Articles | Volume 21, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10133-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10133-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
07 Jul 2021
Research article |
| 07 Jul 2021
| 07 Jul 2021
Seasonal analysis of submicron aerosol in Old Delhi using high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometry: chemical characterisation, source apportionment and new marker identification
James M. Cash
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station,
Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
Ben Langford
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station,
Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
Chiara Di Marco
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station,
Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
Neil J. Mullinger
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station,
Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
James Allan
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
Ernesto Reyes-Villegas
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
Ruthambara Joshi
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
Mathew R. Heal
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh,
Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
W. Joe F. Acton
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1
4YQ, UK
now at: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences,
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
C. Nicholas Hewitt
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1
4YQ, UK
Pawel K. Misztal
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station,
Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
now at: Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Will Drysdale
Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory, University of York, York,
YO10 5DD, UK
Tuhin K. Mandal
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi, 110012, India
Shivani
Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities, Indira Gandhi Delhi
Technical University for Women, Delhi, 110006, India
Ranu Gadi
Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities, Indira Gandhi Delhi
Technical University for Women, Delhi, 110006, India
Bhola Ram Gurjar
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology
Roorkee, India
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station,
Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
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Cited
34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- An Analytical Approach to Characterize the Black Crust to Assess the Air Pollution Impact on Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, India G. Kumar et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2026.2620730
- Chemical Composition and Source Apportionment of Total Suspended Particulate in the Central Himalayan Region R. Sheoran et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12091228
- Extreme Concentrations of Nitric Oxide Control Daytime Oxidation and Quench Nocturnal Oxidation Chemistry in Delhi during Highly Polluted Episodes B. Nelson et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00171
- Response of organic aerosol to Delhi's pollution control measures over the period 2011–2018 J. Cash et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.120123
- Measurement report: Emission factors and organic aerosol source apportionment of shipping emissions in the coastal city of Toulon, France Q. Gunti et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-2893-2026
- The influence of local and regional sources on concentrations of fine particulate matter in Delhi D. Srivastava et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2025.102476
- Spatio-temporal variation of C-PM2.5 (composition based PM2.5) sources using PMF*PMF (double-PMF) and single-combined PMF technique on real-time non-refractory, BC and elemental measurements during post-monsoon and winter at two sites in Delhi, India A. Shukla et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119456
- Simulating organic aerosol in Delhi with WRF-Chem using the volatility-basis-set approach: exploring model uncertainty with a Gaussian process emulator E. Reyes-Villegas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5763-2023
- Local incomplete combustion emissions define the PM2.5 oxidative potential in Northern India D. Bhattu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47785-5
- Quantifying the dominant sources influencing the 2016 particulate matter pollution episode over northern India P. Agarwal et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EA00174A
- Reactive chlorine-, sulfur-, and nitrogen-containing volatile organic compounds impact atmospheric chemistry in the megacity of Delhi during both clean and extremely polluted seasons S. Mishra et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13129-2024
- Biogenic and anthropogenic sources of isoprene and monoterpenes and their secondary organic aerosol in Delhi, India D. Bryant et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-61-2023
- Enhanced Aerosol Source Identification by Utilizing High Molecular Weight Signals in Aerosol Mass Spectra Y. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.3c00102
- Real-time single particle characterization of oxidized organic aerosols in the East China Sea Z. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00267-1
- Analysis of aerosol liquid water content and its role in visibility reduction in Delhi U. Ali et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161484
- Dominant contribution of fossil fuel combustion to carbonaceous aerosol pollution in Delhi: Insights from radiocarbon and organic tracers Z. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141289
- Source apportionment study on particulate air pollution in two high-altitude Bolivian cities: La Paz and El Alto V. Mardoñez et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10325-2023
- Air quality changes in Delhi due to open waste burning: an accidental fire in Bhalswa landfill M. Sharma et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-04921-w
- Transported smoke from crop residue burning as the major source of organic aerosol and health risks in northern Indian cities during post-monsoon Y. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109583
- Improvement of Space-Observation of Aerosol Chemical Composition by Synergizing a Chemical Transport Model and Ground-Based Network Data Z. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16234390
- The differential impact of air pollution on insect chemical communication B. Langford et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03608-7
- Evaluation of WRF-Chem-simulated meteorology and aerosols over northern India during the severe pollution episode of 2016 P. Agarwal et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2239-2024
- Contributions of primary sources to submicron organic aerosols in Delhi, India S. Bhandari et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13631-2022
- Significant chlorine emissions from biomass burning affect the long-term atmospheric chemistry in Asia D. Chang et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae285
- PM1 composition and source apportionment at two sites in Delhi, India, across multiple seasons E. Reyes-Villegas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11655-2021
- Evaluating the response of the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer to monoterpene- and isoprene-derived organic nitrate standards M. Takeuchi et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2024.2389183
- Complementary aerosol mass spectrometry elucidates sources of wintertime submicron particle pollution in Fairbanks, Alaska, during ALPACA 2022 A. Ijaz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11789-2025
- Aerosol composition trends during 2000–2020: in-depth insights from model predictions and multiple worldwide near-surface observation datasets A. Tsimpidi et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10183-2025
- Seasonal chemical characteristics and formation of potential secondary aerosols of a remote area in South Korea using an oxidation flow reactor S. Kang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121216
- Multi-year submicron aerosol chemical composition at a high-altitude site in the Western Ghats of India S. Kumari et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D6EA00013D
