Average Cloud Droplet Size and Composition: Good Assumptions for Predicting Oxidants in the Atmospheric Aqueous Phase?

Chemical models that describe the atmospheric multiphase (gas/aqueous) system often include detailed kinetic and mechanistic schemes describing chemical reactions in both phases. The present study explores the importance of properties including the chemical composition of droplet populations, such as pH value and iron present in only a few droplets, as well as droplet size and their distribution. It is found that the assumption of evenly distributed iron in all cloud droplets leads to an underestimate by up to 1 order of magnitude of OH concentrations in the aqueous phase, whereas the predicted iron(II)/iron(total) ratio is overestimated by up to a factor of 2. While the sulfate mass formed in cloud droplets is not largely affected by any of the assumptions, the predicted secondary organic aerosol mass varies by an order of magnitude. This sensitivity study reveals that multiphase chemistry model studies should focus not only on chemical mechanism development but also on careful considerations of droplet properties to comprehensively describe the atmospheric multiphase chemical system.

Wildfire Smoke Influence on Cloud Water Chemical Composition at Whiteface Mountain, New York

Wildfires significantly impact air quality and climate, including through the production of aerosols that can nucleate cloud droplets and participate in aqueous-phase reactions. Cloud water was collected during the summer months (June-September) of 2010-2017 at Whiteface Mountain, New York and examined for biomass burning influence. Cloud water samples were classified by their smoke influence based on backward air mass trajectories and satellite-detected smoke. A total of 1,338 cloud water samples collected over 485 days were classified by their probability of smoke influence, with 49% of these days categorized as having moderate to high probability of smoke influence. Carbon monoxide and ozone levels were enhanced during smoke influenced days at the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Smoke-influenced cloud water samples were characterized by enhanced concentrations of potassium, sulfate, ammonium, and total organic carbon, compared to samples lacking identified influence. Five cloud water samples were examined further for the presence of dissolved organic compounds, insoluble particles, and light-absorbing components. The five selected cloud water samples contained the biomass burning tracer levoglucosan at 0.02-0.09 μM. Samples influenced by air masses that remained aloft, above the boundary layer during transport, had lower insoluble particle concentrations, larger insoluble particle diameters, and larger oxalate:sulfate ratios, suggesting cloud processing had occurred. These findings highlight the influence that local and long-range transported smoke have on cloud water composition.

Temperature- and pH- Dependent OH Radical Reaction Kinetics of Tartaric and Mucic Acids in the Aqueous Phase

Tartaric acid and mucic acid are dicarboxylic acids (DCAs), a substance class often found in atmospheric aerosols and cloud droplets. The hydroxyl radical (^•OH)-induced oxidation in the aqueous phase is known to be an important loss process of organic compounds such as DCAs. However, the study of ^•OH kinetics of DCAs in the aqueous phase is still incomplete. In the present study, the rate constants of the ^•OH reactions of tartaric acid and mucic acid in the aqueous phase were determined by the thiocyanate competition kinetics method as a function of temperature and pH. The following T-dependent Arrhenius expressions (in units of L mol^-1 s^-1) were first derived for the ^•OH reactions with tartaric acid─k(T, H₂A) = (3.3 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ exp[(-1350 ± 110 K)/T], k(T, HA^-) = (3.6 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ exp[(-580 ± 110 K)/T], and k(T, A^2-) = (3.3 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ exp[(-1190 ± 170 K)/T]─as well as mucic acid─k(T, H₂A) = (2.2 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ exp[(-1140 ± 150 K)/T], k(T, HA^-) = (4.8 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ exp[(-1280 ± 170 K)/T], and k(T, A^2-) = (2.1 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ exp[(-970 ± 70 K)/T]. A general trend of the ^•OH rate constant is found as kA2- > kHA- > kH2A. The pH- and temperature-dependent rate constants of the OH radical reactions allow an accurate description of the source and sink processes in the tropospheric aqueous phase.

Influence of Ambient Atmospheric Environments on the Mixing State and Source of Oxalate-Containing Particles at Coastal and Suburban Sites in North China

Photodegradation is a key process impacting the lifetime of oxalate in the atmosphere, but few studies investigated this process in the field due to the complex mixing and sources of oxalate. Oxalate-containing particles were measured via single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry at coastal and suburban sites in Qingdao, a coastal city in North China in the summer of 2016. The mixing state and influence of different ambient conditions on the source and photodegradation of oxalate were investigated. Generally, 6.3% and 12.3% of the total particles (by number) contained oxalate at coastal and suburban sites, respectively. Twelve major types of oxalate-containing particles were identified, and they were classified into three groups. Biomass burning (BB)-related oxalate–K and oxalate–carbonaceous particles were the dominant groups, respectively, accounting for 68.9% and 13.6% at the coastal site and 72.0% and 16.8% at the suburban site. Oxalate–Heavy metals (HM)-related particles represented 14.6% and 9.3% of the oxalate particles at coastal and suburban sites, respectively, which were mainly from industrial emissions (Cu-rich, Fe-rich, Pb-rich), BB (Zn-rich), and residual fuel oil combustion (V-rich). The peak area of oxalate at the coastal site decreased immediately after sunrise, while it increased during the daytime at the suburban site. However, the oxalate peak area of Fe-rich particles at both sites decreased after sunrise, indicating that iron plays an important role in oxalate degradation in both environments. The decay rates (k) of Fe-rich and BB-Fe particles at the coastal site (−0.978 and −0.859 h−1, respectively), were greater than those at the suburban site (−0.512 and −0.178 h−1, respectively), owing to the high-water content of particles and fewer oxalate precursors. The estimated k values of oxalate peak area for different ambient conditions were in the same order of magnitude, which can help establish or validate the future atmospheric models.

