Heterogeneous atmospheric aerosol production by acid-catalyzed particle-phase reactions

Decreases in Epoxide-Driven Secondary Organic Aerosol Production under Highly Acidic Conditions: The Importance of Acid-Base Equilibria

Isoprene has the highest atmospheric emissions of any nonmethane hydrocarbon, and isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) are well-established oxidation products and the primary contributors forming isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Highly acidic particles (pH 0-3) widespread across the lower troposphere enable acid-driven multiphase chemistry of IEPOX, such as epoxide ring-opening reactions forming methyltetrol sulfates through nucleophilic attack of sulfate (SO42-). Herein, we systematically demonstrate an unexpected decrease in SOA formation from IEPOX on highly acidic particles (pH < 1). While IEPOX-SOA formation is commonly assumed to increase at low pH when more [H+] is available to protonate epoxides, we observe maximum SOA formation at pH 1 and less SOA formation at pH 0.0 and 0.4. This is attributed to limited availability of SO42- at pH values below the acid dissociation constant (pKa) of SO42- and bisulfate (HSO4-). The nucleophilicity of HSO4- is 100× lower than SO42-, decreasing SOA formation and shifting particulate products from low-volatility organosulfates to higher-volatility polyols. Current model parameterizations predicting SOA yields for IEPOX-SOA do not properly account for the SO42-/HSO4- equilibrium, leading to overpredictions of SOA formation at low pH. Accounting for this underexplored acidity-dependent behavior is critical for accurately predicting SOA concentrations and resolving SOA impacts on air quality.

Quantitative kinetics reveal that reactions of HO2 are a significant sink for aldehydes in the atmosphere and may initiate the formation of highly oxygenated molecules via autoxidation

Large aldehydes are widespread in the atmosphere and their oxidation leads to secondary organic aerosols. The current understanding of their chemical transformation processes is limited to hydroxyl radical (OH) oxidation during daytime and nitrate radical (NO3) oxidation during nighttime. Here, we report quantitative kinetics calculations of the reactions of hexanal (C5H11CHO), pentanal (C4H9CHO), and butanal (C3H7CHO) with hydroperoxyl radical (HO2) at atmospheric temperatures and pressures. We find that neither tunneling nor multistructural torsion anharmonicity should be neglected in computing these rate constants; strong anharmonicity at the transition states is also important. We find rate constants for the three reactions in the range 3.2-7.7 × 10-14 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 298 K and 1 atm, showing that the HO2 reactions can be competitive with OH and NO3 oxidation under some conditions relevant to the atmosphere. Our findings reveal that HO2-initiated oxidation of large aldehydes may be responsible for the formation of highly oxygenated molecules via autoxidation. We augment the theoretic studies with laboratory flow-tube experiments using an iodide-adduct time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer to confirm the theoretical predictions of peroxy radicals and the autoxidation pathway. We find that the adduct from HO2 + C5H11CHO undergoes a fast unimolecular 1,7-hydrogen shift with a rate constant of 0.45 s-1. We suggest that the HO2 reactions make significant contributions to the sink of aldehydes.

Direct Observation of Particle-To-Particle Variability in Ambient Aerosol pH Using a Novel Analytical Approach Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

The pH of atmospheric aerosols is a key characteristic that profoundly influences their impacts on climate change, human health, and ecosystems. Despite widely performed aerosol pH research, determining the pH levels of individual atmospheric aerosol particles has been a challenge. This study presents a novel analytical technique that utilizes surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to assess the pH of individual ambient PM2.5-10 aerosol particles in conjunction with examining their hygroscopic behavior, morphology, and elemental compositions. The results revealed a substantial pH variation among simultaneously collected aerosol particles, ranging from 3.3 to 5.7. This variability is likely related to each particle's unique reaction and aging states. The extensive particle-to-particle pH variability suggests that atmospheric aerosols present at the same time and location can exhibit diverse reactivities, reaction pathways, phase equilibria, and phase separation properties. This pioneering study paves the way for in-depth investigations into particle-to-particle variability, size dependency, and detailed spatial and temporal variations of aerosol pH, thus deepening our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and its environmental implications.

The role of aldehydes on sulfur based-new particle formation: a theoretical study

Aldehydes play a crucial role in the formation of atmospheric particles, attracting significant attention due to their environmental impact. However, the microscopic mechanisms underlying the formation of aldehyde-involved particles remain uncertain. In this study, through quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we investigate the microscopic formation mechanisms of binary and ternary systems composed of three representative aldehydes, two sulfur-based acids, water, and two bases. Our research findings reveal that the most stable structures of acid-aldehyde clusters involve the connection of acids and aldehyde compounds through hydrogen bonds without involving proton transfer reactions, indicating relatively poor cluster stability. However, with the introduction of a third component, the stability of 18 clusters significantly increase. Among these, in ten systems, acids act as catalysts, facilitating reactions between aldehyde compounds and water or alkaline substances to generate glycols and amino alcohols. However, according to MD simulations conducted at 300 K, these acids readily dissociate from the resulting products. In the remaining eight systems, the most stable structural feature involves ion pairs formed by proton transfer reactions between acids and aldehyde compounds. These clusters exhibit remarkable thermodynamic stability. Furthermore, the acidity of the acid, the nature of nucleophilic agents, and the type of aldehyde all play significant roles in cluster stability and reactivity, and they have synergistic effects on the nucleation process. This study offers microscopic insights into the processes of new particle formation involving aldehydes, contributing to a deeper understanding of atmospheric chemistry at the molecular level.

Aerosol liquid water in PM2.5 and its roles in secondary aerosol formation at a regional site of Yangtze River Delta

Aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) plays an important role in secondary aerosol formation. In this study, a whole year field campaign was conducted at Shanxi in north Zhejiang Province during 2021. ALWC estimated by ISORROPIA-II was then investigated to explore its characteristics and relationship with secondary aerosols. ALWC exhibited a highest value in spring (66.38 µg/m3), followed by winter (45.08 µg/m3), summer (41.64 µg/m3), and autumn (35.01 µg/m3), respectively. It was supposed that the secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA) were facilitated under higher ALWC conditions (RH > 80%), while the secondary organic species tended to form under lower ALWC levels. Higher RH (> 80%) promoted the NO3- formation via gas-particle partitioning, while SO42- was generated at a relative lower RH (> 50%). The ALWC was more sensitive to NO3- (R = 0.94) than SO42- (R = 0.90). Thus, the self-amplifying processes between the ALWC and SIA enhanced the particle mass growth. The sensitivity of ALWC and OX (NO2 + O3) to secondary organic carbon (SOC) varied in different seasons at Shanxi, more sensitive to aqueous-phase reactions (daytime R = 0.84; nighttime R = 0.54) than photochemical oxidation (daytime R = 0.23; nighttime R = 0.41) in wintertime with a high level of OX (daytime: 130-140 µg/m3; nighttime: 100-140 µg/m3). The self-amplifying process of ALWC and SIA and the aqueous-phase formation of SOC will enhance aerosol formation, contributing to air pollution and reduction of visibility.

Effects of NO2 and SO2 on the secondary organic aerosol formation from β-pinene photooxidation

Elucidating the effects of anthropogenic pollutants on the photooxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds is crucial to understanding the fundamental mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. Here, the impacts of NO2 and SO2 on SOA formation from the photooxidation of a representative monoterpene, β-pinene, were investigated by a number of laboratory studies. The results indicated NO2 enhanced the SOA mass concentrations and particle number concentrations under both low and high β-pinene conditions. This could be rationalized that the increased O3 concentrations upon the NOx photolysis was helpful for the generation of more amounts of O3-oxidized products, which accelerated the SOA nucleation and growth. Combing with NO2, the promotion of the SOA yield by SO2 was mainly reflected in the increase of mass concentration, which might be due to the elimination of the newly formed particles by the initially formed particles. The observed low oxidation degree of SOA might be attributed to the fast growth of SOA, resulting in the uptake of less oxygenated gas-phase species onto the particle phase. The present findings have important implications for SOA formation affected by anthropogenic-biogenic interactions in the ambient atmosphere.

