Articles | Volume 15, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11667-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11667-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Oct 2015
Research article |
| 21 Oct 2015
PM2.5 water-soluble elements in the southeastern United States: automated analytical method development, spatiotemporal distributions, source apportionment, and implications for heath studies
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
H. Guo
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
V. Verma
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
now at: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
R. E. Peltier
School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Jan-Lukas Tirpitz, Santo Fedele Colosimo, Nathaniel Brockway, Robert Spurr, Matt Christi, Samuel Hall, Kirk Ullmann, Johnathan Hair, Taylor Shingler, Rodney Weber, Jack Dibb, Richard Moore, Elizabeth Wiggins, Vijay Natraj, Nicolas Theys, and Jochen Stutz
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Haoran Yu, Joseph Varghese Puthussery, Yixiang Wang, and Vishal Verma
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Charles A. Brock, Karl D. Froyd, Maximilian Dollner, Christina J. Williamson, Gregory Schill, Daniel M. Murphy, Nicholas J. Wagner, Agnieszka Kupc, Jose L. Jimenez, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Benjamin A. Nault, Jason C. Schroder, Douglas A. Day, Derek J. Price, Bernadett Weinzierl, Joshua P. Schwarz, Joseph M. Katich, Siyuan Wang, Linghan Zeng, Rodney Weber, Jack Dibb, Eric Scheuer, Glenn S. Diskin, Joshua P. DiGangi, ThaoPaul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, Chelsea R. Thompson, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Ilann Bourgeois, Bruce C. Daube, Róisín Commane, and Steven C. Wofsy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15023–15063, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15023-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15023-2021, 2021
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Linghan Zeng, Amy P. Sullivan, Rebecca A. Washenfelder, Jack Dibb, Eric Scheuer, Teresa L. Campos, Joseph M. Katich, Ezra Levin, Michael A. Robinson, and Rodney J. Weber
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11079–11098, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11079-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11079-2021, 2021
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Yuhan Yang, Dong Gao, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4707–4719, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4707-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4707-2021, 2021
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Iron and copper are commonly found in ambient aerosols and have been linked to adverse health effects. We describe a relatively simple benchtop instrument that can be used to quantify these metals in aqueous solutions and verify the method by comparison with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The approach is based on forming light-absorbing metal–ligand complexes that can be measured with high sensitivity utilizing a long-path liquid waveguide capillary cell.
Athanasios Nenes, Spyros N. Pandis, Maria Kanakidou, Armistead G. Russell, Shaojie Song, Petros Vasilakos, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6023–6033, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6023-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6023-2021, 2021
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Ecosystems and air quality are affected by the dry deposition of inorganic reactive nitrogen (Nr, the sum of ammonium and nitrate). Its large variability is driven by the large difference in deposition velocity of N when in the gas or particle phase. Here we show that aerosol liquid water and acidity, by affecting gas–particle partitioning, modulate the dry deposition velocity of NH3, HNO3, and Nr worldwide. These effects explain the rapid accumulation of nitrate aerosol during haze events.
Ifayoyinsola Ibikunle, Andreas Beyersdorf, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Chelsea Corr, John D. Crounse, Jack Dibb, Glenn Diskin, Greg Huey, Jose-Luis Jimenez, Michelle J. Kim, Benjamin A. Nault, Eric Scheuer, Alex Teng, Paul O. Wennberg, Bruce Anderson, James Crawford, Rodney Weber, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2020-501, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2020-501, 2020
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Analysis of observations over South Korea during the NASA/NIER
KORUS-AQ field campaign show that aerosol is fairly acidic (mean pH 2.43 ± 0.68). Aerosol formation is always sensitive to HNO3 levels, especially in highly polluted regions, while it is only exclusively sensitive to NH3 in some rural/remote regions. Nitrate levels accumulate because dry deposition velocity is low. HNO3 reductions achieved by NOx controls can be the most effective PM reduction strategy for all conditions observed.
Yunle Chen, Masayuki Takeuchi, Theodora Nah, Lu Xu, Manjula R. Canagaratna, Harald Stark, Karsten Baumann, Francesco Canonaco, André S. H. Prévôt, L. Gregory Huey, Rodney J. Weber, and Nga L. Ng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 8421–8440, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8421-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8421-2020, 2020
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Two online mass spectrometry instruments, an aerosol mass spectrometer and a chemical ionization mass spectrometer equipped with a filter inlet for gases and aerosols, were deployed at Yorkville, GA, for a comprehensive characterization of organic aerosol. We observed notable secondary organic aerosol formation from isoprene and monoterpenes via different pathways during both day and night, and a series of highly oxidized acid-like compounds was found to be closely related to aged SOA.
Dong Gao, Krystal J. Godri Pollitt, James A. Mulholland, Armistead G. Russell, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 5197–5210, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-5197-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-5197-2020, 2020
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This study provides a direct intercomparison between two assays for quantifying oxidative potential (OP) of ambient particles: the synthetic respiratory-tract-lining fluid (RTLF) assay and the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. The results suggest that the DTT assay and the ascorbic acid depletion in RTLF are associated with organic species, transition metal ions, and antagonistic interactions between species. The glutathione depletion in RTLF is strongly dependent on water-soluble copper.
Havala O. T. Pye, Athanasios Nenes, Becky Alexander, Andrew P. Ault, Mary C. Barth, Simon L. Clegg, Jeffrey L. Collett Jr., Kathleen M. Fahey, Christopher J. Hennigan, Hartmut Herrmann, Maria Kanakidou, James T. Kelly, I-Ting Ku, V. Faye McNeill, Nicole Riemer, Thomas Schaefer, Guoliang Shi, Andreas Tilgner, John T. Walker, Tao Wang, Rodney Weber, Jia Xing, Rahul A. Zaveri, and Andreas Zuend
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 4809–4888, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-4809-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-4809-2020, 2020
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Acid rain is recognized for its impacts on human health and ecosystems, and programs to mitigate these effects have had implications for atmospheric acidity. Historical measurements indicate that cloud and fog droplet acidity has changed in recent decades in response to controls on emissions from human activity, while the limited trend data for suspended particles indicate acidity may be relatively constant. This review synthesizes knowledge on the acidity of atmospheric particles and clouds.
Athanasios Nenes, Spyros N. Pandis, Rodney J. Weber, and Armistead Russell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 3249–3258, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3249-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3249-2020, 2020
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We show that aerosol acidity (pH) and liquid water content naturally emerge as previously ignored parameters that drive particulate matter formation in the atmosphere, and its sensitivity to emissions of ammonia and nitric acid. The simple framework presented is easily applied to ambient measurements or model output, and it provides the
chemical regimeof PM sensitivity to ammonia and nitric acid availability.
Aoxing Zhang, Yuhang Wang, Yuzhong Zhang, Rodney J. Weber, Yongjia Song, Ziming Ke, and Yufei Zou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 1901–1920, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-1901-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-1901-2020, 2020
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Black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) are light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosols. We developed a module to simulate the emissions, atmospheric processing and direct radiative effect of BrC in the Community Earth System Model (CESM). We found that globally BrC is a significant absorber and is more centered in the tropical free troposphere compared to BC. The contribution of BrC heating to the Hadley circulation and latitudinal expansion of the tropics is comparable to BC heating.
Michael A. Battaglia Jr., Rodney J. Weber, Athanasios Nenes, and Christopher J. Hennigan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 14607–14620, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-14607-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-14607-2019, 2019
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The effects of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) on aerosol pH were characterized for aqueous-phase particles containing a mixture of inorganics and organics. The ISORROPIA-II and E-AIM models were used in conjunction with AIOMFAC to quantify the effect of organics on aerosol pH through (1) changes to the aerosol liquid water content and (2) changes to the hydrogen ion activity coefficient. The study included both organic acids and nonacids, at RH levels ranging from 70 to 90 %.
Jenny P. S. Wong, Maria Tsagkaraki, Irini Tsiodra, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Kalliopi Violaki, Maria Kanakidou, Jean Sciare, Athanasios Nenes, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 7319–7334, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7319-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7319-2019, 2019
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Biomass burning is a major source of light-absorbing organic species in atmospheric aerosols, and it can play an important role in climate and atmospheric chemistry. Through a combination of laboratory experiments and field observations, this work demonstrated that the light absorption properties of aged biomass burning organic aerosols are dominated by high-molecular-weight compounds. In addition, we found that total hydrated sugars may be a robust tracer for aged biomass burning aerosols.