- Source characteristics of non-refractory particulate matter (NR-PM1) using high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometric (HR-ToF-AMS) measurements in the urban industrial city in India A. Vispute et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121186
- Biomass-burning sources control ambient particulate matter, but traffic and industrial sources control volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and secondary-pollutant formation during extreme pollution events in Delhi A. Awasthi et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10279-2024
- Comprehensive the seasonal characterization of atmospheric submicron particles at urban sites in the North China Plain P. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107388
- Seasonality and aerosol microenvironment-associated processing of organic aerosol in a humid inland city H. Lee et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142460
34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- An Analytical Approach to Characterize the Black Crust to Assess the Air Pollution Impact on Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, India G. Kumar et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2026.2620730
- Chemical Composition and Source Apportionment of Total Suspended Particulate in the Central Himalayan Region R. Sheoran et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12091228
- Extreme Concentrations of Nitric Oxide Control Daytime Oxidation and Quench Nocturnal Oxidation Chemistry in Delhi during Highly Polluted Episodes B. Nelson et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00171
- Response of organic aerosol to Delhi's pollution control measures over the period 2011–2018 J. Cash et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.120123
- Measurement report: Emission factors and organic aerosol source apportionment of shipping emissions in the coastal city of Toulon, France Q. Gunti et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-2893-2026
- The influence of local and regional sources on concentrations of fine particulate matter in Delhi D. Srivastava et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2025.102476
- Spatio-temporal variation of C-PM2.5 (composition based PM2.5) sources using PMF*PMF (double-PMF) and single-combined PMF technique on real-time non-refractory, BC and elemental measurements during post-monsoon and winter at two sites in Delhi, India A. Shukla et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119456
- Simulating organic aerosol in Delhi with WRF-Chem using the volatility-basis-set approach: exploring model uncertainty with a Gaussian process emulator E. Reyes-Villegas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5763-2023
- Local incomplete combustion emissions define the PM2.5 oxidative potential in Northern India D. Bhattu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47785-5
- Quantifying the dominant sources influencing the 2016 particulate matter pollution episode over northern India P. Agarwal et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EA00174A
- Reactive chlorine-, sulfur-, and nitrogen-containing volatile organic compounds impact atmospheric chemistry in the megacity of Delhi during both clean and extremely polluted seasons S. Mishra et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13129-2024
- Biogenic and anthropogenic sources of isoprene and monoterpenes and their secondary organic aerosol in Delhi, India D. Bryant et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-61-2023
- Enhanced Aerosol Source Identification by Utilizing High Molecular Weight Signals in Aerosol Mass Spectra Y. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.3c00102
- Real-time single particle characterization of oxidized organic aerosols in the East China Sea Z. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00267-1
- Analysis of aerosol liquid water content and its role in visibility reduction in Delhi U. Ali et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161484
- Dominant contribution of fossil fuel combustion to carbonaceous aerosol pollution in Delhi: Insights from radiocarbon and organic tracers Z. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141289
- Source apportionment study on particulate air pollution in two high-altitude Bolivian cities: La Paz and El Alto V. Mardoñez et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10325-2023
- Air quality changes in Delhi due to open waste burning: an accidental fire in Bhalswa landfill M. Sharma et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-04921-w
- Transported smoke from crop residue burning as the major source of organic aerosol and health risks in northern Indian cities during post-monsoon Y. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109583
- Improvement of Space-Observation of Aerosol Chemical Composition by Synergizing a Chemical Transport Model and Ground-Based Network Data Z. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16234390
- The differential impact of air pollution on insect chemical communication B. Langford et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03608-7
- Evaluation of WRF-Chem-simulated meteorology and aerosols over northern India during the severe pollution episode of 2016 P. Agarwal et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2239-2024
- Contributions of primary sources to submicron organic aerosols in Delhi, India S. Bhandari et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13631-2022
- Significant chlorine emissions from biomass burning affect the long-term atmospheric chemistry in Asia D. Chang et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae285
- PM1 composition and source apportionment at two sites in Delhi, India, across multiple seasons E. Reyes-Villegas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11655-2021
- Evaluating the response of the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer to monoterpene- and isoprene-derived organic nitrate standards M. Takeuchi et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2024.2389183
- Complementary aerosol mass spectrometry elucidates sources of wintertime submicron particle pollution in Fairbanks, Alaska, during ALPACA 2022 A. Ijaz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11789-2025
- Aerosol composition trends during 2000–2020: in-depth insights from model predictions and multiple worldwide near-surface observation datasets A. Tsimpidi et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10183-2025
- Seasonal chemical characteristics and formation of potential secondary aerosols of a remote area in South Korea using an oxidation flow reactor S. Kang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121216
- Multi-year submicron aerosol chemical composition at a high-altitude site in the Western Ghats of India S. Kumari et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D6EA00013D
- Source characteristics of non-refractory particulate matter (NR-PM1) using high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometric (HR-ToF-AMS) measurements in the urban industrial city in India A. Vispute et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121186
- Biomass-burning sources control ambient particulate matter, but traffic and industrial sources control volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and secondary-pollutant formation during extreme pollution events in Delhi A. Awasthi et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10279-2024
- Comprehensive the seasonal characterization of atmospheric submicron particles at urban sites in the North China Plain P. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107388
- Seasonality and aerosol microenvironment-associated processing of organic aerosol in a humid inland city H. Lee et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142460
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 14 Sep 2026
Short summary
We present the first real-time composition of submicron particulate matter (PM1) in Old Delhi using high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometry. Seasonal analysis shows peak concentrations occur during the post-monsoon, and novel-tracers reveal the largest sources are a combination of local open and regional crop residue burning. Strong links between increased chloride aerosol concentrations and burning sources of PM1 suggest burning sources are responsible for the post-monsoon chloride peak.
We present the first real-time composition of submicron particulate matter (PM1) in Old Delhi...
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