analysis of emission reduction scenarios demonstrates that next to European wide emission reductions additional national NH<sub>3</sub> measures in Germany are more effective in reducing SIA concentrations and deposition fluxes than additional national measures on SO<sub>2</sub> and NO<sub>x</sub>.