Effect of Acidity on Ice Nucleation by Inorganic-Organic Mixed Droplets

Aerosol acidity significantly influences heterogeneous chemical reactions and human health. Additionally, acidity may play a role in cloud formation by modifying the ice nucleation properties of inorganic and organic aerosols. In this work, we combined our well-established ice nucleation technique with Raman microspectroscopy to study ice nucleation in representative inorganic and organic aerosols across a range of pH conditions (pH -0.1 to 5.5). Homogeneous nucleation was observed in systems containing ammonium sulfate, sulfuric acid, and sucrose. In contrast, droplets containing ammonium sulfate mixed with diethyl sebacate, poly(ethylene glycol) 400, and 1,2,6-hexanetriol were found to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, exhibiting core-shell morphologies with observed initiation of heterogeneous freezing in the cores. Our experimental findings demonstrate that an increased acidity reduces the ice nucleation ability of droplets. Changes in the ratio of bisulfate to sulfate coincided with shifts in ice nucleation temperatures, suggesting that the presence of bisulfate may decrease the ice nucleation efficiency. We also report on how the morphology and viscosity impact ice nucleation properties. This study aims to enhance our fundamental understanding of acidity's effect on ice nucleation ability, providing context for the role of acidity in atmospheric ice cloud formation.

Anthropogenic pollutants induce enhancement of aerosol acidity at a mountainous background atmosphere in southern China

Aerosol acidity plays a crucial role in atmospheric physicochemical processes, climate change and human health, particularly in the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). However, understanding the characteristics and driving factors of aerosol acidity in background mountains has been limited. In this study, we conducted intensive field measurements in the Nanling mountains during the dry and wet seasons to analyze aerosol pH characteristics and their driving factors using sensitivity tests. The mean aerosol pH in the background mountains was found to be 2.68 ± 0.55, with values ranging from 0.38 to 4.44, significantly lower than predicted values in northern China. Sensitivity tests revealed that aerosol acidity in the background atmosphere was more responsive to dominant chemical species (T-NH3 (= NH4+ + NH3) and SO42-) rather than relative humidity and temperature. Additionally, we observed that sulfate and ammonium, transported occasionally by dryer northern air masses, had a substantial impact on decreasing aerosol pH at the site. Similar to the southeastern United States, NH4+/NH3 also dominated the total buffer capacity of aerosol acidity in the Nanling mountains. The strong aerosol acidity in this area is expected to have adverse effects on regional air quality and climate by enhancing SOA formation and regulating the dry deposition of inorganic reactive nitrogen.

Abundant nitrogenous secondary organic aerosol formation accelerated by cloud processing

Nitrogenous organic (CHON), crucial for secondary organic aerosol (SOA), forms through poorly studied mechanisms in clouds. Our study explores CHON transformation during cloud processes (CPs). These processes play a vital role in enhancing the variety of CHONs, leading to the formation of CHONs with oxygen atom counts ranging from 1 to 10 and double bond equivalent (DBE) values spanning from 2 to 10. We proposed that the CHONs formed during CPs are formed through aqueous phase reactions with CHO compound precursors via nucleophilic attacks by NH3. This scheme can be account for roughly three-quarters of the CHONs by number in cloud water, and near two-thirds of all CHONs are formed through reactions between NH3 and carbonyl-containing biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) ozonolysis intermediates. This study provides the first insights into the evolution of CHONs during CPs and reveals the significant roles of CPs in the formation of CHONs.

Contrasting molecular characteristics and formation mechanisms of biogenic and anthropogenic secondary organic aerosols at the summit and foot of Mt. Huang, East China

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) exerts a considerable influence on atmospheric chemistry. However, little information about the vertical distribution of SOA in the alpine setting is available, which limited the simulation of SOA using chemical transport models. Here, a total of 15 biogenic and anthropogenic SOA tracers were measured in PM2.5 aerosols at both the summit (1840 m a.s.l.) and foot (480 m a.s.l.) of Mt. Huang during the winter of 2020 to explore their vertical distribution and formation mechanism. Most of the determined chemical species (e.g., BSOA and ASOA tracers, carbonaceous components, major inorganic ions) and gaseous pollutants at the foot of Mt. Huang were 1.7-3.2 times higher concentrations than those at the summit, suggesting the relatively more significant effect of anthropogenic emissions at the ground level. The ISORROPIA-II model showed that aerosol acidity increases as altitude decreases. Air mass trajectories, potential source contribution function (PSCF), and correlation analysis of BSOA tracers with temperature revealed that SOA at the foot of Mt. Huang was mostly derived from the local oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), while SOA at the summit was mainly influenced by long-distance transport. The robust correlations of BSOA tracers with anthropogenic pollutants (e.g., NH3, NO2, and SO2) (r = 0.54-0.91, p < 0.05) indicated that anthropogenic emissions could promote BSOA productions in the mountainous background atmosphere. Moreover, most of SOA tracers (r = 0.63-0.96, p < 0.01) and carbonaceous species (r = 0.58-0.81, p < 0.01) were correlated well with levoglucosan in all samples, suggesting that biomass burning played an important role in the mountain troposphere. This work demonstrated that daytime SOA at the summit of Mt. Huang was significantly influenced by the valley breeze in winter. Our results provide new insights into the vertical distributions and provenance of SOA in the free troposphere over East China.

Comparison of Gas-Particle Partitioning of Glyoxal and Methylglyoxal in the Summertime Atmosphere at the Foot and Top of Mount Hua

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal are important volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. The gas-particle partitioning of these carbonyl compounds makes significant contributions to O₃ formation. In this study, both the gas- and particle-phase glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations at the foot and top of Mount Hua were determined simultaneously. The results showed that the gaseous-phase glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations at the top were higher than those at the foot of the mountain. However, the concentrations for the particle phase showed the opposite trend. The average theoretical values of the gas-particle partitioning coefficients of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations (4.57 × 10^-10 and 9.63 × 10^-10 m³ μg^-1, respectively) were lower than the observed values (3.79 × 10^-3 and 6.79 × 10^-3 m³ μg^-1, respectively). The effective Henry's law constants (eff.K_H) of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal were in the order of 10⁸ to 10⁹ mol/kgH2O/atm, and they were lower at the foot than they were at the top. The particle/gas ratios (P/G ratios) of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal were 0.039 and 0.055, respectively, indicating more glyoxal and methylglyoxal existed in the gas phase. The factors influencing the partitioning coefficients of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal were positively correlated with the relative humidity (RH) and negatively correlated with the PM_2.5 value. Moreover, the partitioning coefficient of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal was more significant at the top than at the foot of Mount Hua.

Imaging of pH distribution inside individual microdroplet by stimulated Raman microscopy

Aerosol microdroplets as microreactors for many important atmospheric reactions are ubiquitous in the atmosphere. pH largely regulates the chemical processes within them; however, how pH and chemical species spatially distribute within an atmospheric microdroplet is still under intense debate. The challenge is to measure pH distribution within a tiny volume without affecting the chemical species distribution. We demonstrate a method based on stimulated Raman scattering microscopy to visualize the three-dimensional pH distribution inside single microdroplets of varying sizes. We find that the surface of all microdroplets is more acidic, and a monotonic trend of pH decreasing is observed in the 2.9-μm aerosol microdroplet from center to edge, which is well supported by molecular dynamics simulation. However, bigger cloud microdroplet differs from small aerosol for pH distribution. This size-dependent pH distribution in microdroplets can be related to the surface-to-volume ratio. This work presents noncontact measurement and chemical imaging of pH distribution in microdroplets, filling the gap in our understanding of spatial pH in atmospheric aerosol.