Anusha Priyadarshani Silva Hettiyadura, Ibrahim M. Al-Naiema, Dagen D. Hughes, Ting Fang, and Elizabeth A. Stone
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 3191–3206, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3191-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3191-2019, 2019
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This study examines anthropogenic influences on secondary organic aerosol at an urban site in Atlanta, Georgia. Organosulfates accounted for 16.5 % of PM2.5 organic carbon and were mostly derived from isoprene. In contrast to a rural forested site, Atlanta's isoprene-derived organosulfate concentrations were 2–6 times higher and accounted for twice as much organic carbon. Insights are provided as to which organosulfates should be measured in future studies and targeted for standard development.
Kate R. Smith, Peter M. Edwards, Peter D. Ivatt, James D. Lee, Freya Squires, Chengliang Dai, Richard E. Peltier, Mat J. Evans, Yele Sun, and Alastair C. Lewis
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 1325–1336, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1325-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1325-2019, 2019
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Clusters of low-cost, low-power atmospheric gas sensors were built into a sensor instrument to monitor NO2 and O3 in Beijing, alongside reference instruments, aiming to improve the reliability of sensor measurements. Clustering identical sensors and using the median sensor signal was used to minimize drift over short and medium timescales. Three different machine learning techniques were used for all the sensor data in an attempt to correct for cross-interferences, which worked to some degree.
Hongyu Guo, Athanasios Nenes, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 17307–17323, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17307-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17307-2018, 2018
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Overprediction of fine-particle ammonium-sulfate molar ratios (R) by thermodynamic models is suggested as evidence for organic aerosol limiting the condensation of ammonia onto particles, with significant impacts on aerosol chemistry. We find that the effects of small amounts of salt and dust, combined with measurement artifacts, explain the discrepancy in R. These results are highly insensitive to mixing state. This means that aerosol predictions are much more robust than thought before.
Joseph V. Puthussery, Chen Zhang, and Vishal Verma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 5767–5780, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5767-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5767-2018, 2018
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The oxidative potential (OP) of ambient particulate matter (PM) has recently gained attention as an alternative metric for assessing the ambient PM toxicity. However, a major constraint in measuring the OP is its labor-intensive protocol. Here, we developed a new online instrument by coupling a mist chamber to an automated analytical system which can measure the real-time OP of ambient PM. We also report for the first time, the hourly averaged diurnal profile of ambient PM OP at an urban site.
Theodora Nah, Yi Ji, David J. Tanner, Hongyu Guo, Amy P. Sullivan, Nga Lee Ng, Rodney J. Weber, and L. Gregory Huey
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 5087–5104, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5087-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5087-2018, 2018
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The sources and atmospheric chemistry of gas-phase organic acids are currently poorly understood, due in part to the limited range of measurement techniques available. We evaluated the use of SF6− as a sensitive and selective chemical ionization reagent ion for real-time measurements of gas-phase organic acids at a rural site in Yorkville, Georgia. We found that ambient concentrations of organic acids ranged from a few ppt to several ppb, and are dependent on ambient temperature.
Petros Vasilakos, Armistead Russell, Rodney Weber, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 12765–12775, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12765-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12765-2018, 2018
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In this work, we investigated the role of emission reductions on aerosol acidity and particulate nitrate. We found that models exhibit positive biases in pH predictions, attributed to very high levels of crustal elements (Mg, Ca, K) in model simulations, which in turn led to an increasing aerosol pH trend over the past decade and allowed nitrate to become an important component of aerosol, which is inconsistent with the measurements, highlighting the importance of accurate pH prediction.
Hongyu Guo, Rene Otjes, Patrick Schlag, Astrid Kiendler-Scharr, Athanasios Nenes, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 12241–12256, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12241-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12241-2018, 2018
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Reduction in ammonia has been proposed as a way to lower fine particle mass and improve air quality, but gas-phase ammonia is linked to agricultural productivity. We assess the feasibility of ammonia control at a variety of locations through an aerosol thermodynamic analysis. We show that aerosol response to ammonia control is highly nonlinear and only becomes effective when ambient particle pH drops below approximately 3. Particle pH is a relevant aerosol air quality parameter.
Theodora Nah, Hongyu Guo, Amy P. Sullivan, Yunle Chen, David J. Tanner, Athanasios Nenes, Armistead Russell, Nga Lee Ng, L. Gregory Huey, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 11471–11491, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11471-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11471-2018, 2018
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We present measurements from a field study conducted in an agriculturally intensive region in the southeastern US during the fall of 2016 to investigate how NH3 affects particle acidity and SOA formation via gas–particle partitioning of semi-volatile organic acids. For this study, higher NH3 concentrations relative to what has been measured in the region in previous studies had minor effects on PM1 organic acids and their influence on the overall organic aerosol and PM1 mass concentrations.
Xuan Wang, Colette L. Heald, Jiumeng Liu, Rodney J. Weber, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Jose L. Jimenez, Joshua P. Schwarz, and Anne E. Perring
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 635–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-635-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-635-2018, 2018
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Brown carbon (BrC) contributes significantly to uncertainty in estimating the global direct radiative effect (DRE) of aerosols. We develop a global model simulation of BrC and test it against BrC absorption measurements from two aircraft campaigns in the continental United States. We suggest that BrC DRE has been overestimated previously due to the lack of observational constraints from direct measurements and omission of the effects of photochemical whitening.
Dong Gao, Ting Fang, Vishal Verma, Linghan Zeng, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2821–2835, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2821-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2821-2017, 2017
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This work compares three methods to determine the optimal approach for quantifying the total oxidative potential (OP) of fine particles collected with filters using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. An automated system has been developed to facilitate the total OP measurements for use in generation of large data sets needed for epidemiology studies. The results from this study show that the water-insoluble components contribute to PM2.5 OP and the related DTT-active species are largely secondary.
Hongyu Guo, Jiumeng Liu, Karl D. Froyd, James M. Roberts, Patrick R. Veres, Patrick L. Hayes, Jose L. Jimenez, Athanasios Nenes, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 5703–5719, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5703-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-5703-2017, 2017
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Fine particle pH is linked to many environmental impacts by affecting particle concentration and composition. Predicted Pasadena, CA (CalNex campaign), PM1 pH is 1.9 and PM2.5 pH 2.7, the latter higher due to sea salts. The model predicted gas–particle partitionings of HNO3–NO3−, NH3–NH4+, and HCl–Cl− are in good agreement, verifying the model predictions. A summary of contrasting locations in the US and eastern Mediterranean shows fine particles are generally highly acidic, with pH below 3.
Wing Y. Tuet, Yunle Chen, Lu Xu, Shierly Fok, Dong Gao, Rodney J. Weber, and Nga L. Ng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 839–853, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-839-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-839-2017, 2017
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Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) comprise a significant fraction of particulate matter (PM) and may have health implications. The water-soluble oxidative potentials of various SOA systems were determined using dithiothreitol consumption. Results from this study demonstrate that precursor identity was more influential than reaction condition in determining SOA oxidative potential and highlight a need to consider SOA contributions from anthropogenic hydrocarbons to PM-induced health effects.
Havala O. T. Pye, Benjamin N. Murphy, Lu Xu, Nga L. Ng, Annmarie G. Carlton, Hongyu Guo, Rodney Weber, Petros Vasilakos, K. Wyat Appel, Sri Hapsari Budisulistiorini, Jason D. Surratt, Athanasios Nenes, Weiwei Hu, Jose L. Jimenez, Gabriel Isaacman-VanWertz, Pawel K. Misztal, and Allen H. Goldstein
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 343–369, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-343-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-343-2017, 2017
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We use a chemical transport model to examine how organic compounds in the atmosphere interact with water present in particles. Organic compounds themselves lead to water uptake, and organic compounds interact with water associated with inorganic compounds in the rural southeast atmosphere. Including interactions of organic compounds with water requires a treatment of nonideality to more accurately represent aerosol observations during the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) 2013.
Amelia F. Longo, David J. Vine, Laura E. King, Michelle Oakes, Rodney J. Weber, Lewis Gregory Huey, Armistead G. Russell, and Ellery D. Ingall
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 13389–13398, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-13389-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-13389-2016, 2016
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New synchrotron-based techniques were applied to characterize the oxidation state and composition of sulfur in ambient aerosol and emission sources. Individual particles were found to contain surprisingly high levels of elemental sulfur, a form of sulfur found in only one of the emission sources analyzed. We also show metal sulfates as a key component of urban aerosols. These metal sulfate phases are highly soluble and are indicative of acidic processes transforming metals in the environment.