Role of hydrogen bonding in bulk aqueous phase decomposition, complexation, and covalent hydration of pyruvic acid

The behavior of hydrogen bonding changes between the gas and aqueous phase, altering the mechanisms of various pyruvic acid processes and consequently affecting the aerosol formation in different environments.

Degradation of Ciprofloxacin by Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) Nanoparticles: Optimization of Conditions, Toxicity, and Degradation Pathway

The popular use of ciprofloxacin is often irrational, so it causes environmental pollution such as resistance. The solution to overcome environmental pollution due to ciprofloxacin is degradation by using TiO2 nanoparticles. TiO2 nanoparticles performance is influenced by environment such as light source, pH solvent, duration of lighting and TiO2 nanoparticles mass. The residual levels determination of ciprofloxacin was carried out by using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Toxicity test of ciprofloxacin degradation products with TiO2 nanoparticles used Escherichia coli bacteria. Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) was used to determine the type of ciprofloxacin degradation product with TiO2 nanoparticles. The optimum condition for the ciprofloxacin degradation with TiO2 nanoparticles is lighting for 5 hours by using a white mercury UV lamp and 50 mg TiO2 nanoparticles with pH solvent of 5.5. The toxicity of ciprofloxacin degradation product with TiO2 nanoparticles was low. The smallest degradation product identified with m/z was p-fluoraniline (m/z 111). Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). 

Characterization of dicarboxylic acids, oxoacids, and α-dicarbonyls in PM2.5 within the urban boundary layer in southern China: Sources and formation pathways

Low-molecular-weight dicarboxylic acids, which are important components of secondary organic aerosols, have been extensively studied in recent years. Many studies have focused on ground-level observations and literature reports on the vertical distribution of the organic aerosols within the urban boundary layer are limited. In this study, the vertical profiles of dicarboxylic acids and related organic compounds (DCRCs) in PM_2.5 were investigated at altitudinal levels (ground level and 488 m above the ground level) at the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, southern China, to elucidate their primary sources and secondary formation processes. The concentrations of DCRCs at ground level were generally higher than those at 488 m. Oxalic acid (C₂) was the most abundant species, followed by succinic acid (C₄) and malonic acid (C₃) at both heights. The higher ratio of DCRCs-bound carbon to organic carbon (i.e., DCRCs-C/OC) at 488 m (4.8 ± 1.2%) relative to that at ground level (2.7 ± 0.5%) indicated a higher degree of aerosol aging at 488 m. The abundance of C₂ was increased and the conversion of C₄ to C₃ was enhanced due to the photochemical oxidation of its homologues during long-range transport periods. The increase in C₂ was associated with in-cloud processes during pollution periods. Principal component analysis showed that DCRCs were mainly derived from atmospheric secondary processing and biomass burning was also an important source of long-chain carboxylic acids during autumn in Guangzhou. Our results illustrate that secondary processing and biomass burning play prominent roles in controlling the abundance of DCRCs. Furthermore, DCRCs are affected by air masses from regional areas, oxidation of their precursors via vertical transport and in-cloud processes.

Low-Molecular-Weight Carboxylic Acids in the Southeastern U.S.: Formation, Partitioning, and Implications for Organic Aerosol Aging

While carboxylic acids are important components in both particle and gas phases in the atmosphere, their sources and partitioning are not fully understood. In this study, we present real-time measurements of both particle- and gas-phase concentrations for five of the most common and abundant low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids (LMWCA) in a rural region in the southeastern U.S. in Fall 2016. Through comparison with secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers, we find that isoprene was the most important local precursor for all five LMWCA but via different pathways. We propose that monocarboxylic acids (formic and acetic acids) were mainly formed through gas-phase photochemical reactions, while dicarboxylic acids (oxalic, malonic, and succinic acids) were predominantly from aqueous processing. Unexpectedly high concentrations of particle-phase formic and acetic acids (in the form of formate and acetate, respectively) were observed and likely the components of long-range transport organic aerosol (OA), decoupled from their gas-phase counterparts. In addition, an extraordinarily strong correlation (R² = 0.90) was observed between a particulate LMWCA and aged SOA, which we tentatively attribute to boundary layer dynamics.

Enhanced photochemical formation of secondary organic aerosols during the COVID-19 lockdown in Northern China