Chemical Implications of Rapid Reactive Absorption of I2O4 at the Air-Water Interface

Marine aerosol formation involving iodine-bearing species significantly affects the global climate and radiation balance. Although recent studies outline the critical role of iodine oxide in nucleation, much less is known about its contribution to aerosol growth. This paper presents molecular-level evidence that the air-water interfacial reaction of I₂O₄ mediated by potent atmospheric chemicals, such as sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and amines [e.g., dimethylamine (DMA) and trimethylamine (TMA)], can occur rapidly on a picosecond time scale by Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations. The interfacial water bridges the reactants while facilitating the DMA-mediated proton transfer and stabilizing the ionic products of H₂SO₄-involved reactions. The identified heterogeneous mechanisms exhibit the dual contribution to aerosol growth: (i) the ionic products (e.g., IO₃^-, DMAH⁺, TMAH⁺, and HSO₄^-) formed by reactive adsorption possess less volatility than the reactants and (ii) these ions, such as alkylammonium salts (e.g., DMAH⁺), are also highly hydrophilic, further facilitating hygroscopic growth. This investigation enhances not only our understanding of heterogeneous iodine chemistry but also the impact of iodine oxide on aerosol growth. Also, these findings can bridge the gap between the abundance of I₂O₄ in the laboratory and its absence in field-collected aerosols and provide an explanation for the missing source of IO₃^-, HSO₄^-, and DMAH⁺ in marine aerosols.

Synergistic Effects of SO2 and NH3 Coexistence on SOA Formation from Gasoline Evaporative Emissions

Vehicular evaporative emissions make an increasing contribution to anthropogenic sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thus contributing to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. However, few studies have been conducted on SOA formation from vehicle evaporative VOCs under complex pollution conditions with the coexistence of NO_x, SO₂, and NH₃. In this study, the synergistic effects of SO₂ and NH₃ on SOA formation from gasoline evaporative VOCs with NO_x were examined using a 30 m³ smog chamber with the aid of a series of mass spectrometers. Compared with the systems involving SO₂ or NH₃ alone, SO₂ and NH₃ coexistence had a greater promotion effect on SOA formation, which was larger than the cumulative effect of the two promotions alone. Meanwhile, contrasting effects of SO₂ on the oxidation state (OSc) of SOA in the presence or absence of NH₃ were observed, and SO₂ could further increase the OSc with the coexistence of NH₃. The latter was attributed to the synergistic effects of SO₂ and NH₃ coexistence on SOA formation, wherein N-S-O adducts can be formed from the reaction of SO₂ with N-heterocycles generated in the presence of NH₃. Our study contributes to the understanding of SOA formation from vehicle evaporative VOCs under highly complex pollution conditions and its atmospheric implications.

Aging of α-Pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol by Hydroxyl Radicals in the Aqueous Phase: Kinetics and Products

The reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with a water-soluble fraction of the α-pinene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was investigated using liquid chromatography coupled with negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The SOA was generated by the dark ozonolysis of α-pinene, extracted into the water, and subjected to chemical aging by the OH. Bimolecular reaction rate coefficients (k_OH) for the oxidation of terpenoic acids by the OH were measured using the relative rate method. The unaged SOA was dominated by the cyclobutyl-ring-retaining compounds, primarily cis-pinonic, cis-pinic, and hydroxy-pinonic acids. Aqueous oxidation by the OH resulted in the removal of early-stage products and dimers, including well-known oligomers with MW = 358 and 368 Da. Furthermore, a 2- to 5-fold increase in the concentration of cyclobutyl-ring-opening products was observed, including terpenylic and diaterpenylic acids and diaterpenylic acid acetate as well as some of the newly identified OH aging markers. At the same time, results obtained from the kinetic box model showed a high degree of SOA fragmentation following the reaction with the OH, which indicates that non-radical reactions occurring during the evaporation of water likely contribute to the high yields of terpenoic _aqSOAs reported previously. The estimated atmospheric lifetimes showed that in clouds, terpenoic acids react with the OH exclusively in the aqueous phase. Aqueous OH aging of the α-pinene SOA results in a 10% increase of the average O/C ratio and a 3-fold decrease in the average k_OH value, which is likely to affect the cloud condensation nuclei activity of the _aqSOA formed after the evaporation of water.

Explosive formation of secondary organic aerosol due to aerosol-fog interactions

Aerosol particles can profoundly affect the local environment and global climate. Explosive growths of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) are frequently observed during serious haze evens, but their fundamental mechanism remains unclear. We used chamber experiments and kinetic model simulations to reveal the microphysical mechanism for explosive organic aerosol formation. The evolution of SOA with organic vapors under dry and highly humid conditions was determined based on a high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer. We found that the condensation of gas-phase organics could lead to the formation of cloud or fog droplets with relative humidity below 100 %; meanwhile, the aerosol-fog interaction could result in the explosive growth of SOA. Monomeric products from toluene oxidation were verified to primarily contribute to the increased SOA in super humid conditions, which are mainly assigned to be intermediate- and semi-volatile organic compounds. Moreover, we demonstrated that the decreasing temperatures could dramatically amplify organic compounds' co-condensing influence on SOA explosive formation and activation at relative humidity above 85 % and temperature below 20 °C. Our findings revealed that aerosol-fog interaction is the fundamental driving force for explosive organic aerosol formation. It indicates that overlooking the co-condensation of organic vapors with water could significantly underestimate SOA and liquid water content in 3D models.

Distinct diurnal chemical compositions and formation processes of individual organic-containing particles in Beijing winter

Organic aerosols (OA) are major components of fine particulate matter, yet their formation mechanism remains unclear, especially in polluted environments. In this study, we investigated the diurnal chemical compositions and formation processes of OA in carbonaceous particles during winter in Beijing using aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We found that 84.5% of the measured carbonaceous particles underwent aging processes, characterized by larger diameter and more secondary species compared to fresh carbonaceous particles, and presented different chemical compositions of OA in the daytime and nighttime. During the day, under high O₃ concentrations, organosulfates and oligomers existed in the aged carbonaceous particles, which were mixed with a higher signal of nitrate compared with sulfate. At night, under high relative humidity, distinct spectral signatures of hydroxymethanesulfonate and organic nitrogen compounds, and minor signals of other hydroxyalkylsulfonates and high molecular weight organic compounds were present in the aged carbonaceous particles, which were mixed with a higher signal of sulfate compared with nitrate. Our results indicated that photochemistry contributed to OA formation in the daytime, while aqueous chemistry played an important role in OA formation in the nighttime. The findings can help improve the performance of air quality and climate models on OA simulation.

Organic Peroxides in Aerosol: Key Reactive Intermediates for Multiphase Processes in the Atmosphere

Organic peroxides (POs) are organic molecules with one or more peroxide (-O-O-) functional groups. POs are commonly regarded as chemically labile termination products from gas-phase radical chemistry and therefore serve as temporary reservoirs for oxidative radicals (HOx and ROx) in the atmosphere. Owing to their ubiquity, active gas-particle partitioning behavior, and reactivity, POs are key reactive intermediates in atmospheric multiphase processes determining the life cycle (formation, growth, and aging), climate, and health impacts of aerosol. However, there remain substantial gaps in the origin, molecular diversity, and fate of POs due to their complex nature and dynamic behavior. Here, we summarize the current understanding on atmospheric POs, with a focus on their identification and quantification, state-of-the-art analytical developments, molecular-level formation mechanisms, multiphase chemical transformation pathways, as well as environmental and health impacts. We find that interactions with SO2 and transition metal ions are generally the fast PO transformation pathways in atmospheric liquid water, with lifetimes estimated to be minutes to hours, while hydrolysis is particularly important for α-substituted hydroperoxides. Meanwhile, photolysis and thermolysis are likely minor sinks for POs. These multiphase PO transformation pathways are distinctly different from their gas-phase fates, such as photolysis and reaction with OH radicals, which highlights the need to understand the multiphase partitioning of POs. By summarizing the current advances and remaining challenges for the investigation of POs, we propose future research priorities regarding their origin, fate, and impacts in the atmosphere.

Review of the influencing factors of secondary organic aerosol formation and aging mechanism based on photochemical smog chamber simulation methods

The formation and aging mechanism of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and its influencing factors have attracted increasing attention in recent years because of their effects on climate change, atmospheric quality and human health. However, there are still large errors between air quality model simulation results and field observations. The currently undetected components during the formation and aging of SOA due to the limitation of current monitoring techniques and the interactions among multiple SOA formation influencing factors might be the main reasons for the differences. In this paper, we present a detailed review of the complex dynamic physical and chemical processes and the corresponding influencing factors involved in SOA formation and aging. And all these results were mainly based the studies of photochemical smog chamber simulation. Although the properties of precursor volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxidants (such as OH radicals), and atmospheric environmental factors (such as NO_x, SO₂, NH₃, light intensity, temperature, humidity and seed aerosols) jointly influence the products and yield of SOA, the nucleation and vapor pressure of these products were found to be the most fundamental aspects when interpreting the dynamics of the SOA formation and aging process. The development of techniques for measuring intermediate species in SOA generation processes and the study of SOA generation and aging mechanism in complex systems should be important topics of future SOA research.