Weruka Rattanavaraha, Kevin Chu, Sri Hapsari Budisulistiorini, Matthieu Riva, Ying-Hsuan Lin, Eric S. Edgerton, Karsten Baumann, Stephanie L. Shaw, Hongyu Guo, Laura King, Rodney J. Weber, Miranda E. Neff, Elizabeth A. Stone, John H. Offenberg, Zhenfa Zhang, Avram Gold, and Jason D. Surratt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 4897–4914, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4897-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4897-2016, 2016
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The mechanisms by which specific anthropogenic pollutants enhance isoprene SOA in ambient PM2.5 remain unclear. As one aspect of an investigation to examine how anthropogenic pollutants influence isoprene-derived SOA formation, high-volume PM2.5 filter samples were collected from Birmingham, AL, during the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS). Isoprene SOA tracers were measured from these samples and compared to gas and aerosol data collected from the SEARCH network.
Aikaterini Bougiatioti, Panayiota Nikolaou, Iasonas Stavroulas, Giorgos Kouvarakis, Rodney Weber, Athanasios Nenes, Maria Kanakidou, and Nikolaos Mihalopoulos
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 4579–4591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4579-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4579-2016, 2016
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Atmospheric aerosols and relevant parameters were measured in the eastern Mediterranean during summer and fall 2012. Submicron aerosol water can contribute up to 33 % of total mass, and 27.5 % of this can be associated with organics. Using these data, the pH of the submicron aerosols was calculated to be highly acidic, varying from 0.5 to 2.8 and independently of air masses origin. Such pH values could increase nutrient availability and thus sea water productivity of the Mediterranean Sea.
Ting Fang, Vishal Verma, Josephine T. Bates, Joseph Abrams, Mitchel Klein, Matthew J. Strickland, Stefanie E. Sarnat, Howard H. Chang, James A. Mulholland, Paige E. Tolbert, Armistead G. Russell, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 3865–3879, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3865-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3865-2016, 2016
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Ascorbic acid (AA) and Dithiothreitol (DTT) assay measures of water-soluble PM2.5 oxidative potential (OP) are compared in terms of spatiotemporal trends, chemical selectivity, sources, and health impacts based on an epidemiological study with backcast estimated OP. Both assays point to metals from brake/tire wear, but only the DTT assay also identifies organics from combustion. DTT is associated with emergency department visits for asthma/wheeze and congestive heart failure, whereas AA is not.
K. M. Cerully, A. Bougiatioti, J. R. Hite Jr., H. Guo, L. Xu, N. L. Ng, R. Weber, and A. Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 8679–8694, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-8679-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-8679-2015, 2015
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The hygroscopicity of SE US aerosol is mostly water-soluble, with a hygroscopicity that is insensitive to partial volatilization in a thermodenuder.
The most and least oxidized components of the aerosol are the most hygroscopic of organic constituents.
No clear relationship was found between organic aerosol hygroscopicity and oxygen-to-carbon ratio.
The aerosol factors covary in a way that induces the observed diurnal invariance in total organic hygroscopicity.
J. Liu, E. Scheuer, J. Dibb, G. S. Diskin, L. D. Ziemba, K. L. Thornhill, B. E. Anderson, A. Wisthaler, T. Mikoviny, J. J. Devi, M. Bergin, A. E. Perring, M. Z. Markovic, J. P. Schwarz, P. Campuzano-Jost, D. A. Day, J. L. Jimenez, and R. J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 7841–7858, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7841-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7841-2015, 2015
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Brown carbon (BrC) is found throughout the US continental troposphere during a summer of extensive biomass burning and its prevalence relative to black carbon (BC) increases with altitude. A radiative transfer model based on direct measurements of aerosol scattering and absorption by BC and BrC shows BrC reduces top-of-atmosphere forcing by 20%. A method to estimate BrC radiative forcing efficiencies from surface-based measurements is provided.
L. Xu, S. Suresh, H. Guo, R. J. Weber, and N. L. Ng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 7307–7336, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7307-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7307-2015, 2015
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Year-long comprehensive characterization of ambient aerosol was performed in both rural and urban sites in the southeastern US as part of Southeastern Center of Air Pollution and Epidemiology (SCAPE) study and Southeastern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS). Three independent methods were applied to estimate the concentration of particle-phase organic nitrates. The spatial distribution of organic aerosol is investigated by comparing simultaneous HR-ToF-AMS and ACSM measurements at different sites.
H. Guo, L. Xu, A. Bougiatioti, K. M. Cerully, S. L. Capps, J. R. Hite Jr., A. G. Carlton, S.-H. Lee, M. H. Bergin, N. L. Ng, A. Nenes, and R. J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 5211–5228, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5211-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5211-2015, 2015
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Particle pH can affect many aerosol processes, including gas-particle partitioning, SOA formation, and mobilization of toxic redox metals. pH is challenging to directly measure and often improperly characterized by proxies like ion balances or molar ratios of measured aerosol ionic species. We present a detailed analysis predicting pH with a thermodynamic model, verify the prediction, and test pH sensitivity to model inputs based on data from the SOAS field campaign.
J. W. Taylor, J. D. Allan, D. Liu, M. Flynn, R. Weber, X. Zhang, B. L. Lefer, N. Grossberg, J. Flynn, and H. Coe
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1701–1718, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1701-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1701-2015, 2015
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When using the SP2 to report black carbon core/shell coating thickness, the core density and refractive index must be estimated from literature values. We systematically vary the assumed parameters and the instrument calibration, and quantify the effects in the derived coatings. The technique is highly sensitive to the core refractive index but has only a minor sensitivity to the core density and coating refractive index. We identify the most appropriate values to use in future analysis.
C. J. Hennigan, J. Izumi, A. P. Sullivan, R. J. Weber, and A. Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 2775–2790, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2775-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2775-2015, 2015
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We show that the ion balance and molar ratio methods are unsuitable for use as aerosol pH proxies. Our recommendation is that 1) thermodynamic equilibrium models constrained by both gas and aerosol inputs run in the forward (open) mode, and 2) the phase partitioning of ammonia provides the best predictions of aerosol pH. Given the significance of acidity for numerous chemical processes in the atmosphere, the implications of this study are important and far reaching.
B. Yuan, P. R. Veres, C. Warneke, J. M. Roberts, J. B. Gilman, A. Koss, P. M. Edwards, M. Graus, W. C. Kuster, S.-M. Li, R. J. Wild, S. S. Brown, W. P. Dubé, B. M. Lerner, E. J. Williams, J. E. Johnson, P. K. Quinn, T. S. Bates, B. Lefer, P. L. Hayes, J. L. Jimenez, R. J. Weber, R. Zamora, B. Ervens, D. B. Millet, B. Rappenglück, and J. A. de Gouw
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1975–1993, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1975-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1975-2015, 2015
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In this work, secondary formation of formic acid at an urban site and a site in an oil and gas production region is studied. We investigated various gas phase formation pathways of formic acid, including those recently proposed, using a box model. The contributions from aerosol-related processes, fog events and air-snow exchange to formic acid are also quantified.
T. Fang, V. Verma, H. Guo, L. E. King, E. S. Edgerton, and R. J. Weber
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 471–482, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-471-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-471-2015, 2015
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This work summarizes a newly developed semi-automated system for quantifying the oxidative potential of aerosol aqueous extracts using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. 500 sample analyses indicate that DTT activity in the southeast US is likely not dominated by a unique local source, and sources change with season. The unique large data set generated with the technique described in this paper allows new studies on DTT sources and investigating linkages between reactive oxygen species and health.
V. Verma, T. Fang, H. Guo, L. King, J. T. Bates, R. E. Peltier, E. Edgerton, A. G. Russell, and R. J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 12915–12930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12915-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12915-2014, 2014
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The major emission sources of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with ambient particulate matter in the southeastern United States were identified. The study shows biomass burning and secondary aerosol formation as the major sources contributing to the ROS-generating capability of ambient particles. The ubiquitous nature of these two sources suggests widespread population exposures to the toxic aerosol components.