To eliminate the spread of a novel coronavirus breaking out in the end of 2019 (COVID-19), the Chinese government has implemented a nationwide lockdown policy after the Chinese lunar New Year of 2020, resulting in a sharp reduction in air pollutant emissions. To investigate the impact of the lockdown on aerosol chemistry, the number fraction, size distribution and formation process of oxalic acid (C₂) containing particles and its precursors were studied using a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) at the urban site of Liaocheng in the North China Plain (NCP). Our results showed that five air pollutants (i.e., PM_2.5, PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, and CO) decreased by 30.0-59.8% during the lockdown compared to those before the lockdown, while O₃ increased by 63.9% during the lockdown mainly due to the inefficient titration effect of O₃ via NO reduction. The increased O₃ concentration can boost the atmospheric oxidizing capacity and further enhance the formation of secondary organic aerosols, thereby significantly enhancing the C₂ particles and its precursors as observed during the lockdown. Before the lockdown, C₂ particles were significantly originated from biomass burning emissions and their subsequent aqueous-phase oxidation. The hourly variation patterns and correlation analysis before the lockdown suggested that relative humidity (RH) and aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) played a key role in the formation of C₂ particles and the increased aerosol acidity can promote the conversion of precursors such as glyoxal (Gly) and methyglyoxal (mGly) into C₂ particles in the aqueous phase. RH and ALWC decreased sharply but O₃ concentration and solar radiation increased remarkably during the lockdown, the O₃-dominated photochemical pathways played an important role in the formation of C₂ particles in which aerosol acidity was ineffective. Our study indicated that air pollution treatment sponges on a joint-control and balanced strategy for controlling numerous pollutants.

Tracer-based characterization of source variations of PM2.5 and organic carbon in Shanghai influenced by the COVID-19 lockdown

Air quality in megacities is significantly impacted by emissions from vehicles and other urban-scale human activities. Amid the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in January 2020, strict policies were in place to restrict people's movement, bringing about steep reductions in pollution activities and notably lower ambient concentrations of primary pollutants. In this study, we report hourly measurements of fine particulate matter (i.e., PM_2.5) and its comprehensive chemical speciation, including elemental and molecular source tracers, at an urban site in Shanghai spanning a period before the lockdown restriction (BR) (1 to 23 Jan. 2020) and during the restriction (DR) (24 Jan. to 9 Feb. 2020). The overall PM_2.5 was reduced by 27% from 56.2 ± 40.9 (BR) to 41.1 ± 25.3 μg m^-3 (DR) and the organic carbon (OC) in PM_2.5 was similar, averaged at 5.45 ± 2.37 (BR) and 5.42 ± 1.75 μgC m^-3 (DR). Reduction in nitrate was prominent, from 18.1 (BR) to 9.2 μg m^-3 (DR), accounting for most of the PM_2.5 decrease. Source analysis of PM_2.5 using positive matrix factorization modeling of comprehensive chemical composition, resolved nine primary source factors and five secondary source factors. The quantitative source analysis confirms reduced contributions from primary sources affected by COVID-19, with vehicular emissions showing the largest drop, from 4.6 (BR) to 0.61 μg m^-3 (DR) and the percentage change (-87%) in par with vehicle traffic volume and fuel sale statistics (-60% to -90%). In the same time period, secondary sources are revealed to vary in response to precursor reductions from the lockdown, with two sources showing consistent enhancement while the other three showing reductions, highlighting the complexity in secondary organic aerosol formation and the nonlinear response to broad primary precursor pollutants. The combined contribution from the two secondary sources to PM_2.5 increased from 7.3 ± 6.6 (BR) to 14.8 ± 9.3 μg m^-3 (DR), partially offsetting the reductions from primary sources and nitrate while their increased contribution to OC, from 1.6 ± 1.4 (BR) to 3.2 ± 2.0 μgC m^-3 (DR), almost offset the decrease coming from the primary sources. Results from this work underscore challenges in predicting the benefits to PM_2.5 improvement from emission reductions of common urban primary sources.

In Situ Measurements of Molecular Markers Facilitate Understanding of Dynamic Sources of Atmospheric Organic Aerosols

Reducing the amount of organic aerosol (OA) is crucial to mitigation of particulate pollution in China. We present time and air-origin dependent variations of OA markers and source contributions at a regionally urban background site in South China. The continental air contained primary OA markers indicative of source categories, such as levoglucosan, fatty acids, and oleic acid. Secondary OA (SOA) markers derived from isoprene and monoterpenes also exhibited higher concentrations in continental air, due to more emissions of their precursors from terrestrial ecosystems and facilitation of anthropogenic sulfate for monoterpenes SOA. The marine air and continental-marine mixed air had more abundant hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids (OHDCA), with anthropogenic unsaturated organics as potential precursors. However, OHDCA formation in continental air was likely attributable to both biogenic and anthropogenic precursors. The production efficiency of OHDCA was highest in marine air, related to the presence of sulfur dioxide and/or organic precursors in ship emissions. Regional biomass burning (BB) was identified as the largest contributor of OA in continental air, with contributions fluctuating from 8% to 74%. In contrast, anthropogenic SOA accounted for the highest fraction of OA in marine (37 ± 4%) and mixed air (31 ± 3%), overriding the contributions from BB. This study demonstrates the utility of molecular markers for discerning OA pollution sources in the offshore marine atmosphere, where continental and marine air pollutants interact and atmospheric oxidative capacity may be enhanced.

Field Evidence of Fe-Mediated Photochemical Degradation of Oxalate and Subsequent Sulfate Formation Observed by Single Particle Mass Spectrometry

In this work, we deployed a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) at a suburban coastal site in Hong Kong from February 04 to April 17, 2013 to study individual oxalate particles and a monitor for aerosols and gases in ambient air (MARGA) to track the bulk oxalate concentrations in particle matter smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM_2.5). A shallow dip in the bulk oxalate concentration was consistently observed before 10:00 am in the morning throughout the observation campaign, corresponding to a 20% decrease in the oxalate concentration on average during the decay process. Such a decrease in PM oxalate was found to be coincident with a decrease in Fe-containing oxalate particles, providing persuasive evidence of Fe-mediated photochemical degradation of oxalate. Oxalate mixed with Fe and Fe_NaK particles, from industry sources, were identified as the dominant factors for oxalate decay in the early morning. We further found an increase of sulfate intensity by a factor of 1.6 on these individual Fe-containing particles during the oxalate decomposition process, suggesting a facilitation of sulfur oxidation. This is the first report on the oxalate-Fe decomposition process with individual particle level information and provides unique evidence to advance our current understanding of oxalate and Fe cycling. The present work also indicates the importance of anthropogenic sourced iron in oxalate-Fe photochemical processing. In addition, V-containing oxalate particles, from ship emissions, also showed evidence of morning photodegradation and need further attention since current models rarely consider photochemical processing of oxalate_V particles.