Suppression of the phenolic SOA formation in the presence of electrolytic inorganic seed

Phenolic compounds are largely attributed to wildfire gases and rapidly react with atmospheric oxidants to form persistent phenoxy free radicals, which influence atmospheric chemistry and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. In this study, phenol or o-cresol was photochemically oxidized under various conditions (NO_x levels, humidity, and seed conditions) in an outdoor photochemical reactor. Unexpectedly, SOA growth of both phenols was suppressed in the presence of salted aqueous aerosol compared to non-seed SOA. This discovery is different from the typical SOA formation of aromatic or biogenic hydrocarbons, which show noticeably higher SOA yields via organic aqueous reactions. Phenol, o-cresol, and their phenolic products (e.g., catechols) are absorbed in aqueous aerosol and form phenoxy radicals via heterogeneous reactions under sunlight. The resulting phenoxy radicals are redistributed between the gas and particle phases. Gaseous phenoxy radicals quickly react with ozone to form phenyl peroxide radicals and regenerated through a NO_x cycle to retard phenol oxidation and SOA formation. The explicit oxidation mechanisms of phenol or o-cresol in the absence of aqueous phase were derived including the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM v3.3.1) and the path for peroxy radical adducts originating from the addition of an OH radical to phenols to form low volatility products (e.g., multi-hydroxy aromatics). The resulting gas mechanisms of phenol or o-cresol were, then, applied to the Unified Partitioning Aerosol Phase Reaction (UNIPAR) model to predict SOA formation via multiphase partitioning of organics and aerosol-phase oligomerization. The model well simulated chamber-generated phenolic SOA in absence of wet-inorganic seed, but significantly overestimated SOA mass in presence of wet seed. This study suggests that heterogeneous chemistry to form phenoxy radicals needs to be included to improve SOA prediction from phenols. The suppression of atmospheric oxidation due to phenoxy radicals in wet inorganic aerosol can explain the low SOA formation during wildfire episodes.

Effects of NO2 and RH on secondary organic aerosol formation and light absorption from OH oxidation of ο-xylene

Ο-xylene is an important aromatic volatile organic compound (VOC) in the atmosphere over urban areas. In this work, the effect of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentration and relative humidity (RH) on the mass concentration of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formed from ο-xylene OH oxidization was investigated in a photooxidation chamber. The ο-xylene SOA mass concentration increased from 54.2 μg m^-3 to 127.2 μg m^-3 during dry conditions, but decreased from 177.7 μg m^-3 to 146.5 μg m^-3 during high RH conditions when the initial NO₂ concentration increased form 0 ppbv to about 900 ppbv. An increase in the ratio of [NO₃^-]/[Org] and a decrease in the oxidation state of carbon (OS_C) of SOA suggested that acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reaction was responsible for enhancing SOA formation with increasing NO₂ concentrations in dry conditions. In contrast, in humid conditions, the high molecular diffusion capacity of SOA could promote the reactivity of OH towards the interior of SOA, and the enhancement of nitrous acid (HONO) formation under high NO₂ conditions could promote the SOA aging processes and be responsible for the decreasing trend of SOA formation with NO₂. Light absorption by SOA was also measured, and both NO₂ and RH enhanced the mass absorption coefficient (MAC_{λ = 365 nm}) value for the optical properties of ο-xylene SOA. The highest MAC_{λ = 365 nm} value of ο-xylene SOA was 0.89 m² g^-1, observed during humid conditions with an initial NO₂ concentration of 862 ppbv, which was 3.9 times higher than in the experiment conducted in the absence of NO₂ under dry conditions. The formation of nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) and humic-like substances (HULIS) were responsible for the increased MAC_{λ = 365 nm} values of ο-xylene derived SOA. This study provides new insight into the effect of NO₂ on SOA formation through the change in ο-xylene photooxidation under different RH conditions, and the complex effect of multiple environmental factors on SOA formation was also important and should not be ignored.

Dust emission reduction enhanced gas-to-particle conversion of ammonia in the North China Plain

Ammonium salt is an important component of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM_2.5) and has significant impacts on air quality, climate, and natural ecosystems. However, a fundamental understanding of the conversion kinetics from ammonia to ammonium in unique environments of high aerosol loading is lacking. Here, we report the uptake coefficient of ammonia (γ_NH3) on ambient PM_2.5 varying from 2.2 × 10^-4 to 6.0 × 10^-4 in the North China Plain. It is significantly lower than those on the model particles under simple conditions reported in the literature. The probability-weighted γ_NH3 increases obviously, which is well explained by the annual decrease in aerosol pH due to the significant decline in alkali and alkali earth metal contents from the emission source of dust. Our results elaborate on the complex interactions between primary emissions and the secondary formation of aerosols and the important role of dust in atmospheric chemistry.

Direct measurement of the pH of aerosol particles using carbon quantum dots

The pH of aerosol particles remains challenging to measure because of their small size, complex composition, and high acidity. Acidity in aqueous aerosol particles, which are found abundantly in the atmosphere, impacts many chemical processes from reaction rates to cloud formation. Only one technique - pH paper - currently exists for directly determining the pH of aerosol particles, and this is restricted to measuring average acidity for entire particle populations. Other methods for evaluating aerosol pH include filter samples, particle-into-liquid sampling, Raman spectroscopy, organic dyes, and thermodynamic models, but these either operate in a higher pH range or are unable to assess certain chemical species or complexity. Here, we present a new method for determining acidity of individual particles and particle phases using carbon quantum dots as a novel in situ fluorophore. Carbon quantum dots are easily synthesized, shelf stable, and sensitive to pH in the highly acidic regime from pH 0 to pH 3 relevant to ambient aerosol particles. To establish the method, a calibration curve was formed from the ratiometric fluorescence intensity of aerosolized standard solutions with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.99. Additionally, the pH of aerosol particles containing a complex organic mixture (COM) representative of environmental aerosols was also determined, proving the efficacy of using carbon quantum dots as pH-sensitive fluorophores for complex systems. The ability to directly measure aerosol particle and phase acidity in the correct pH range can help parametrize atmospheric models and improve projections for other aerosol properties and their influence on health and climate.

Initial pH Governs Secondary Organic Aerosol Phase State and Morphology after Uptake of Isoprene Epoxydiols (IEPOX)

Aerosol acidity increases secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed from the reactive uptake of isoprene-derived epoxydiols (IEPOX) by enhancing condensed-phase reactions within sulfate-containing submicron particles, leading to low-volatility organic products. However, the link between the initial aerosol acidity and the resulting physicochemical properties of IEPOX-derived SOA remains uncertain. Herein, we show distinct differences in the morphology, phase state, and chemical composition of individual organic-inorganic mixed particles after IEPOX uptake to ammonium sulfate particles with different initial atmospherically relevant acidities (pH = 1, 3, and 5). Physicochemical properties were characterized via atomic force microscopy coupled with photothermal infrared spectroscopy (AFM-PTIR) and Raman microspectroscopy. Compared to less acidic particles (pH 3 and 5), reactive uptake of IEPOX to the most acidic particles (pH 1) resulted in 50% more organosulfate formation, clearer phase separation (core-shell), and more irregularly shaped morphologies, suggesting that the organic phase transitioned to semisolid or solid. This study highlights that initial aerosol acidity may govern the subsequent aerosol physicochemical properties, such as viscosity and morphology, following the multiphase chemical reactions of IEPOX. These results can be used in future studies to improve model parameterizations of SOA formation from IEPOX and its properties, toward the goal of bridging predictions and atmospheric observations.

Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) from Photo-Oxidation of Toluene: 1 Influence of Reactive Nitrogen, Acidity and Water Vapours on Optical Properties

Many climate models treat the light-absorbing SOA component called “brown carbon” (BrC) as non-light absorbing because its formation and transformations are poorly understood. We therefore investigated the influence of reactive nitrogen (NOx, NH3)-, acidity (H2SO4)-, and water-mediated chemistry on SOA formed by the photo-oxidation of toluene, the subsequent formation and transformation of BrC, and its optical properties. We discovered that nitrogen-poor (NP) SOA is formed when the molar ratio of NOx to reacted toluene (henceforth, [NOx/ΔHC]) is 0.15 or less, whereas nitrogen-rich (NR) SOA is formed when [NOx/ΔHC] > 0.15. NR and NP SOA have markedly different characteristics. The light absorption coefficient (Babs) and mass absorption cross-section (MAC) of the SOA increased with [NOx/ΔHC] under both the NP and NR regimes. For NP SOA, the MAC increased with [NOx/ΔHC] independently of the relative humidity (RH). However, the MAC of NR SOA was RH-dependent. Under both NP and NR regimes, acidity promoted SOA browning while NH3 increased Babs and MAC at 80% RH. The highest MAC was observed at the lowest RH (20%) for acidic NR SOA, and it was postulated that the MAC of SOA depends mainly on the pH and the [H+]free/[SOA mass] ratio of the aqueous SOA phase.

Historically understanding the spatial distributions of particle surface area concentrations over China estimated using a non-parametric machine learning method

A non-parametric ensemble model was proposed to estimate the long-term (2015-2019) particle surface area concentrations (S_A) over China for the first time on basis of a vilification dataset of measured particle number size distribution. This ensemble model showed excellent cross-validation R² value (CV R² = 0.83) as well as a relatively low root-mean-square error (RMSE = 195.0 μm²/cm³). No matter in which year, considerable spatial heterogeneity of S_A was found over China with higher S_A in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Middle Lower Reaches of Yangtze River (MLYR). From 2015 to 2019, S_A significantly decreased in representative city clusters. The reduction rates were 140.1 μm²·cm^-3·a^-1 in BTH, 110.7 μm²·cm^-3·a^-1 in Pearl River Delta (PRD), 105.2 μm²·cm^-3·a^-1 in YRD, and 92.4 μm²·cm^-3·a^-1 in Sichuan Basin (SCB), respectively. Even though such quick reduction, high S_A (ranged from ~800 μm²/cm³ to ~1750 μm²/cm³) during the heavy pollution period (PM_2.5 > 75 μg/m³) still existed in the above-mentioned city clusters and may provide rich reaction vessels for multiphase chemistry. A dichotomy of enhanced annual 4th maximum daily 8-h average O₃ concentrations (4MDA8 O₃) and decreased S_A during summertime was found in Shanghai, a representative city of YRD. In Chengdu (SCB), increased 4MDA8 O₃ concentration was associated with a synchronous increase of S_A from 2017 to 2019. Differently, 4MDA8 O₃ concentrations enhanced in Beijing (BTH) and Guangzhou (PRD), while not significant for S_A before 2018. This work will greatly deepen our understanding of the historical variation and spatial distributions of S_A over China.

Catalytic Coupling of Free Radical Oxidation and Electrophilic Chlorine Addition by Phase-Transfer Intermediates in Liquid Aerosols

While examining the heterogeneous reaction of chlorine atoms with alkenes, in the presence of Cl₂, we have observed an unexpectedly large enhancement of reactivity and the predominance of chlorinated reaction products even under high O₂ conditions, where Cl atom recycling is expected to be minimal. These observations cannot be explained by known free radical oxidation or cycling mechanisms, but rather we find evidence for the multiphase catalytic coupling of free radical oxidation with electrophilic Cl₂ addition. The mechanism entails the production of oxygenated reaction intermediates, which act as gas-liquid phase-transfer catalysts (gl-PTCs) by promoting the accommodation of gas-phase Cl₂ by the aerosol, thereby enhancing electrophilic addition. Although the majority of PTCs typically couple chemistry between two immiscible liquid phases (aqueous/organic), there are few examples of PTCs that couple gas-liquid reactions. This work shows how multiphase reaction schemes of aerosols can be reimagined for understanding catalytic reaction mechanisms.

Direct Measurement of pH Evolution in Aerosol Microdroplets Undergoing Ammonium Depletion: A Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Approach

Accurately measuring the pH of atmospheric aerosols is a prerequisite for understanding the multiphase chemistry that profoundly affects the environment and climate systems. Despite the advancements of experimental techniques for in situ pH measurements in aerosols, current studies are limited to measuring the static pH of aerosol microdroplets with an unperturbed composition. This steady-state scenario, however, deviates from the real-world aerosols undergoing atmospheric aging reactions, specifically, those characterized with a spontaneous displacement of strong bases (or acids) with high volatility. Here, we introduce a continuous and in situ measurement of aerosol pH by using a 4-mercaptopyridine-functionalized silver nanoparticle probe and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. We find that the ammonium depletion─a spontaneous displacement of ammonium by dicarboxylic acid salts─continuously acidifies aerosol water over time. The decaying trends of pH in the aerosols under various humidity conditions can be unified with a universal exponential function. Such an exponentially decaying function further indicates that the ammonium depletion reaction is a self-limiting process. Our technique can be applied to study the dynamic change of aerosol acidity during the complex atmospheric aging processes, toward elucidating their implications on atmospheric chloride, nitrate, and ammonium cycles.

Diurnal Variations of Isoprene, Monoterpenes, and Toluene Oxidation Products in Aerosols at a Rural Site of Guanzhong Plain, Northwest China

In this study, the characteristics and formation mechanism of summertime isoprene, monoterpene, and toluene-derived secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) were investigated in a rural area of Guanzhong Plain, Northwest China. The variations in key indicators of primary sources indicated a significant influence of biomass burning on PM2.5 during the observation period. The concentrations of total measured SOA tracers from isoprene, monoterpene, and toluene were 40.85 ± 17.31, 24.27 ± 7.50, and 10.61 ± 0.33 ng/m3, respectively. The average ratio of cis-pinonic and pinic acids to 3-Methyl-1,2,3-butanetricarboxylic acid (MBTCA)(P/M) were 0.45 and 0.85 by day and by night, respectively. The low ratio in the daytime was mainly due to the stronger photo-degradation and particle-to-gas distribution of semi-volatile cis-pinonic and pinic acids. The monoterpene SOA tracers were significantly correlated with levoglucosan at night (R2 = 0.51, p < 0.01), as were toluene SOA tracers and levoglucosan (R2 > 0.67, p < 0.01), indicating the significant contribution of biomass combustion to these SOAs. The mass concentration of isoprene-, monoterpenes-, and toluene-derived SOC was estimated by using the tracer yield method. The total calculated SOCs by day and by night were 0.25–0.71 (average: 0.46) and 0.26–0.78 (average: 0.42) µgC/m3, accounting for 3.35–10.58% and 3.87–13.51% of OC by day and by night, respectively.

Long-chain alkanes in the atmosphere: A review

As a representative species of intermediate volatile organic compounds (IVOCs), long-chain alkanes are considered to be important precursors of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the atmosphere. This work reviews the previous studies on long-chain alkanes in the atmosphere: (1) the detection methods and filed observations of long-chain alkanes in both gas and particle phases are summarized briefly; (2) the laboratory studies of long chain alkanes are reviewed, the kinetic data, reaction mechanism, SOA yields, and physicochemical properties of SOA are included in detail; (3) the research progress related to model simulations of long-chain alkanes are also discussed. In addition, based on available research results, several perspective contents are proposed that can be used as a guideline for future research plans.