Y. You, V. P. Kanawade, J. A. de Gouw, A. B. Guenther, S. Madronich, M. R. Sierra-Hernández, M. Lawler, J. N. Smith, S. Takahama, G. Ruggeri, A. Koss, K. Olson, K. Baumann, R. J. Weber, A. Nenes, H. Guo, E. S. Edgerton, L. Porcelli, W. H. Brune, A. H. Goldstein, and S.-H. Lee
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 12181–12194, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12181-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12181-2014, 2014
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Amiens play important roles in atmospheric secondary aerosol formation and human health, but the fast response measurements of amines are lacking. Here we show measurements in a southeastern US forest and a moderately polluted midwestern site. Our results show that gas to particle conversion is an important process that controls ambient amine concentrations and that biomass burning is an important source of amines.
T. K. V. Nguyen, M. D. Petters, S. R. Suda, H. Guo, R. J. Weber, and A. G. Carlton
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 10911–10930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10911-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10911-2014, 2014
S. H. Budisulistiorini, M. R. Canagaratna, P. L. Croteau, K. Baumann, E. S. Edgerton, M. S. Kollman, N. L. Ng, V. Verma, S. L. Shaw, E. M. Knipping, D. R. Worsnop, J. T. Jayne, R.J. Weber, and J. D. Surratt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 1929–1941, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1929-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-1929-2014, 2014
Y. Cheng, G. Engling, K.-B. He, F.-K. Duan, Y.-L. Ma, Z.-Y. Du, J.-M. Liu, M. Zheng, and R. J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 7765–7781, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-7765-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-7765-2013, 2013
L. E. King and R. J. Weber
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 1647–1658, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-1647-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-1647-2013, 2013
T. L. Lathem, A. J. Beyersdorf, K. L. Thornhill, E. L. Winstead, M. J. Cubison, A. Hecobian, J. L. Jimenez, R. J. Weber, B. E. Anderson, and A. Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 2735–2756, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-2735-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-2735-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Aerosols | Research Activity: Field Measurements | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Chemistry (chemical composition and reactions)
Molecular characterization of organic aerosols in urban and forested areas of Paris using high-resolution mass spectrometry
Measurement report: Wintertime aerosol characterization at an urban traffic site in Helsinki, Finland
Source apportionment and ecotoxicity of PM2.5 pollution events in a major Southern Hemisphere megacity: influence of a biofuel-impacted fleet and biomass burning
Marine organic aerosol at Mace Head: effects from phytoplankton and source region variability
Measurement report: Sources and meteorology influencing highly time-resolved PM2.5 trace elements at three urban sites in the extremely polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain in India
Formation of highly absorptive secondary brown carbon through nighttime multiphase chemistry of biomass burning emissions
Measurement report: Vertically resolved atmospheric properties observed over the Southern Great Plains with the ArcticShark uncrewed aerial system
Non-biogenic sources are an important but overlooked contributor to aerosol isoprene-derived organosulfates during winter in northern China
The critical role of aqueous-phase processes in aromatic-derived nitrogen-containing organic aerosol formation in cities with different energy consumption patterns
Characterization of atmospheric water-soluble brown carbon in the Athabasca oil sands region, Canada
Sensitivity of aerosol and cloud properties to coupling strength of marine boundary layer clouds over the northwest Atlantic
Burning conditions and transportation pathways determine biomass-burning aerosol properties in the Ascension Island marine boundary layer
Observations of high-time-resolution and size-resolved aerosol chemical composition and microphysics in the central Arctic: implications for climate-relevant particle properties
Measurement report: Brown carbon aerosol in rural Germany – sources, chemistry, and diurnal variations
Multiple eco-regions contribute to the seasonal cycle of Antarctic aerosol size distributions
Seasonal investigation of ultrafine-particle organic composition in an eastern Amazonian rainforest
Characterizing lead-rich particles in Beijing's atmosphere following coal-to-gas conversion: Insights from single particle aerosol mass spectrometry
High-resolution analyses of concentrations and sizes of refractory black carbon particles deposited in northwestern Greenland over the past 350 years – Part 2: Seasonal and temporal trends in refractory black carbon originated from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning
Direct measurement of N2O5 heterogeneous uptake coefficients on atmospheric aerosols in southwestern China and evaluation of current parameterizations
Measurement report: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in particulate matter (PM10) from activated sludge aeration
Significant role of biomass burning in heavy haze formation in Nanjing, a megacity in China: molecular-level insights from intensive PM2.5 sampling on winter hazy days
Widespread trace bromine and iodine in remote tropospheric non-sea-salt aerosols
Significant contributions of biomass burning to PM2.5-bound aromatic compounds: insights from field observations and quantum chemical calculations
A 60-year atmospheric nitrate isotope record from a Southeast Greenland ice core with minimal post-depositional alteration
Iron isotopes reveal significant aerosol dissolution over the Pacific Ocean
Formation and chemical evolution of secondary organic aerosol in two different environments: a dual-chamber study
Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley
Technical note: Quantified organic aerosol subsaturated hygroscopicity by a simple optical scatter monitor system through field measurements
Measurement report: Oxidation potential of water-soluble aerosol components in the south and north of Beijing
Enhanced daytime secondary aerosol formation driven by gas–particle partitioning in downwind urban plumes
Technical note: Reconstructing surface missing aerosol elemental carbon data in long-term series with ensemble learning
Understanding the mechanism and importance of brown carbon bleaching across the visible spectrum in biomass burning plumes from the WE-CAN campaign
Influence of terrestrial and marine air mass on the constituents and intermixing of bioaerosols over a coastal atmosphere
A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
The annual cycle and sources of relevant aerosol precursor vapors in the central Arctic during the MOSAiC expedition
Enhanced emission of intermediate/semi-volatile organic matters in both gas and particle phases from ship exhausts with low-sulfur fuels
Measurement report: Crustal materials play an increasing role in elevating particle pH: Insights from 12-year records in a typical inland city of China
African dust transported to Barbados in the Wintertime Lacks Indicators of Chemical Aging
Opinion: How will advances in aerosol science inform our understanding of the health impacts of outdoor particulate pollution?
Machine Learning Assisted Chemical Characterization and Optical Properties of Atmospheric Brown Carbon in Nanjing, China
Measurement report: Intra-annual variability of black carbon and brown carbon and their interrelation with meteorological conditions over Gangtok, Sikkim
Long-range transport of air pollutants increases the concentration of hazardous components of PM2.5 in northern South America
Dominant influence of biomass combustion and cross-border transport on nitrogen-containing organic compound levels in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau
Impacts of elevated anthropogenic emissions on physicochemical characteristics of black-carbon-containing particles over the Tibetan Plateau
Online characterization of primary and secondary emissions of particulate matter and acidic molecules from a modern fleet of city buses
Atmospheric evolution of environmentally persistent free radicals in the rural North China Plain: effects on water solubility and PM2.5 oxidative potential
Measurement report: Characterization of Aerosol Hygroscopicity over Southeast Asia during the NASA CAMP2Ex Campaign
Two distinct ship emission profiles for organic-sulfate source apportionment of PM in sulfur emission control areas
Measurement report: In-depth characterization of ship emissions during operations in a Mediterranean port
Automated compound speciation, cluster analysis, and quantification of organic vapors and aerosols using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and mass spectrometry
Diana L. Pereira, Chiara Giorio, Aline Gratien, Alexander Zherebker, Gael Noyalet, Servanne Chevaillier, Stéphanie Alage, Elie Almarj, Antonin Bergé, Thomas Bertin, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Ludovico Di Antonio, Sergio Harb, Johannes Heuser, Cécile Gaimoz, Oscar Guillemant, Brigitte Language, Olivier Lauret, Camilo Macias, Franck Maisonneuve, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Raquel Torres, Sylvain Triquet, Pascal Zapf, Lelia Hawkins, Drew Pronovost, Sydney Riley, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Emilie Perraudin, Pauline Pouyes, Eric Villenave, Alexandre Albinet, Olivier Favez, Robin Aujay-Plouzeau, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4885–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, 2025
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In order to study aerosols in environments influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, we performed analyses of samples collected during the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry Of the Suburban Forest) campaign in summer 2022 in the greater Paris area. After analysis of the chemical composition by means of total carbon determination and high-resolution mass spectrometry, this work highlights the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the chemical composition of both urban and forested areas.