Molecular characteristics and stable carbon isotope compositions of dicarboxylic acids and related compounds in the urban atmosphere of the North China Plain: Implications for aqueous phase formation of SOA during the haze periods

In the past five years, Chinese government has promulgated stringent measures to mitigate air pollution. However, PM_2.5 levels in the China North Plain (NCP), which is one of the regions with the heaviest air pollution in the world, are still far beyond the World Health Organization (WHO) standard. To improve our understanding on the sources and formation mechanisms of haze in the NCP, PM_2.5 samples were collected during the winter of 2017 on a day/night basis at the urban site of Liaocheng, which is one of the most polluted cities in the NCP. The samples were determined for molecular distributions and stable carbon isotope compositions of dicarboxylic acids and their precursors (ketocarboxylic acids and α-dicarbonyls), levoglucosan, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Our results showed that oxalic acid (C₂) is the dominant dicarboxylic acid, followed by succinic acid (C₄) and malonic acid (C₃), and glyoxylic acid (ωC₂) is the most abundant ketocarboxylic acids. Concentrations of C₂, glyoxal (Gly) and methylglyoxal (mGly) presented robust correlations with levoglucosan, suggesting that biomass burning is a significant source of PM_2.5 in the NCP. Moreover, C₂ and Gly and mGly linearly correlated with SO₄^2-, relative humidity (RH), aerosol liquid water content (LWC) as well as particle in-situ pH (pH_is), indicating that aqueous-phase oxidation is the major formation pathway of these SOA, and is driven by acid-catalyzed oxidation. Concentrations and relative abundances of secondary species including SNA (SO₄^2-, NO₃^- and NH₄⁺), dicarboxylic acids, and aerosol LWC in PM_2.5 are much higher in the haze periods than in the clean periods, suggesting that aqueous reaction is a vital role in the haze formation. In comparison with those in the clean periods, stable carbon isotopic compositions (δ¹³C) of major dicarboxylic acids and related SOA and the mass ratios of C₂/diacids, C₂/Gly and C₂/mGly are higher in the haze periods, indicating that haze particles were more aged and enriched in secondary species.

Advances in science and applications of air pollution monitoring: A case study on oil sands monitoring targeting ecosystem protection

The potential environmental impact of air pollutants emitted from the oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada, has received considerable attention. The mining and processing of bitumen to produce synthetic crude oil, and the waste products associated with this activity, lead to significant emissions of gaseous and particle air pollutants. Deposition of pollutants occurs locally (i.e., near the sources) and also potentially at distances downwind, depending upon each pollutant's chemical and physical properties and meteorological conditions. The Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Program (JOSM) was initiated in 2012 by the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta to enhance or improve monitoring of pollutants and their potential impacts. In support of JOSM, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) undertook a significant research effort via three components: the Air, Water, and Wildlife components, which were implemented to better estimate baseline conditions related to levels of pollutants in the air and water, amounts of deposition, and exposures experienced by the biota. The criteria air contaminants (e.g., nitrogen oxides [NO_x], sulfur dioxide [SO₂], volatile organic compounds [VOCs], particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm [PM_2.5]) and their secondary atmospheric products were of interest, as well as toxic compounds, particularly polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), trace metals, and mercury (Hg). This critical review discusses the challenges of assessing ecosystem impacts and summarizes the major results of these efforts through approximately 2018. Focus is on the emissions to the air and the findings from the Air Component of the ECCC research and linkages to observations of contaminant levels in the surface waters in the region, in aquatic species, as well as in terrestrial and avian species. The existing evidence of impact on these species is briefly discussed, as is the potential for some of them to serve as sentinel species for the ongoing monitoring needed to better understand potential effects, their potential causes, and to detect future changes. Quantification of the atmospheric emissions of multiple pollutants needs to be improved, as does an understanding of the processes influencing fugitive emissions and local and regional deposition patterns. The influence of multiple stressors on biota exposure and response, from natural bitumen and forest fires to climate change, complicates the current ability to attribute effects to air emissions from the industry. However, there is growing evidence of the impact of current levels of PACs on some species, pointing to the need to improve the ability to predict PAC exposures and the key emission source involved. Although this critical review attempts to integrate some of the findings across the components, in terms of ECCC activities, increased coordination or integration of air, water, and wildlife research would enhance deeper scientific understanding. Improved understanding is needed in order to guide the development of long-term monitoring strategies that could most efficiently inform a future adaptive management approach to oil sands environmental monitoring and prevention of impacts. Implications: Quantification of atmospheric emissions for multiple pollutants needs to be improved, and reporting mechanisms and standards could be adapted to facilitate such improvements, including periodic validation, particularly where uncertainties are the largest. Understanding of baseline conditions in the air, water and biota has improved significantly; ongoing enhanced monitoring, building on this progress, will help improve ecosystem protection measures in the oil sands region. Sentinel species have been identified that could be used to identify and characterize potential impacts of wildlife exposure, both locally and regionally. Polycyclic aromatic compounds are identified as having an impact on aquatic and terrestrial wildlife at current concentration levels although the significance of these impacts and attribution to emissions from oil sands development requires further assessment. Given the improvement in high resolution air quality prediction models, these should be a valuable tool to future environmental assessments and cumulative environment impact assessments.