Characterization of VOCs during Nonheating and Heating Periods in the Typical Suburban Area of Beijing, China: Sources and Health Assessment

In recent years, the “coal to electricity” project (CTEP) using clean energy instead of coal for heating has been implemented by Beijing government to cope with air pollution. However, VOC pollution after CTEP was rarely studied in suburbs of Beijing. To fill this exigency, 116 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were observed during nonheating (P1) and heating (P2) periods in suburban Beijing. The results showed that the total of VOCs (TVOCs) was positively correlated with PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, and SO2 but negatively correlated with O3 and wind speed. The average TVOCs concentration was 19.43 ± 12.41 ppbv in P1 and 16.25 ± 8.01 ppbv in P2. Aromatics and oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) were the main contributors to ozone formation potential (OFP). Seven sources of VOCs identified by the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model were industrial source, coal combustion, fuel evaporation, gasoline vehicle exhaust, diesel vehicle exhaust, background and biogenic sources, and solvent usage. The contribution of coal combustion to VOCs increased significantly during P2, whereas industrial sources, fuel evaporation, and solvent usage exhibited opposite trends. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) were used to analyze the source distributions. The results showed that VOC pollution was caused mainly by air mass from southern Hebei during P1 but by local emissions during P2. Therefore, although the contribution of coal combustion after heating increased, TVOCs concentration during P2 was lower than that during P1. Chronic noncarcinogenic risks of all selected VOC species were below the safe level, while the carcinogenic risks of most selected VOC species were above the acceptable risk level, especially for tetrachloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane. The cancer risks posed by gasoline vehicle emissions, industrial enterprises, and coal combustion should be paid more attention.

Secondary organic aerosol formation from monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: insights from laboratory studies

Monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) are key anthropogenic pollutants and often dominate the volatile organic compound emissions and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation especially in the urban atmosphere. To evaluate the environmental impacts of SOA formed from the oxidation of MAHs (aromatic SOA), it is of great importance to elucidate their chemical composition, formation mechanism, and physicochemical properties under various atmospheric conditions. Here we seek to compile a common framework for the current studies on aromatic SOA formation and summarize the knowledge on what has been primarily learned from laboratory studies. This review begins with a brief summary of MAHs' emission characteristics, followed by an overview of atmospheric degradation mechanisms for MAHs as well as gas- and particle-phase reactions involving aromatic SOA formation. SOA formation processes highlighted in this review are complex and depend highly on environmental conditions, posing a substantial challenge for theoretical description of aromatic SOA formation. Therefore, the following issues are further discussed in detail: the response of gas-phase chemistry and aromatic SOA mass yield as well as composition to NO_x levels, particle-phase reactions and molecular characterization of aromatic SOA in the presence of acidic sulfate, and physicochemical processes of SOA formation involving gas- or particle-phase water. Building on this current understanding, available experimental studies on the effects of environmental conditions were explored. A brief description of the atmospheric importance of aromatic SOA including their optical properties and health influences is also presented. Finally, we highlight the current challenges in laboratory studies and outline directions for future aromatic SOA research.

Field observations and quantifications of atmospheric formaldehyde partitioning in gaseous and particulate phases

Formaldehyde (HCHO) can possibly be taken by atmospheric particles due to its moderate solubility. Although previous model studies have proposed that uptake by particles was a large sink for HCHO, direct observation of HCHO partitioning and estimation of HCHO uptake coefficient (γ) for tropospheric conditions are still limited. In this work, online measurements of gaseous HCHO (HCHO_g) and particulate HCHO (HCHO_p) were carried out simultaneously at an urban site in Beijing in winter and spring. The results indicated that the average concentrations of HCHO_p ranged from 0.15 to 0.4 μg m^-3, accounting for 1.2% to 10% of the total HCHO (i.e., HCHO_g + HCHO_p). The median values of estimated γ based on the measured data were in the range of about 1.09 ∗ 10^-5-2.42 ∗ 10^-4, with lower values during PM_2.5 pollution episodes. Besides, the pH and liquid water content of aerosols that are mainly determined by ambient relative humidity (RH) and inorganic salt composition were identified as the main influencing factors of γ. We propose that the HCHO uptake process was mainly driven by hydrone and hydrogen ions in particles.

Enhanced uptake of methacrolein at the acidic nanoparticle interface: Adsorption, heterogeneous reaction and impact for the secondary organic aerosol formation

Considering the moderate acidity of aerosols, the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) through acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions has become a recent concern. However, the detailed information on the multiphase chemistry of organic compounds adsorbed onto acidic aerosols remains uncertain. In this work, we investigated the multiphase chemical processes between methacrolein (MACR) and sulfuric acid (SA) and their relationship with SOA formation. Results show that the aqueous nanoparticle interface, especially when it is an acidic nanoparticle interface, is a perfect area to adsorb and accommodate MACR. The occurrence percentage of MACR on the interface is more than 70%. With the increase of SA concentration, the first solvation shell changed from only water to the mixture of SA and water, which facilitates the heterogeneous hydration reaction of MACR. Compared with the neutral nanoparticle interface, the acidic nanoparticle interface exhibits a better ability to uptake and accommodate gaseous carbonyl species. Moreover, SA can catalyze the hydration reaction of MACR inside the aqueous media, and the resulting oligomers contribute to the formation and growth of SOA. The hydration reaction indirectly promotes the continuous adsorption of MACR at the acidic nanoparticle interface. The rate constant shows a positive altitude dependence, and acid-catalyzed reactions have an important impact on environmental chemistry, such as cloud SOA formation, within the range of about 2-6 km. This study reports a complete description of the heterogeneous interactions between unsaturated carbonyl species and acidic nanoparticles by using molecular dynamics and quantum chemistry methods, aiming to provide some insights for the further study on heterogeneous chemistry and its role in the formation of tropospheric SOA.

Enhancing effect of NO2 on the formation of light-absorbing secondary organic aerosols from toluene photooxidation

Aromatic hydrocarbons are one of the major precursors of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) and both abundantly co-exist with NO_x in the urban atmosphere especially in winter haze period. However, the impact of NOx on the formation of BrC derived from aromatic hydrocarbons is still not fully understood. In this study, the yield and light absorption of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) from toluene photooxidation under various nitrogen oxides (NO₂) levels were investigated by using a 5 m³ photooxidation smog chamber. A trend of increase at first and then decrease in the SOA yield with an increasing NO₂ concentration was observed. The acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions lead to the increase of SOA yield in the low-NO₂ regime. The formation of low-volatility species might be suppressed at high-NO₂ conditions is responsible for the decreased SOA yield. In contrast, light absorption and mass absorption coefficient (MAC) of the toluene-derived SOA continuously increased with the increasing NO₂ concentrations. HR-ToF-AMS results showed that nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) are the main species that lead to the increase of the SOA light absorption. The ratio of CHN family to the total NOCs, which are derived from the nitro compounds, also increased dominantly with the increasing NO₂ levels and accounted for more than half of the total NOCs when the NO₂ concentration increased to 495 ppbv, indicating that nitro compounds rather than organic nitrates are the major light-absorbing species and preferably formed in the toluene oxidation process.

A core-shell box model for simulating viscosity dependent secondary organic aerosol (CSVA) and its application

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) plays a key role in air pollution and global climate change. However, the understanding and modelling of SOA properties and evolution are still limited. In this paper, we developed a novel kinetic Core-Shell box model for Viscosity dependent SOA simulation (CSVA), which includes explicit gas-phase reactions (MCM), homogeneous nucleation by H₂SO₄-NH₃-H₂O, viscosity dependent mass transfer between gas and particle phases (organic and aqueous phases) and particle-phase reactions. The gas-particle mass transfer is represented by chainlike reactions analogizing to electrical resistance. The CSVA model is verified and applied to chamber experiments of toluene oxidation systems. The monomers and dimers of SOA are determined by coupling the high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectra and MCM mechanism. The majority of dimers are confirmed to be peroxyhemiacetals formed by reactions of hydroperoxides with aldehydes in the particle phase. The results show that CSVA can well capture the following processes: (1) relative humidity (RH) dependent nucleation of the H₂SO₄-NH₃-H₂O system, (2) particle size-dependent hygroscopic growth of inorganics (e.g., NaCl and (NH₄)₂SO₄) and organics (levoglucosan and SOA), (3) NO_x dependent SOA formation, (4) viscosity-induced evolution of particle size distribution, and (5) effect of RH on SOA formation. In particular, our model reproduces the phenomenon that the evolution of SOA particle size distribution from a one-peak mode into a two-peak mode is due to viscosity.