Kimmo Teinilä, Sanna Saarikoski, Henna Lintusaari, Teemu Lepistö, Petteri Marjanen, Minna Aurela, Heidi Hellén, Toni Tykkä, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Lampilahti, Luis Barreira, Timo Mäkelä, Leena Kangas, Juha Hatakka, Sami Harni, Joel Kuula, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Jaakko Yli-Ojanperä, Ville Niemelä, Milja Jäppi, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Joonas Vanhanen, Liisa Pirjola, Hanna E. Manninen, Tuukka Petäjä, Topi Rönkkö, and Hilkka Timonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4907–4928, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4907-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4907-2025, 2025
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Physical and chemical properties of particulate matter and concentrations of trace gases were measured in a street canyon in Helsinki, Finland, and an urban background site in January–February 2022 to investigate the effect of wintertime conditions on pollutants. State-of-the-art instruments and a mobile laboratory were used, and the measurement data were analysed further with modelling tools like positive matrix factorization and the Pollution Detection Algorithm.
Guilherme Martins Pereira, Leonardo Yoshiaki Kamigauti, Rubens Fabio Pereira, Djacinto Monteiro dos Santos, Thayná da Silva Santos, José Vinicius Martins, Célia Alves, Cátia Gonçalves, Ismael Casotti Rienda, Nora Kováts, Thiago Nogueira, Luciana Rizzo, Paulo Artaxo, Regina Maura de Miranda, Marcia Akemi Yamasoe, Edmilson Dias de Freitas, Pérola de Castro Vasconcellos, and Maria de Fatima Andrade
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4587–4616, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4587-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4587-2025, 2025
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The chemical composition of fine particulate matter was studied in the megacity of São Paulo (Brazil) during a polluted period. Vehicular-related sources remain relevant; however, a high contribution of biomass burning was observed and correlated with sample ecotoxicity. Emerging biomass burning sources, such as forest fires and sugarcane-bagasse-based power plants, highlight the need for additional control measures alongside stricter rules concerning vehicular emissions.
Emmanuel Chevassus, Kirsten N. Fossum, Darius Ceburnis, Lu Lei, Chunshui Lin, Wei Xu, Colin O'Dowd, and Jurgita Ovadnevaite
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4107–4129, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4107-2025, 2025
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This study presents the first source apportionment of organic aerosol at Mace Head via high-resolution mass spectrometry. Introducing transfer entropy as a novel method reveals that aged organic aerosol originates from both open-ocean ozonolysis and local peat-burning oxidation. Methanesulfonic acid and organic sea spray both mirror phytoplankton activity, with the former closely tied to coccolithophore blooms and the latter linked to diatoms, chlorophytes, and cyanobacteria.
Ashutosh K. Shukla, Sachchida N. Tripathi, Shamitaksha Talukdar, Vishnu Murari, Sreenivas Gaddamidi, Manousos-Ioannis Manousakas, Vipul Lalchandani, Kuldeep Dixit, Vinayak M. Ruge, Peeyush Khare, Mayank Kumar, Vikram Singh, Neeraj Rastogi, Suresh Tiwari, Atul K. Srivastava, Dilip Ganguly, Kaspar Rudolf Daellenbach, and André S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3765–3784, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3765-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3765-2025, 2025
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Our study delves into the elemental composition of aerosols at three sites across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), revealing distinct patterns during pollution episodes. We found significant increases in chlorine (Cl)-rich and solid fuel combustion (SFC) sources, indicating dynamic emission sources, agricultural burning impacts, and meteorological influences. Surges in Cl-rich particles during cold periods highlight their role in particle growth under high-relative-humidity conditions.
Ye Kuang, Biao Luo, Shan Huang, Junwen Liu, Weiwei Hu, Yuwen Peng, Duohong Chen, Dingli Yue, Wanyun Xu, Bin Yuan, and Min Shao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3737–3752, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3737-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3737-2025, 2025
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This research reveals the potential importance of nighttime NO3 radical chemistry and aerosol water in the rapid formation of secondary brown carbon from diluted biomass burning emissions. The findings enhance our understanding of nighttime biomass burning evolution and its implications for climate and regional air quality, especially regarding interactions with background aerosol water and water-rich fogs and clouds.
Fan Mei, Qi Zhang, Damao Zhang, Jerome D. Fast, Gourihar Kulkarni, Mikhail S. Pekour, Christopher R. Niedek, Susanne Glienke, Israel Silber, Beat Schmid, Jason M. Tomlinson, Hardeep S. Mehta, Xena Mansoura, Zezhen Cheng, Gregory W. Vandergrift, Nurun Nahar Lata, Swarup China, and Zihua Zhu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3425–3444, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3425-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3425-2025, 2025
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This study highlights the unique capability of the ArcticShark, an uncrewed aerial system, in measuring vertically resolved atmospheric properties. Data from 32 research flights in 2023 reveal seasonal patterns and correlations with conventional measurements. The consistency and complementarity of in situ and remote sensing methods are highlighted. The study demonstrates the ArcticShark’s versatility in bridging data gaps and improving the understanding of vertical atmospheric structures.
Ting Yang, Yu Xu, Yu-Chen Wang, Yi-Jia Ma, Hong-Wei Xiao, Hao Xiao, and Hua-Yun Xiao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2967–2978, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2967-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2967-2025, 2025
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Previous measurement–model comparisons of atmospheric isoprene levels showed a significant unidentified source of isoprene in some northern Chinese cities during winter. Here, the first combination of large-scale observations and field combustion experiments provides novel insights into biomass burning emissions as a significant source of isoprene-derived organosulfates during winter in northern cities of China.
Yi-Jia Ma, Yu Xu, Ting Yang, Lin Gui, Hong-Wei Xiao, Hao Xiao, and Hua-Yun Xiao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2763–2780, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2763-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2763-2025, 2025
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The abundance, potential precursors, and main formation mechanisms of nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) in PM2.5 during winter were compared among cities with different energy consumption patterns. The aerosol NOC pollution during winter in China is closely associated with the intensity of precursor emissions and the aqueous-phase processes. Our results highlight the importance of emission reduction strategies in controlling aerosol NOCs pollution during winter in China.
Dane Blanchard, Mark Gordon, Duc Huy Dang, Paul Andrew Makar, and Julian Aherne
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2423–2442, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025, 2025
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This study offers the first known evaluation of water-soluble brown carbon aerosols in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), Canada. Fluorescence spectroscopy analysis of aerosol samples from five regional sites (collected during the summer of 2021) identified oil sands operations as a measurable brown carbon source. Industrial aerosol emissions were unlikely to impact regional radiative forcing. These findings show that fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to monitor brown carbon in the AOSR.
Kira Zeider, Kayla McCauley, Sanja Dmitrovic, Leong Wai Siu, Yonghoon Choi, Ewan C. Crosbie, Joshua P. DiGangi, Glenn S. Diskin, Simon Kirschler, John B. Nowak, Michael A. Shook, Kenneth L. Thornhill, Christiane Voigt, Edward L. Winstead, Luke D. Ziemba, Paquita Zuidema, and Armin Sorooshian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2407–2422, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2407-2025, 2025
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In situ aircraft data collected over the northwest Atlantic Ocean are utilized to compare aerosol conditions and turbulence between near-surface and below-cloud-base altitudes for different regimes of coupling strength between those two levels, along with how cloud microphysical properties vary across those regimes. Stronger coupling yields more homogenous aerosol structure vertically along with higher cloud drop concentrations and sea salt influence in clouds.
Amie Dobracki, Ernie R. Lewis, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Tyler Tatro, Maria A. Zawadowicz, and Paquita Zuidema
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2333–2363, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025, 2025
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Biomass-burning aerosol is commonly present in the marine boundary layer over the southeast Atlantic Ocean between June and October. Our research indicates that burning conditions, aerosol transport pathways, and prolonged oxidation processes (heterogeneous and aqueous phases) determine the chemical, microphysical, and optical properties of the boundary layer aerosol. Notably, we find that the aerosol optical properties can be estimated from the chemical properties alone.