Dicarboxylic acids and related compounds in fine particulate matter aerosols in Huangshi, central China

PM_2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) samples were collected in Huangshi, central China, from March 2012 to February 2013 and were analyzed for dicarboxylic acids (diacids) and related compounds (DARCs). Oxalic acid (C₂; 416 ng m^-3) was the most abundant species, followed by phthalic (Ph; 122 ng m^-3), terephthalic (tPh; 116 ng m^-3), succinic (C₄; 70.4 ng m^-3), azelaic (C₉; 67.9 ng m^-3), and adipic (C₆; 57.8 ng m^-3) acids. Relatively high abundances of Ph and tPh differed from the distribution in urban and marine aerosols, indicating contributions from nearby anthropogenic sources. Glyoxylic acid (ωC₂; 41.4 ng m^-3) was the dominant oxoacid, followed by 9-oxononanoic (ωC₉; 40.8 ng m^-3) and pyruvic (Pyr; 24.1 ng m^-3) acids. Glyoxal (Gly; 35.5 ng m^-3) was the dominant α-dicarbonyl. Highest average concentrations were found for C₂, ωC₂, and C₉ in autumn, for C₄, for Pyr and C₆ in spring, for Ph, ωC₉, and Gly in summer, whereas the lowest values were observed in winter. Seasonal variations and correlation coefficients of DARCs demonstrate that both primary emissions and secondary production are important sources. Principal component analysis of selected DARCs species suggests that a mixing of air masses from anthropogenic and biogenic sources contribute to the Huangshi aerosols. Implications: Both primary emissions and secondary production are important sources of diacids and related compounds in PM_2.5 from Huangshi, central China. Principal component analysis of selected diacids in Huangshi aerosols suggests that mixing of air masses from anthropogenic and biogenic sources contribute to ambient aerosols in central China.

Chemical Composition of Aerosol over the Arctic Ocean from Summer ARctic EXpedition (AREX) 2011–2012 Cruises: Ions, Amines, Elemental Carbon, Organic Matter, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, n-Alkanes, Metals, and Rare Earth Elements

During the summers of 2011 and 2012, two scientific cruises were carried out over the Arctic Ocean aiming at the determination of the aerosol chemical composition in this pristine environment. First, mass spectrometry was applied to study the concentration and gas/particle partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-alkanes. Experimental and modelled data of phase partitioning were compared: results demonstrated an equilibrium between gas and particle phase for PAHs, while n-alkanes showed a particle-oriented partitioning, due to the local marine origin of them, confirmed by the extremely low value of their carbon preference index. Moreover, the inorganic and organic ions (carboxylic acids and amines) concentrations, together with those of elemental carbon (EC) and organic matter (OM), were analyzed: 63% of aerosol was composed of ionic compounds (>90% from sea-salt) and the OM content was very high (30.5%; close to 29.0% of Cl−) in agreement with n-alkanes’ marine signature. Furthermore, the amines’ (dimethylamine, trimethylamine, diethylamine) concentrations were 3.98 ± 1.21, 1.70 ± 0.82, and 1.06 ± 0.56 p.p.t.v., respectively, fully in keeping with concentration values used in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplet)-chamber experiments to simulate the ambient nucleation rate in a H2SO4-DMA-H2O system, showing the amines’ importance in polar regions to promote new particle formation. Finally, high resolution mass spectrometry was applied to determine trace elements, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs), highlighting the dominant natural versus anthropic inputs for trace metals (e.g., Fe, Mn, Ti vs. As, Cd, Ni) and possible signatures of such anthropic activity.

Evidence for the Importance of Semivolatile Organic Ammonium Salts in Ambient Particulate Matter

The gas/particle phase partitioning behavior of NH₃/NH₄⁺ and other semivolatile constituents was measured by a custom-designed Denuder-MOUDI-Denuder integrated sampling system in Toronto, Canada. In this setup, upstream denuders were used to capture alkaline and acidic gaseous components, and particle phase components were captured by the filters on MOUDI stages. Downstream denuders captured any alkaline and acidic gases that exited the MOUDI apparatus, likely representing semivolatile constituents. In the ambient gas phase HCOOH was the most abundant acidic gas, with an average mixing ratio ∼2-3 times higher than that of SO₂ and HNO₃. It was found that the majority (49-96%) of filter-collected NH₄⁺ volatilized during collection. NO₃^- volatilization could only explain 0.9-15% of NH₄⁺ loss from the filters. Instead, a strong correlation and nearly 1:1 molar ratio between downstream HCOO^- and NH₄⁺ indicated that most of the semivolatile NH₄⁺ was originally balanced by organic acids in the ambient particle phase. The thermodynamic properties of HCOOH/HCOO^- suggest that it should not have been present at high levels in the ambient particle phase, and we interpret its detection in the downstream denuder as evidence for larger organic acids that reacted to generate HCOOH prior to our offline measurement.