Acidity and the multiphase chemistry of atmospheric aqueous particles and clouds

The acidity of aqueous atmospheric solutions is a key parameter driving both the partitioning of semi-volatile acidic and basic trace gases and their aqueous-phase chemistry. In addition, the acidity of atmospheric aqueous phases, e.g., deliquesced aerosol particles, cloud, and fog droplets, is also dictated by aqueous-phase chemistry. These feedbacks between acidity and chemistry have crucial implications for the tropospheric lifetime of air pollutants, atmospheric composition, deposition to terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems, visibility, climate, and human health. Atmospheric research has made substantial progress in understanding feedbacks between acidity and multiphase chemistry during recent decades. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge on these feedbacks with a focus on aerosol and cloud systems, which involve both inorganic and organic aqueous-phase chemistry. Here, we describe the impacts of acidity on the phase partitioning of acidic and basic gases and buffering phenomena. Next, we review feedbacks of different acidity regimes on key chemical reaction mechanisms and kinetics, as well as uncertainties and chemical subsystems with incomplete information. Finally, we discuss atmospheric implications and highlight the need for future investigations, particularly with respect to reducing emissions of key acid precursors in a changing world, and the need for advancements in field and laboratory measurements and model tools.

Experimental evidence that halogen bonding catalyzes the heterogeneous chlorination of alkenes in submicron liquid droplets

A key challenge in predicting the multiphase chemistry of aerosols and droplets is connecting reaction probabilities, observed in an experiment, with the kinetics of individual elementary steps that control the chemistry that occurs across a gas/liquid interface. Here we report evidence that oxygenated molecules accelerate the heterogeneous reaction rate of chlorine gas with an alkene (squalene, Sqe) in submicron droplets. The effective reaction probability for Sqe is sensitive to both the aerosol composition and gas phase environment. In binary aerosol mixtures with 2-decyl-1-tetradecanol, linoleic acid and oleic acid, Sqe reacts 12-23× more rapidly than in a pure aerosol. In contrast, the reactivity of Sqe is diminished by 3× when mixed with an alkane. Additionally, small oxygenated molecules in the gas phase (water, ethanol, acetone, and acetic acid) accelerate (up to 10×) the heterogeneous chlorination rate of Sqe. The overall reaction mechanism is not altered by the presence of these aerosol and gas phase additives, suggesting instead that they act as catalysts. Since the largest rate acceleration occurs in the presence of oxygenated molecules, we conclude that halogen bonding enhances reactivity by slowing the desorption kinetics of Cl2 at the interface, in a way that is analogous to decreasing temperature. These results highlight the importance of relatively weak interactions in controlling the speed of multiphase reactions important for atmospheric and indoor environments.

Relative Humidity Changes the Role of SO2 in Biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation

SO₂ influences secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and organosulfates (OSs) formation but mechanisms remain elusive. This study focuses on this topic by investigating biogenic γ-terpinene ozonolysis under various SO₂ and relative humidity (RH) conditions. With a constant SO₂ concentration (∼110 ppb), the increase in RH transformed SO₂ sinks from stabilized Criegee intermediates (sCIs) to peroxides in aerosol particles. The associated changes in particle acidity and liquid water content may collectively first lead to decreased and then increased SOA yield with increasing RH, with the turning point appearing at ∼30% RH. The abundance of most OSs formed under 45% RH was more than 5 times higher than that of OSs formed under 10% RH, possibly due to interactions of dissolved SO₂ with hydroperoxides (ROOH) in SOA. ROOHs formed from the autoxidation processes of alkylperoxy radicals were proposed to be precursors for highly oxidized OSs (HOOSs) that decreased SOA volatility and showed a certain abundance in ambient aerosols. This study highlights that high RH potentially enhances the contribution of SO₂ to OSs formation, and particularly, HOOSs formation during monoterpene ozonolysis in the atmosphere.

Photocatalytic Oxidation of SO2 by TiO2: Aerosol Formation and the Key Role of Gaseous Reactive Oxygen Species

Photocatalytic materials are proved to effectively eliminate gaseous pollutants and are widely used in the environment. However, as one of the rare experiments focusing on their influence on secondary aerosol formation generated in the gas phase (SA_g), our study demonstrated the high-yield SA_g formation in the photocatalysis process. In this study, the photodegradation of SO₂ by TiO₂ under various relative humidity (RH) conditions was deeply explored with multiple methods. Unexpectedly, H₂SO₄ aerosols (SA_g-H2SO4) in yields of 10.10-32.64% were observed under the studied RH conditions for the first time. Gaseous ^•OH and H₂O₂ generated from the oxidation of H₂O and reduction of O₂ by TiO₂ were directly detected in the photocatalysis process, and they were identified as the determining factor for SA_g-H2SO4 formation. The formation of SA_g-H2SO4 was also influenced by RH, the heterogeneous reaction of SO₂, and the uptake of H₂SO₄. The role of the released gaseous ^•OH and H₂O₂ on atmospheric chemistry was proved to be unignorable by adopting the obtained parameters into the real environment. These findings provided direct experimental evidence of secondary pollution in the photocatalysis process and are of great significance to the field of atmospheric environment and photocatalytic materials.

Effect of relative humidity on SOA formation from aromatic hydrocarbons: Implications from the evolution of gas- and particle-phase species

Relative humidity (RH) plays a significant role in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, but the mechanisms remain uncertain. Using a 30 m³ indoor smog chamber, the influences of RH on SOA formation from two conventional anthropogenic aromatics (toluene and m-xylene) were investigated from the perspective of both the gas- and particle- phases based on the analysis of multi-generation gas-phase products and the chemical composition of SOA, which clearly distinguishes from many previous works mainly focused on the particle-phase. Compared to experiments with RH of 2.0%, SOA yields increased by 11.1%-133.4% and 4.0%-64.5% with higher RH (30.0%-90.0%) for toluene and m-xylene, respectively. The maximum SOA concentration always appeared at 50.0% RH, which is consistent with the change trend of SOA concentration with RH in the summertime field observation. The most plausible reason is that the highest gas-phase OH concentration was observed at 50.0% RH, when the increases in gas-phase OH formation and OH uptake to aerosols and chamber walls with increasing RH reached a balance. The maximum OH concentration was accompanied by a notable decay of second-generation products and formation of third-generation products at 50.0% RH. With further increasing RH, more second-generation products with insufficient oxidation degree will be partitioned into the aerosol phase, and the aqueous-phase oxidation process will also be promoted due to the enhanced uptake of OH. These processes concurrently caused the O/C and oxidation state of carbon (OSc) to first increase and then slightly decrease. This work revealed the complex influence of RH on SOA formation from aromatic VOCs through affecting the OH concentration, partitioning of advanced gas-phase oxidation products as well as aqueous-phase oxidation processes. Quantitative studies to elucidate the role of RH in the partitioning of oxidation products should be conducted to further clarify the mechanism of the influence of RH on SOA formation.

Anthropogenic-Biogenic Interactions at Night: Enhanced Formation of Secondary Aerosols and Particulate Nitrogen- and Sulfur-Containing Organics from β-Pinene Oxidation

Mixing of anthropogenic gaseous pollutants and biogenic volatile organic compounds impacts the formation of secondary aerosols, but still in an unclear manner. The present study explores secondary aerosol formation via the interactions between β-pinene, O₃, NO₂, SO₂, and NH₃ under dark conditions. Results showed that aerosol yield can be largely enhanced by more than 330% by NO₂ or SO₂ but slightly enhanced by NH₃ by 39% when the ratio of inorganic gases to β-pinene ranged from 0 to 1.3. Joint effects of NO₂ and SO₂ and SO₂ and NH₃ existed as aerosol yields increased with NO₂ but decreased with NH₃ when SO₂ was kept constant. Infrared spectra showed nitrogen-containing aerosol components derived from NO₂ and NH₃ and sulfur-containing species derived from SO₂. Several particulate organic nitrates (MW 215, 229, 231, 245), organosulfates (MW 250, 264, 280, 282, 284), and nitrooxy organosulfates (MW 295, 311, 325, 327, and 343) were identified using high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry in NO₂ and SO₂ experiments, and their formation mechanism is discussed. Most of these nitrogen- and sulfur-containing species have been reported in ambient particles. Our results suggest that the complex interactions among β-pinene, O₃, NO₂, SO₂, and NH₃ during the night might serve as a potential pathway for the formation of particulate nitrogen- and sulfur-containing organics, especially in polluted regions with both anthropogenic and biogenic influences.