Benjamin Heutte, Nora Bergner, Hélène Angot, Jakob B. Pernov, Lubna Dada, Jessica A. Mirrielees, Ivo Beck, Andrea Baccarini, Matthew Boyer, Jessie M. Creamean, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Imad El Haddad, Markus M. Frey, Silvia Henning, Tiia Laurila, Vaios Moschos, Tuukka Petäjä, Kerri A. Pratt, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Matthew D. Shupe, Paul Zieger, Tuija Jokinen, and Julia Schmale
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2207–2241, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2207-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2207-2025, 2025
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Limited aerosol measurements in the central Arctic hinder our understanding of aerosol–climate interactions in the region. Our year-long observations of aerosol physicochemical properties during the MOSAiC expedition reveal strong seasonal variations in aerosol chemical composition, where the short-term variability is heavily affected by storms in the Arctic. Local wind-generated particles are shown to be an important source of cloud seeds, especially in autumn.
Feng Jiang, Harald Saathoff, Uzoamaka Ezenobi, Junwei Song, Hengheng Zhang, Linyu Gao, and Thomas Leisner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1917–1930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1917-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1917-2025, 2025
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The chemical composition of brown carbon in the particle and gas phase was determined by mass spectrometry. BrC in the gas phase was mainly controlled by secondary formation and particle-to-gas partitioning. BrC in the particle phase was mainly from secondary formation. This work helps to get a better understanding of diurnal variations and the sources of brown carbon aerosol at a rural location in central Europe.
James Brean, David C. S. Beddows, Eija Asmi, Aki Virkkula, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Mikko Sipilä, Floortje Van Den Heuvel, Thomas Lachlan-Cope, Anna Jones, Markus Frey, Angelo Lupi, Jiyeon Park, Young Jun Yoon, Rolf Weller, Giselle L. Marincovich, Gabriela C. Mulena, Roy M. Harrison, and Manuel Dall'Osto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1145–1162, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1145-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1145-2025, 2025
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Our results emphasise how understanding the geographical variation in surface types across the Antarctic is key to understanding secondary aerosol sources.
Adam E. Thomas, Hayley S. Glicker, Alex B. Guenther, Roger Seco, Oscar Vega Bustillos, Julio Tota, Rodrigo A. F. Souza, and James N. Smith
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 959–977, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-959-2025, 2025
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We present measurements of the organic composition of ultrafine particles collected from the eastern Amazon, an understudied region that is subjected to increasing human influence. We find that while isoprene chemistry is likely significant for ultrafine-particle growth throughout the year, compounds related to other sources, such as biological-spore emissions and biomass burning, exhibit striking seasonal differences, implying extensive variation in regional ultrafine-particle sources.
Xiufeng Lian, Yongjiang Xu, Fengxian Liu, Long Peng, Xiaodong Hu, Guigang Tang, Xu Dao, Hui Guo, Liwei Wang, Bo Huang, Chunlei Cheng, Lei Li, Guohua Zhang, Xinhui Bi, Xiaofei Wang, Zhen Zhou, and Mei Li
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3469, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3469, 2025
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In this study, we analyzed the mixing state and atmospheric chemical processes of Pb-rich single particles in Beijing. Then, we focused on analyzing the differences in Pb-rich particles between the heating period and non-heating period, as well as the formation mechanism of lead nitrate after coal-to-gas conversion. Our results highlighted the improvement of coal-to-gas conversion on Pb in the particulate.
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, Moe Kadota, Akane Tsushima, Naoko Nagatsuka, and Teruo Aoki
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 657–683, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-657-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-657-2025, 2025
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Monthly ice core records spanning 350 years from Greenland show trends in refractory black carbon (rBC) concentrations and sizes. rBC levels have increased since the 1870s due to the inflow of anthropogenic rBC, with larger diameters than those from biomass burning (BB) rBC. High summer BB rBC peaks may reduce the ice sheet albedo, but BB rBC showed no increase until the early 2000s. These results are vital for validating aerosol and climate models.
Jiayin Li, Tianyu Zhai, Xiaorui Chen, Haichao Wang, Shuyang Xie, Shiyi Chen, Chunmeng Li, Huabin Dong, and Keding Lu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3804, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3804, 2025
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We directly measured the dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) uptake coefficient which critical impact the NOx fate and particulate nitrate formation in a typical highland city, Kunming, in China. We found the performance of current γ(N2O5) parameterizations showed deviations with the varying aerosol liquid water content (ALWC). Such differences would lead to biased estimation on particulate nitrate production potential. Our findings suggest the directions for future studies.
Jishnu Pandamkulangara Kizhakkethil, Zongbo Shi, Anna Bogush, and Ivan Kourtchev
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3952, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3952, 2025
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Pollution with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) received attention due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation. PM10 collected above a scaled-down activated sludge tank treating domestic sewage for a population >10,000 people in the UK were analysed for a range of short-, medium- and long-chain PFAS. Eight PFAS were detected in the PM10. Our results suggest that wastewater treatment processes i.e. activated sludge aeration could aerosolise PFAS into airborne PM.
Mingjie Kang, Mengying Bao, Wenhuai Song, Aduburexiati Abulimiti, Changliu Wu, Fang Cao, Sönke Szidat, and Yanlin Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 73–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-73-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-73-2025, 2025
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Reports on molecular-level knowledge of high-temporal-resolution particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) on hazy days are limited. We investigated various PM2.5 species and their sources. The results show biomass burning (BB) was the main source of organic carbon. Moreover, BB enhanced fungal spore emissions and secondary aerosol formation. The contribution of non-fossil sources increased with increasing haze pollution, suggesting BB may be an important driver of haze events in winter.
Gregory P. Schill, Karl D. Froyd, Daniel M. Murphy, Christina J. Williamson, Charles A. Brock, Tomás Sherwen, Mat J. Evans, Eric A. Ray, Eric C. Apel, Rebecca S. Hornbrook, Alan J. Hills, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Chelsea R. Thompson, Ilann Bourgeois, Donald R. Blake, Joshua P. DiGangi, and Glenn S. Diskin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 45–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-45-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-45-2025, 2025
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Using single-particle mass spectrometry, we show that trace concentrations of bromine and iodine are ubiquitous in remote tropospheric aerosol and suggest that aerosols are an important part of the global reactive iodine budget. Comparisons to a global climate model with detailed iodine chemistry are favorable in the background atmosphere; however, the model cannot replicate our measurements near the ocean surface, in biomass burning plumes, and in the stratosphere.
Yanqin Ren, Zhenhai Wu, Fang Bi, Hong Li, Haijie Zhang, Junling Li, Rui Gao, Fangyun Long, Zhengyang Liu, Yuanyuan Ji, and Gehui Wang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3678, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3678, 2025
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The daily concentrations of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs), and nitrated phenols (NPs) in PM2.5 were all increased during the heating season. Biomass burning was identified to be the primary source of these aromatic compounds, particularly for PAHs. Phenol and nitrobenzene are two main primary precursors for 4NP, with phenol showing lower reaction barriers. P-Cresol was identified as the primary precursor for the formation of 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol.
Zhao Wei, Shohei Hattori, Asuka Tsuruta, Zhuang Jiang, Sakiko Ishino, Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Lei Geng, Alexis Lamothe, Ryu Uemura, Naohiro Yoshida, Joel Savarino, and Yoshinori Iizuka
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3937, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3937, 2024
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Nitrate isotope records in ice cores reveal changes in NOₓ emissions, atmospheric acidity, and oxidation chemistry driven by human activity. However, nitrate in snow can be altered by UV-driven post-depositional processes, making snow accumulation rates critical for preserving these records. This study examines nitrate isotopes in an SE-Dome ice core, where high snow accumulation minimizes these effects, providing a reliable archive of atmospheric nitrogen cycling.
Capucine Camin, François Lacan, Catherine Pradoux, Marie Labatut, Anne Johansen, and James W. Murray
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3777, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3777, 2024
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This manuscript presents the chemical composition of aerosols (> 1µm) over the Equatorial and Tropical Pacific Ocean, presenting the first measurements of iron isotopes in aerosols from this region. Iron concentrations and isotopes were determined using a Neptune MC-ICPMS. Our data analysis reveals that a significant portion of the aerosols undergo dissolution and removal during atmospheric transport. These findings contribute to original conclusions about the chemistry and physics of aerosols.