Photochemical Cloud Processing of Primary Wildfire Emissions as a Potential Source of Secondary Organic Aerosol

We investigated the gas-phase chemical composition of biomass burning (BB) emissions and their role in aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA) formation through photochemical cloud processing. A high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer using iodide reagent ion chemistry detected more than 100 gas-phase compounds from the emissions of 30 different controlled burns during the 2016 Fire Influence on Regional and Global Environments Experiment (FIREX) at the Fire Science Laboratory. Compounds likely to partition to cloudwater were selected based on high atomic oxygen-to-carbon ratio and abundance. Water solubility was confirmed by detection of these compounds in water after mist chamber collection during controlled burns and analysis using ion chromatography and electrospray ionization interfaced to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Known precursors of aqSOA were found in the primary gaseous BB emissions (e.g., phenols, acetate, and pyruvate). Aqueous OH oxidation of the complex biomass burning mixtures led to rapid depletion of many compounds (e.g., catechol, levoglucosan, methoxyphenol) and formation of others (e.g., oxalate, malonate, mesoxalate). After 150 min of oxidation (approximatively 1 day of cloud processing), oxalate accounted for 13-16% of total dissolved organic carbon. Formation of known SOA components suggests that cloud processing of primary BB emissions forms SOA.

Development and characterization of a high-efficiency, aircraft-based axial cyclone cloud water collector

A new aircraft-mounted probe for collecting samples of cloud water has been designed, fabricated, and extensively tested. Following previous designs, the probe uses inertial separation to remove cloud droplets from the airstream, which are subsequently collected and stored for offline analysis. We report details of the design, operation, and modelled and measured probe performance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to understand the flow patterns around the complex interior geometrical features that were optimized to ensure efficient droplet capture. CFD simulations coupled with particle tracking and multiphase surface transport modelling provide detailed estimates of the probe performance across the entire range of flight operating conditions and sampling scenarios. Physical operation of the probe was tested on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules (fuselage mounted) and de Havilland Twin Otter (wing pylon mounted) during three airborne field campaigns. During C-130 flights on the final field campaign, the probe reflected the most developed version of the design and a median cloud water collection rate of 4.5 mL min^-1 was achieved. This allowed samples to be collected over 1-2 min under optimal cloud conditions. Flights on the Twin Otter featured an inter-comparison of the new probe with a slotted-rod collector, which has an extensive airborne campaign legacy. Comparison of trace species concentrations showed good agreement between collection techniques, with absolute concentrations of most major ions agreeing within 30 %, over a range of several orders of magnitude.

Oxygenated VOCs, aqueous chemistry, and potential impacts on residential indoor air composition

Dampness affects a substantial percentage of homes and is associated with increased risk of respiratory ailments; yet, the effects of dampness on indoor chemistry are largely unknown. We hypothesize that the presence of water-soluble gases and their aqueous processing alters the chemical composition of indoor air and thereby affects inhalation and dermal exposures in damp homes. Herein, we use the existing literature and new measurements to examine the plausibility of this hypothesis, summarize existing evidence, and identify key knowledge gaps. While measurements of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are abundant, measurements of water-soluble organic gases (WSOGs) are not. We found that concentrations of total WSOGs were, on average, 15 times higher inside homes than immediately outside (N = 13). We provide insights into WSOG compounds likely to be present indoors using peer-reviewed literature and insights from atmospheric chemistry. Finally, we discuss types of aqueous chemistry that may occur on indoor surfaces and speculate how this chemistry could affect indoor exposures. Liquid water quantities, identities of water-soluble compounds, the dominant chemistry, and fate of aqueous products are poorly understood. These limitations hamper our ability to determine the effects of aqueous indoor chemistry on dermal and inhalation exposures in damp homes.

Dicarboxylic acids, ω-oxocarboxylic acids, α-dicarbonyls, WSOC, OC, EC, and inorganic ions in wintertime size-segregated aerosols from central India: Sources and formation processes

The size distributions of aerosols can provide evidences for their sources and formation processes in the atmosphere. Size-segregated aerosols (9-sizes) were collected in urban site (Raipur: 21.2°N and 82.3°E) in central India during winter of 2012-2013. The samples were analyzed for dicarboxylic acids (C2-C12), ω-oxocarboxylic acids (ωC2-ωC9), pyruvic acid and α-dicarbonyls (C2-C3) as well as elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), water-soluble OC (WSOC) and inorganic ions. Diacids showed a predominance of oxalic acid (C2) followed by succinic and azelaic acid whereas ω-oxoacids exhibited a predominance of glyoxylic acid and glyoxal was more abundant than methylglyoxal in all the sizes. Diacids, ω-oxoacids and α-dicarbonyls showed bimodal size distribution with peaks in fine and coarse modes. High correlations of fine mode diacids and related compounds with potassium and levoglucosan suggest that they were presumably due to a substantial contribution of primary emission from biomass burning and secondary production from biomass burning derived precursors. High correlations of C2 with higher carbon number diacids (C3-C9) suggest that they have similar sources and C2 may be produced via the decay of its higher homologous diacids in fine mode. Considerable portions of diacids and related compounds in coarse mode suggest that they were associated with mineral dust particles by their adsorption and photooxidation of anthropogenic and biogenic precursors via heterogeneous reaction on dust surface. This study demonstrates that biomass burning and dust particles are two major factors to control the size distribution of diacids and related compounds in the urban aerosols from central India.