Application of smog chambers in atmospheric process studies

Smog chamber experimental systems, which have been widely used in laboratory simulation for studying atmospheric processes, are comprehensively reviewed in this paper. The components, development history, main research topics and main achievements of smog chambers are introduced. Typical smog chambers in the world, including their volumes, wall materials, light sources and features, are summarized and compared. Key factors of smog chambers and their influences on the simulation of the atmospheric environment are discussed, including wall loss, wall emission and background pollutants. The features of next-generation smog chambers and their application prospect in future studies of the atmospheric environment are also outlined in this paper.

Significant contrasts in aerosol acidity between China and the United States

Aerosol acidity governs several key processes in aerosol physics and chemistry, thus affecting aerosol mass and composition and ultimately climate and human health. Previous studies have reported aerosol pH values separately in China and the United States (USA), implying different aerosol acidity between these two countries. However, there is debate about whether mass concentration or chemical composition is the more important driver of differences in aerosol acidity. A full picture of the pH difference and the underlying mechanisms responsible is hindered by the scarcity of simultaneous measurements of particle composition and gaseous species, especially in China. Here we conduct a comprehensive assessment of aerosol acidity in China and the USA using extended ground-level measurements and regional chemical transport model simulations. We show that aerosols in China are significantly less acidic than in the USA, with pH values 1-2 units higher. Based on a proposed multivariable Taylor series method and a series of sensitivity tests, we identify major factors leading to the pH difference. Compared to the USA, China has much higher aerosol mass concentrations (gas + particle, by a factor of 8.4 on average) and a higher fraction of total ammonia (gas + particle) in the aerosol composition. Our assessment shows that the differences in mass concentrations and chemical composition play equally important roles in driving the aerosol pH difference between China and the USA - increasing the aerosol mass concentrations (by a factor of 8.4) but keeping the relative component contributions the same in the USA as the level in China increases the aerosol pH by ~1.0 units and further shifting the chemical composition from US conditions to China's that are richer in ammonia increases the aerosol pH by ~0.9 units. Therefore, China being both more polluted than the USA and richer in ammonia explains the aerosol pH difference. The difference in aerosol acidity highlighted in the present study implies potential differences in formation mechanisms, physicochemical properties, and toxicity of aerosol particles in these two countries.

Production of Formate via Oxidation of Glyoxal Promoted by Particulate Nitrate Photolysis

Particulate nitrate photolysis can produce oxidants (i.e., OH, NO₂, and NO₂^-/HNO₂) in aqueous droplets and may play a potential role in increased atmospheric oxidative capacity. Our earlier works have reported on the SO₂ oxidation promoted by nitrate photolysis to produce sulfate. Here, we used glyoxal as a model precursor to examine the role of particulate nitrate photolysis in the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from particle-phase oxidation of glyoxal by OH radicals. Particles containing sodium nitrate and glyoxal were irradiated at 300 nm. Interestingly, typical oxidation products of oxalic acid, glyoxylic acid, and higher-molecular-weight products reported in the literature were not found in the photooxidation process of glyoxal during nitrate photolysis in the particle phase. Instead, formic acid/formate production was found as the main oxidation product. At glyoxal concentration higher than 3 M, we found that the formic acid/formate production rate increases significantly with increasing glyoxal concentration. Such results suggest that oxidation of glyoxal at high concentrations by OH radicals produced from nitrate photolysis in aqueous particles may not contribute significantly to SOA formation since formic acid is a volatile species. Furthermore, recent predictions of formic acid/formate concentration from the most advanced chemical models are lower than ambient observations at both the ground level and high altitude. The present study reveals a new insight into the production of formic acid/formate as well as a sink of glyoxal in the atmosphere, which may partially narrow the gap between model predictions and field measurements in both species.

Contrasting compositions and sources of organic aerosol markers in summertime PM2.5 from urban and mountainous regions in the North China Plain

Although the chemical compositions and sources of organic aerosols (OAs) have been extensively investigated at the summit of Mt. Tai in the North China Plain (NCP), their vertical distributions and characterizations in the Mt. Tai region is not well known. To better understand the vertical variations of OAs in the urban and mountainous atmosphere, PM_2.5 samples were collected simultaneously on a daytime/nighttime basis at two sites of different altitudes (Taian urban site: 20 m above ground; the summit of Mt. Tai: 1534 m a.s.l.) during the summer of 2016. The concentrations of all the determined chemical compounds (e.g., OC, EC, inorganic ions, saccharides, n-alkanes, PAHs and hopanes) except for biogenic secondary organic aerosol (BSOA) tracers decreased with the increase in sampling height, indicating the relatively larger contribution of anthropogenic pollutants to OAs at the lower heights. The relatively low concentration levels of biomass burning tracers (e.g., levoglucosan, galactosan and mannosan) and the insignificant correlations of levoglucosan with carbonaceous species demonstrated a negligible effect of biomass burning on the mountaintop atmosphere. The enhanced concentrations of BSOA tracers were observed with the increase of height, largely due to the more intensive secondary oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under the stronger radiation conditions at the summit. The daytime concentrations of carbonaceous species, primary sugars, sugar alcohols, PAHs and low molecular weight n-alkanes were significantly higher than those in nighttime at Mt. Tai, suggesting that these chemical compounds at the summit of Mt.Tai aerosols were transported from the ground surface by valley breezes in daytime. There was no correlation between BSOA tracers and relative humidity (RH) or liquid water content (LWC) at both the sites, because both the high RH and LWC can suppress the acid-catalyzed formation of BSOA due to the dilution of the aerosol acidity.

Unexpected Oligomerization of Small α-Dicarbonyls for Secondary Organic Aerosol and Brown Carbon Formation

Large amounts of small α-dicarbonyls (glyoxal and methylglyoxal) are produced in the atmosphere from photochemical oxidation of biogenic isoprene and anthropogenic aromatics, but the fundamental mechanisms leading to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and brown carbon (BrC) formation remain elusive. Methylglyoxal is commonly believed to be less reactive than glyoxal because of unreactive methyl substitution, and available laboratory measurements showed negligible aerosol growth from methylglyoxal. Herein, we present experimental results to demonstrate striking oligomerization of small α-dicarbonyls leading to SOA and BrC formation on sub-micrometer aerosols. Significantly more efficient growth and browning of aerosols occur upon exposure to methylglyoxal than glyoxal under atmospherically relevant concentrations and in the absence/presence of gas-phase ammonia and formaldehyde, and nonvolatile oligomers and light-absorbing nitrogen-heterocycles are identified as the dominant particle-phase products. The distinct aerosol growth and light absorption are attributed to carbenium ion-mediated nucleophilic addition, interfacial electric field-induced attraction, and synergetic oligomerization involving organic/inorganic species, leading to surface- or volume-limited reactions that are dependent on the reactivity and gaseous concentrations. Our findings resolve an outstanding discrepancy concerning the multiphase chemistry of small α-dicarbonyls and unravel a new avenue for SOA and BrC formation from atmospherically abundant, ubiquitous carbonyls and ammonia/ammonium sulfate.

Volatile Organic Compounds Monitored Online at Three Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) Region during Summer 2016: Sources and Emission Areas

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored online at three photochemical assessment monitoring stations (MDS, WQS and HGS) in the Pearl River Delta region during the summer of 2016. Measured levels of VOCs at the MDS, WQS and HGS sites were 34.78, 8.54 and 8.47 ppbv, respectively, with aromatics and alkenes as major ozone precursors and aromatics as major precursors to secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model revealed that VOCs at the sites mainly came from vehicle exhaust, petrochemical industry, and solvent use. Vehicle exhaust and industrial processes losses contributed most to ozone formation potentials (OFP) of VOCs, while industrial processes losses contributed most to SOA formation potentials of VOCs. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis revealed a north-south distribution for source regions of aromatics occurring at MDS with emission sources in Guangzhou mainly centered in the Guangzhou central districts, and source regions of aromatics at WQS showed an east-west distribution across Huizhou, Dongguan and east of Guangzhou, while that at HGS showed a south-north distribution across Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing and Yangjiang. This study demonstrates that multi-point high time resolution data can help resolve emission sources and locate emission areas of important ozone and SOA precursors.