Andreas Aktypis, Dontavious J. Sippial, Christina N. Vasilakopoulou, Angeliki Matrali, Christos Kaltsonoudis, Andrea Simonati, Marco Paglione, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, and Spyros N. Pandis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13769–13791, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13769-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13769-2024, 2024
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A dual-chamber system was deployed in two different environments (Po Valley, Italy, and Pertouli forest, Greece) to study the potential of ambient air directly injected into the chambers, to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In the Po Valley, the system reacts rapidly, forming large amounts of SOA, while in Pertouli the SOA formation chemistry appears to have been practically terminated before the beginning of most experiments, so there is little additional SOA formation potential left.
Fredrik Mattsson, Almuth Neuberger, Liine Heikkinen, Yvette Gramlich, Marco Paglione, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, Paul Zieger, Ilona Riipinen, and Claudia Mohr
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3629, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3629, 2024
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This study investigated aerosol-cloud interactions, focusing on organic nitrogen (ON) formation in the aqueous phase. Measurements were conducted in wintertime Italian Po Valley, using aerosol mass spectrometry. The fog was enriched in more hygroscopic inorganic compounds and ON, containing e.g. imidazoles. The formation of imidazole by aerosol-fog interactions could be confirmed for the first time in atmospheric observations. Findings highlight the role of fog in nitrogen aerosol formation.
Jie Zhang, Tianyu Zhu, Alexandra Catena, Yaowei Li, Margaret J. Schwab, Pengfei Liu, Akua Asa-Awuku, and James Schwab
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13445–13456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13445-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13445-2024, 2024
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This study shows the derived organic aerosol hygroscopicity under high-humidity conditions based on a simple optical scatter monitor system, including two nephelometric monitors (pDR-1500), when the aerosol chemical composition is already known.
Wei Yuan, Ru-Jin Huang, Chao Luo, Lu Yang, Wenjuan Cao, Jie Guo, and Huinan Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13219–13230, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13219-2024, 2024
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We characterized water-soluble oxidative potential (OP) levels in wintertime PM2.5 in the south and north of Beijing. Our results show that the volume-normalized dithiothreitol (DTTv) in the north was comparable to that in the south, while the mass-normalized dithiothreitol (DTTm) in the north was almost twice that in the south. Traffic-related emissions and biomass burning were the main sources of DTTv in the south, and traffic-related emissions contributed the most to DTTv in the north.
Mingfu Cai, Chenshuo Ye, Bin Yuan, Shan Huang, E Zheng, Suxia Yang, Zelong Wang, Yi Lin, Tiange Li, Weiwei Hu, Wei Chen, Qicong Song, Wei Li, Yuwen Peng, Baoling Liang, Qibin Sun, Jun Zhao, Duohong Chen, Jiaren Sun, Zhiyong Yang, and Min Shao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13065–13079, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13065-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13065-2024, 2024
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This study investigated the daytime secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation in urban plumes. We observed a significant daytime SOA formation through gas–particle partitioning when the site was affected by urban plumes. A box model simulation indicated that urban pollutants (nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds) could enhance the oxidizing capacity, while the elevated volatile organic compounds were mainly responsible for promoting daytime SOA formation.
Qingxiao Meng, Yunjiang Zhang, Sheng Zhong, Jie Fang, Lili Tang, Yongcai Rao, Minfeng Zhou, Jian Qiu, Xiaofeng Xu, Jean-Eudes Petit, Olivier Favez, and Xinlei Ge
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2776, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2776, 2024
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We developed a new method to reconstruct missing elemental carbon (EC) data in four Chinese cities from 2013 to 2023. Using machine learning, we accurately filled data gaps and introduced a new approach to analyze EC trends. Our findings reveal a significant decline in EC due to stricter pollution controls, though this slowed after 2020. This study provides a versatile framework for addressing data gaps and supports strategies to reduce urban air pollution and its climate impacts.
Yingjie Shen, Rudra P. Pokhrel, Amy P. Sullivan, Ezra J. T. Levin, Lauren A. Garofalo, Delphine K. Farmer, Wade Permar, Lu Hu, Darin W. Toohey, Teresa Campos, Emily V. Fischer, and Shane M. Murphy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12881–12901, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12881-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12881-2024, 2024
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The magnitude and evolution of brown carbon (BrC) absorption remain unclear, with uncertainty in climate models. Data from the WE-CAN airborne experiment show that model parameterizations overestimate the mass absorption cross section (MAC) of BrC. Observed decreases in BrC absorption with chemical markers are due to decreasing organic aerosol (OA) mass rather than a decreasing BrC MAC, which is currently implemented in models. Water-soluble BrC contributes 23 % of total absorption at 660 nm.
Qun He, Zhaowen Wang, Houfeng Liu, Pengju Xu, Rongbao Duan, Caihong Xu, Jianmin Chen, and Min Wei
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12775–12792, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12775-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12775-2024, 2024
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Coastal environments provide an ideal setting for investigating the intermixing of terrestrial and marine aerosols. Terrestrial air mass constituted a larger number of microbes from anthropogenic and soil emissions, whereas saprophytic and gut microbes were predominant in marine samples. Mixed air masses indicated a fusion of marine and terrestrial aerosols, characterized by alterations in the ratio of pathogenic and saprophytic microbes when compared to either terrestrial or marine samples.
Rime El Asmar, Zongrun Li, David J. Tanner, Yongtao Hu, Susan O'Neill, L. Gregory Huey, M. Talat Odman, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12749–12773, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12749-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12749-2024, 2024
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Prescribed burning is an important method for managing ecosystems and preventing wildfires. However, smoke from prescribed fires can have a significant impact on air quality. Here, using a network of fixed sites and sampling throughout an extended prescribed burning period in 2 different years, we characterize emissions and evolutions of up to 8 h of PM2.5 mass, black carbon (BC), and brown carbon (BrC) in smoke from burning of forested lands in the southeastern USA.
Matthew Boyer, Diego Aliaga, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Silvia Bucci, Hélène Angot, Lubna Dada, Benjamin Heutte, Lisa Beck, Marina Duetsch, Andreas Stohl, Ivo Beck, Tiia Laurila, Nina Sarnela, Roseline C. Thakur, Branka Miljevic, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Mikko Sipilä, Julia Schmale, and Tuija Jokinen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12595–12621, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12595-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12595-2024, 2024
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We analyze the seasonal cycle and sources of gases that are relevant for the formation of aerosol particles in the central Arctic. Since theses gases can form new particles, they can influence Arctic climate. We show that the sources of these gases are associated with changes in the Arctic environment during the year, especially with respect to sea ice. Therefore, the concentration of these gases will likely change in the future as the Arctic continues to warm.
Binyu Xiao, Fan Zhang, Zeyu Liu, Yan Zhang, Rui Li, Can Wu, Xinyi Wan, Yi Wang, Yubao Chen, Yong Han, Min Cui, Libo Zhang, Yingjun Chen, and Gehui Wang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3433, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3433, 2024
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Intermediate/semi-volatile organic compounds in both gas and particle phases from ship exhausts are enhanced due to the switch of fuels from low-sulfur to ultra-low-sulfur. The findings indicate that optimization is necessary for the forthcoming global implementation of an ultra-low-sulfur oil policy. Besides, we find that organic diagnostic markers of hopanes, in conjunction with the ratio of octadecanoic to tetradecanoic could be considered as potential tracers for HFO exhausts.
Hongyu Zhang, Shenbo Wang, Zhangsen Dong, Xiao Li, and Ruiqin Zhang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2869, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2869, 2024
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To address this, 12-year observational data in Zhengzhou were investigated and revealed that the resuspension of surrounding soil dust determined the rebound of crustal material concentrations after 2019, further elevating the particle pH. Therefore, the future ammonia reduction policies in North China may not lead to a rapid increase in particle acidity buffering by the crustal materials, but it is necessary to consider synergistic control with dust sources.
Haley M. Royer, Michael T. Sheridan, Hope E. Elliott, Nurun Nahar Lata, Zezhen Cheng, Swarup China, Zihua Zhu, Andrew P. Ault, and Cassandra J. Gaston
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3288, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3288, 2024
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Saharan dust transported across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, South America, and North America is hypothesized to undergo chemical processing by inorganic and organic acids that enhances cloud droplet formation, nutrient availability, and reflectivity of. In this study, chemical analysis performed on African dust deposited over Barbados shows that acid tracers are found mostly on sea salt and smoke particles, rather than dust, indicating that dust particles undergo minimal chemical processing.