Hydrogen bonding in cyclic complexes of carboxylic acid–sulfuric acid and their atmospheric implications

Carboxylic acids form cyclic ring structures with sulfuric acid and they could potentially be important in new particle formation.

Diurnal and temporal variations of water-soluble dicarboxylic acids and related compounds in aerosols from the northern vicinity of Beijing: implication for photochemical aging during atmospheric transport

Aerosol samples were collected in autumn 2007 on day- and nighttime basis in the northern receptor site of Beijing, China. The samples were analyzed for total carbon (TC) and water-soluble dicarboxylic acids (C2-C12), oxocarboxylic acids (C2-C9), glyoxal and methylglyoxal to better understand the photochemical aging of organic aerosols in the vicinity of Beijing. Concentrations of TC are 50% greater in daytime when winds come from Beijing than in nighttime when winds come from the northern forest areas. Most diacids showed higher concentrations in daytime, suggesting that the organics emitted from the urban Beijing and delivered to the northern vicinity in daytime are subjected to photo-oxidation to result in diacids. However, oxalic acid (C2), which is the most abundant diacid followed by C3 or C4, became on average 30% more abundant in nighttime together with azelaic, ω-oxooctanoic and ω-oxononanoic acids, which are specific oxidation products of biogenic unsaturated fatty acids. Methylglyoxal, an oxidation product of isoprene and a precursor of oxalic acid, also became 29% more abundant in nighttime. Based on a positive correlation between C2 and glyoxylic acid (ωC2) in nighttime when relative humidity significantly enhanced, we propose a nighttime aqueous phase production of C2 via the oxidation of ωC2. We found an increase in the contribution of diacids to TC by 3 folds during consecutive clear days. This study demonstrates that diacids and related compounds are largely produced in the northern vicinity of Beijing via photochemical processing of organic precursors emitted from urban center and forest areas.

Aerosol liquid water driven by anthropogenic nitrate: implications for lifetimes of water-soluble organic gases and potential for secondary organic aerosol formation

Aerosol liquid water (ALW) influences aerosol radiative properties and the partitioning of gas-phase water-soluble organic compounds (WSOCg) to the condensed phase. A recent modeling study drew attention to the anthropogenic nature of ALW in the southeastern United States, where predicted ALW is driven by regional sulfate. Herein, we demonstrate that ALW in the Po Valley, Italy, is also anthropogenic but is driven by locally formed nitrate, illustrating regional differences in the aerosol components responsible for ALW. We present field evidence for the influence of controllable ALW on the lifetimes and atmospheric budgets of reactive organic gases and note the role of ALW in the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Nitrate is expected to increase in importance due to increased emissions of nitrate precursors, as well as policies aimed at reducing sulfur emissions. We argue that the impacts of increased particulate nitrate in future climate and air quality scenarios may be under predicted because they do not account for the increased potential for SOA formation in nitrate-derived ALW, nor do they account for the impacts of this ALW on reactive gas budgets and gas-phase photochemistry.

Modeling the impact of iron-carboxylate photochemistry on radical budget and carboxylate degradation in cloud droplets and particles

To quantify the effects of an advanced iron photochemistry scheme, the chemical aqueous-phase radical mechanism (CAPRAM 3.0i) has been updated with several new Fe(III)-carboxylate complex photolysis reactions. Newly introduced ligands are malonate, succinate, tartrate, tartronate, pyruvate, and glyoxalate. Model simulations show that more than 50% of the total Fe(III) is coordinated by oxalate and up to 20% of total Fe(III) is bound in the newly implemented 1:1 complexes with tartronate, malonate, and pyruvate. Up to 20% of the total Fe(III) is found in hydroxo and sulfato complexes. The fraction of [Fe(oxalate)2](-) and [Fe(pyruvate)](2+) is significantly higher during nighttime than during daytime, which points toward a strong influence of photochemistry on these species. Fe(III) complex photolysis is an important additional sink for tartronate, pyruvate, and oxalate, with a complex photolysis contribution to overall degradation of 46, 40, and 99%, respectively, compared to all possible sink reactions with atmospheric aqueous-phase radicals, such as (•)OH, NO3(•), and SO4(•) (-). Simulated aerosol particles have a much lower liquid water content than cloud droplets, thus leading to high concentrations of species and, consequently, an enhancement of the photolysis sink reactions in the aerosol particles. The simulations showed that Fe(III) photochemistry should not be neglected when considering the fate of carboxylic acids, which constitute a major part of aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA) in tropospheric cloud droplets and aqueous particles. Failure to consider this loss pathway has the potential to result in a significant overestimate of aqSOA production.