Imad El Haddad, Danielle Vienneau, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Robin Modini, Jay G. Slowik, Abhishek Upadhyay, Petros N. Vasilakos, David Bell, Kees de Hoogh, and Andre S. H. Prevot
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11981–12011, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11981-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11981-2024, 2024
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This opinion paper explores how advances in aerosol science inform our understanding of the health impacts of outdoor particulate pollution. We advocate for a shift in the way we target PM pollution, focusing on the most harmful anthropogenic emissions. We highlight key observations, modelling developments, and emission measurements needed to achieve this shift.
Yu Huang, Xingru Li, Dan Dan Huang, Ruoyuan Lei, Binhuang Zhou, Yunjiang Zhang, and Xinlei Ge
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2757, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2757, 2024
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This work performed a comprehensive investigation on the chemical and optical properties of the brown carbon in PM2.5 samples collected in Nanjing, China. In particular, we used the machine learning approach to identify a list of key BrC species, which can be a good reference for future studies. Our findings extend the understanding on BrC properties and are valuable to the assessment of its impact on air quality and radiative forcing.
Pramod Kumar, Khushboo Sharma, Ankita Malu, Rajeev Rajak, Aparna Gupta, Bidyutjyoti Baruah, Shailesh Yadav, Thupstan Angchuk, Jayant Sharma, Rakesh Kumar Ranjan, Anil Kumar Misra, and Nishchal Wanjari
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11585–11601, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11585-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11585-2024, 2024
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This work monitors and assesses air pollution, especially black and brown carbon, its controlling factor, and its effect on the environment of Sikkim Himalayan region. The huge urban sprawl in recent decades has led to regional human-induced air pollution in the region. Black carbon was highest in April 2021 and March 2022, exceeding the WHO limit. The monsoon season causes huge rainfall over the region, which reduces the pollutants by scavenging (rainout and washout).
Maria P. Velásquez-García, K. Santiago Hernández, James A. Vergara-Correa, Richard J. Pope, Miriam Gómez-Marín, and Angela M. Rendón
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11497–11520, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11497-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11497-2024, 2024
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In the Aburrá Valley, northern South America, local emissions determine air quality conditions. However, we found that external sources, such as regional fires, Saharan dust, and volcanic emissions, increase particulate concentrations and worsen chemical composition by introducing elements like heavy metals. Dry winds and source variability contribute to seasonal influences on these events. This study assesses the air quality risks posed by such events, which can affect broad regions worldwide.
Meng Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Steven Sai Hang Ho, Jie Tian, Yong Zhang, Shun-cheng Lee, and Junji Cao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11175–11189, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11175-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11175-2024, 2024
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We studied nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) in particulate matter <2.5 µm particles on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. We found that biomass burning and transboundary transport are the main sources of NOCs in the high-altitude area. Understanding these aerosol sources informs how they add to regional and potentially global climate changes. Our findings could help shape effective environmental policies to enhance air quality and address climate impacts in this sensitive region.
Jinbo Wang, Jiaping Wang, Yuxuan Zhang, Tengyu Liu, Xuguang Chi, Xin Huang, Dafeng Ge, Shiyi Lai, Caijun Zhu, Lei Wang, Qiaozhi Zha, Ximeng Qi, Wei Nie, Congbin Fu, and Aijun Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11063–11080, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11063-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11063-2024, 2024
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In this study, we found large spatial discrepancies in the physical and chemical properties of black carbon over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Elevated anthropogenic emissions from low-altitude regions can significantly change the mass concentration, mixing state and chemical composition of black-carbon-containing aerosol in the TP region, further altering its light absorption ability. Our study emphasizes the vulnerability of remote plateau regions to intense anthropogenic influences.
Liyuan Zhou, Qianyun Liu, Christian M. Salvador, Michael Le Breton, Mattias Hallquist, Jian Zhen Yu, Chak K. Chan, and Åsa M. Hallquist
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11045–11061, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11045-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11045-2024, 2024
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Our research on city bus emissions reveals that alternative fuels (compressed natural gas and biofuels) reduce fresh particle emissions compared to diesel. However, all fuels lead to secondary air pollution. Aiming at guiding better environmental policies, we studied 76 buses using advanced emission measurement techniques. This work sheds light on the complex effects of bus fuels on urban air quality, emphasizing the need for comprehensive evaluations of future transportation technologies.
Xu Yang, Fobang Liu, Shuqi Yang, Yuling Yang, Yanan Wang, Jingjing Li, Mingyu Zhao, Zhao Wang, Kai Wang, Chi He, and Haijie Tong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11029–11043, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11029-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11029-2024, 2024
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A study in the rural North China Plain showed environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in atmospheric particulate matter (PM), with a notable water-soluble fraction likely from atmospheric oxidation during transport. Significant positive correlations between EPFRs and the water-soluble oxidative potential of PM2.5 were found, primarily attributable to the water-soluble fractions of EPFRs. These findings emphasize understanding EPFRs' atmospheric evolution for climate and health impacts.
Genevieve Rose Lorenzo, Luke D. Ziemba, Avelino F. Arellano, Mary C. Barth, Ewan C. Crosbie, Joshua P. DiGangi, Glenn S. Diskin, Richard Ferrare, Miguel Ricardo A. Hilario, Michael A. Shook, Simone Tilmes, Jian Wang, Qian Xiao, Jun Zhang, and Armin Sorooshian
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2604, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2604, 2024
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Novel aerosol hygroscopicity analysis of CAMP2Ex field campaign data show low aerosol hygroscopicity values in Southeast Asia. Organic carbon from smoke decreases hygroscopicity to levels more like those in continental than in polluted marine regions. Hygroscopicity changes at cloud level demonstrate how surface particles impact clouds in the region affecting model representation of aerosol and cloud interactions in similar polluted marine regions with high organic carbon emissions.
Kirsten N. Fossum, Chunshui Lin, Niall O'Sullivan, Lu Lei, Stig Hellebust, Darius Ceburnis, Aqeel Afzal, Anja Tremper, David Green, Srishti Jain, Steigvilė Byčenkienė, Colin O'Dowd, John Wenger, and Jurgita Ovadnevaite
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10815–10831, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10815-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10815-2024, 2024
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The chemical composition and sources of submicron aerosol in the Dublin Port area were investigated over a month-long campaign. Two distinct types of ship emissions were identified and characterised: sulfate-rich plumes from the use of heavy fuel oil with scrubbers and organic-rich plumes from the use of low-sulfur fuels. The latter were more frequent, emitting double the particle number and having a typical V / Ni ratio for ship emission.
Lise Le Berre, Brice Temime-Roussel, Grazia Maria Lanzafame, Barbara D’Anna, Nicolas Marchand, Stéphane Sauvage, Marvin Dufresne, Liselotte Tinel, Thierry Leonardis, Joel Ferreira de Brito, Alexandre Armengaud, Grégory Gille, Ludovic Lanzi, Romain Bourjot, and Henri Wortham
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2903, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2903, 2024
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A summer campaign in a Mediterranean port examined pollution caused by ships. Two stations in the port measured pollution levels and captured over 350 ship plumes to study their chemical composition. Results showed that pollution levels, like ultra-fine particles, were higher in the port than in the city and offer a strong support to improve emission inventories. These findings may also serve as reference for assessing the benefits of a Sulphur Emission Control Area in the Mediterranean in 2025.
Xiao He, Xuan Zheng, Shuwen Guo, Lewei Zeng, Ting Chen, Bohan Yang, Shupei Xiao, Qiongqiong Wang, Zhiyuan Li, Yan You, Shaojun Zhang, and Ye Wu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10655–10666, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10655-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10655-2024, 2024
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This study introduces an innovative method for identifying and quantifying complex organic vapors and aerosols. By combining advanced analytical techniques and new algorithms, we categorized thousands of compounds from heavy-duty diesel vehicles and ambient air and highlighted specific tracers for emission sources. The innovative approach enhances peak identification, reduces quantification uncertainties, and offers new insights for air quality management and atmospheric chemistry.
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Short summary
This work presented a new method of quantifying water-soluble elements in PM2.5 aqueous extracts (N~500) with an X-ray fluorescence analyzer. The results indicate that water-soluble elements had marked spatial and temporal patterns. Four sources were resolved: brake/tire wear, biomass burning, secondary formation, and mineral dust. The findings have informed studies on aerosol oxidative potential and provided insights into the health effects of water-soluble metals, especially Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn.
This work presented a new method of quantifying water-soluble elements in PM2.5 aqueous extracts...
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