Primary gas- and particle-phase emissions and secondary organic aerosol production from gasoline and diesel off-road engines

Dilution and smog chamber experiments were performed to characterize the primary emissions and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from gasoline and diesel small off-road engines (SOREs). These engines are high emitters of primary gas- and particle-phase pollutants relative to their fuel consumption. Two- and 4-stroke gasoline SOREs emit much more (up to 3 orders of magnitude more) nonmethane organic gases (NMOGs), primary PM and organic carbon than newer on-road gasoline vehicles (per kg of fuel burned). The primary emissions from a diesel transportation refrigeration unit were similar to those of older, uncontrolled diesel engines used in on-road vehicles (e.g., premodel year 2007 heavy-duty diesel trucks). Two-strokes emitted the largest fractional (and absolute) amount of SOA precursors compared to diesel and 4-stroke gasoline SOREs; however, 35-80% of the NMOG emissions from the engines could not be speciated using traditional gas chromatography or high-performance liquid chromatography. After 3 h of photo-oxidation in a smog chamber, dilute emissions from both 2- and 4-stroke gasoline SOREs produced large amounts of semivolatile SOA. The effective SOA yield (defined as the ratio of SOA mass to estimated mass of reacted precursors) was 2-4% for 2- and 4-stroke SOREs, which is comparable to yields from dilute exhaust from older passenger cars and unburned gasoline. This suggests that much of the SOA production was due to unburned fuel and/or lubrication oil. The total PM contribution of different mobile source categories to the ambient PM burden was calculated by combining primary emission, SOA production and fuel consumption data. Relative to their fuel consumption, SOREs are disproportionately high total PM sources; however, the vastly greater fuel consumption of on-road vehicles renders them (on-road vehicles) the dominant mobile source of ambient PM in the Los Angeles area.

A general scavenging rate constant for reaction of hydroxyl radical with organic carbon in atmospheric waters

Hydroxyl radical (OH) is an important oxidant in atmospheric aqueous phases such as cloud and fog drops and water-containing aerosol particles. We find that numerical models nearly always overestimate aqueous hydroxyl radical concentrations because they overpredict its rate of formation and, more significantly, underpredict its sinks. To address this latter point, we examined OH sinks in atmospheric drops and aqueous particles using both new samples and an analysis of published data. Although the molecular composition of organic carbon, the dominant sink of OH, is extremely complex and poorly constrained, this sink behaves very similarly in different atmospheric waters and even in surface waters. Thus, the sink for aqueous OH can be estimated as the concentration of dissolved organic carbon multiplied by a general scavenging rate constant [kC,OH = (3.8 ± 1.9) × 10(8) L (mol C)(-1) s(-1)], a simple process that should significantly improve estimates of OH concentrations in atmospheric drops and aqueous particles.

Observations of sharp oxalate reductions in stratocumulus clouds at variable altitudes: organic acid and metal measurements during the 2011 E-PEACE campaign

This work examines organic acid and metal concentrations in northeastern Pacific Ocean stratocumulus cloudwater samples collected by the CIRPAS Twin Otter between July and August 2011. Correlations between a suite of various monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acid concentrations are consistent with documented aqueous-phase mechanistic relationships leading up to oxalate production. Monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids exhibited contrasting spatial profiles reflecting their different sources; the former were higher in concentration near the continent due to fresh organic emissions. Concentrations of sea salt crustal tracer species, oxalate, and malonate were positively correlated with low-level wind speed suggesting that an important route for oxalate and malonate entry in cloudwater is via some combination of association with coarse particles and gaseous precursors emitted from the ocean surface. Three case flights show that oxalate (and no other organic acid) concentrations drop by nearly an order of magnitude relative to samples in the same vicinity. A consistent feature in these cases was an inverse relationship between oxalate and several metals (Fe, Mn, K, Na, Mg, Ca), especially Fe. By means of box model studies we show that the loss of oxalate due to the photolysis of iron oxalato complexes is likely a significant oxalate sink in the study region due to the ubiquity of oxalate precursors, clouds, and metal emissions from ships, the ocean, and continental sources.

Simulating the degree of oxidation in atmospheric organic particles

Modeled ratios of organic mass to organic carbon (OM/OC) and oxygen to carbon (n(O)/n(C)) in organic particulate matter are presented across the US for the first time and evaluated extensively against ambient measurements. The base model configuration systematically underestimates OM/OC ratios during winter and summer months. Model performance is greatly improved by applying source-specific OM/OC ratios to the primary organic aerosol (POA) emissions and incorporating a new parametrization to simulate oxidative aging of POA in the atmosphere. These model improvements enable simulation of urban-scale gradients in OM/OC with values in urban areas as much as 0.4 lower than in the surrounding regions. Modeled OM/OC and n(O)/n(C) ratios in January range from 1.4 to 2.0 and 0.2 to 0.6, respectively. In July, modeled OM/OC and n(O)/n(C) ratios range from 1.4 to 2.2 and 0.2 to 0.8, respectively. Improved model performance during winter is attributed entirely to our application of source-specific OM/OC ratios to the inventory. During summer, our treatment of oxidative aging also contributes to improved performance. Advancements described in this paper are codified in the latest public release of the Community Multiscale Air Quality model, CMAQv5.0.

Formation of nitrogen-containing oligomers by methylglyoxal and amines in simulated evaporating cloud droplets

Reactions of methylglyoxal with amino acids, methylamine, and ammonium sulfate can take place in aqueous aerosol and evaporating cloud droplets. These processes are simulated by drying droplets and bulk solutions of these compounds (at low millimolar and 1 M concentrations, respectively) and analyzing the residuals by scanning mobility particle sizing, nuclear magnetic resonance, aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS), and electrospray ionization MS. The results are consistent with imine (but not diimine) formation on a time scale of seconds, followed by the formation of nitrogen-containing oligomers, methylimidazole, and dimethylimidazole products on a time scale of minutes to hours. Measured elemental ratios are consistent with imidazoles and oligomers being major reaction products, while effective aerosol densities suggest extensive reactions take place within minutes. These reactions may be a source of the light-absorbing, nitrogen-containing oligomers observed in urban and biomass-burning aerosol particles.