Articles | Volume 24, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11981-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11981-2024
Opinion
 | Highlight paper
 | 
28 Oct 2024
Opinion | Highlight paper |  | 28 Oct 2024

Opinion: How will advances in aerosol science inform our understanding of the health impacts of outdoor particulate pollution?

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

Related authors

Calibrating Interdependent Photochemistry, Nucleation, and Aerosol Microphysics in Chamber Experiments
Neil M. Donahue, Victoria Hofbauer, Henning Finkenzeller, Dominik Stolzenburg, Paulus S. Bauer, Randall Chiu, Lubna Dada, Jonathan Duplissy, Xu-Cheng He, Martin Heinritzi, Christopher R. Hoyle, Andreas Kürten, Aleksandr Kvashnin, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Naser Mahfouz, Vladimir Makhmutov, Roy L. Mauldin III, Ugo Molteni, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Matti Rissanen, Siegfried Schobesberger, Mario Simon, Andrea C. Wagner, Mingyi Wang, Chao Yan, Penglin Ye, Ilona Riipinen, Hamish Gordon, Joachim Curtius, Armin Hansel, Imad El Haddad, Markku Kulmala, Douglas R. Worsnop, Rainer Volkamer, Paul M. Winkler, Jasper Kirkby, and Richard Flagan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2412,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2412, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
Short summary
Source-explicit estimation of brown carbon in the polluted atmosphere over the North China Plain: implications for distribution, absorption, and the direct radiative effect
Jiamao Zhou, Jiarui Wu, Xiaoli Su, Ruonan Wang, Imad EI Haddad, Xia Li, Qian Jiang, Ting Zhang, Wenting Dai, Junji Cao, Andre S. H. Prevot, Xuexi Tie, and Guohui Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7563–7580, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7563-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7563-2025, 2025
Short summary
Quantification of 21 sugars in tropospheric particulate matter by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Pauline Bros, Sophie Darfeuil, Véronique Jacob, Rhabira Elazzouzi, Dielleza Tusha, Tristan Rousseau, Julian Weng, Patrik Winiger, Imad El Haddad, Christoph Hueglin, Gaëlle Uzu, and Jean-Luc Jaffrezo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1951,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1951, 2025
Short summary
Chemical characterization of organic vapors from wood, straw, cow dung, and coal burning
Tiantian Wang, Jun Zhang, Houssni Lamkaddam, Kun Li, Ka Yuen Cheung, Lisa Kattner, Erlend Gammelsæter, Michael Bauer, Zachary C. J. Decker, Deepika Bhattu, Rujin Huang, Rob L. Modini, Jay G. Slowik, Imad El Haddad, Andre S. H. Prevot, and David M. Bell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2707–2724, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2707-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2707-2025, 2025
Short summary
Observations of high-time-resolution and size-resolved aerosol chemical composition and microphysics in the central Arctic: implications for climate-relevant particle properties
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
Short summary

Related subject area

Subject: Aerosols | Research Activity: Field Measurements | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Chemistry (chemical composition and reactions)
Technical note: Towards a stronger observational support for haze pollution control by interpreting carbonaceous aerosol results derived from different measurement approaches
Yuan Cheng, Ying-jie Zhong, Zhi-qing Zhang, Xu-bing Cao, and Jiu-meng Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8493–8505, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8493-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8493-2025, 2025
Short summary
Particle flux–gradient relationships in the high Arctic: emission and deposition patterns across three surface types
Theresa Mathes, Heather Guy, John Prytherch, Julia Kojoj, Ian Brooks, Sonja Murto, Paul Zieger, Birgit Wehner, Michael Tjernström, and Andreas Held
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8455–8474, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8455-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8455-2025, 2025
Short summary
Advances in characterization of black carbon particles and their associated coatings using the soot-particle aerosol mass spectrometer in Singapore, a complex city environment
Mutian Ma, Laura-Hélèna Rivellini, Yichen Zong, Markus Kraft, Liya E. Yu, and Alex King Yin Lee
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8185–8211, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8185-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8185-2025, 2025
Short summary
Iron isotopes suggest significant aerosol dissolution over the Pacific Ocean
Capucine Camin, François Lacan, Catherine Pradoux, Marie Labatut, Anne Johansen, and James W. Murray
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8213–8228, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8213-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8213-2025, 2025
Short summary
Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley
Fredrik Mattsson, Almuth Neuberger, Liine Heikkinen, Yvette Gramlich, Marco Paglione, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, Paul Zieger, Ilona Riipinen, and Claudia Mohr
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7973–7989, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7973-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7973-2025, 2025
Short summary

Cited articles

Adams, K., Greenbaum, D. S., Shaikh, R., van Erp, A. M., and Russell, A. G.: Particulate matter components, sources, and health: Systematic approaches to testing effects, J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 65, 544–558, https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2014.1001884, 2015. 
Alderete, T. L., Jones, R. B., Chen, Z., Kim, J. S., Habre, R., Lurmann, F., Gilliland, F. D., and Goran, M. I.: Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the composition of the gut microbiota in overweight and obese adolescents, Environ. Res., 161, 472–478, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.11.046, 2018. 
Alexeeff, S. E., Roy, A., Shan, J., Liu, X., Messier, K., Apte, J. S., Portier, C., Sidney, S., and Van Den Eeden, S. K.: High-resolution mapping of traffic related air pollution with Google street view cars and incidence of cardiovascular events within neighborhoods in Oakland, CA, Environ. Health, 17, 38, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-018-0382-1, 2018. 
Apte, J. S., Marshall, J. D., Cohen, A. J., and Brauer, M.: Addressing Global Mortality from Ambient PM2.5, Environ. Sci. Technol., 49, 8057–8066, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b01236, 2015. 
Apte, J. S., Messier, K. P., Gani, S., Brauer, M., Kirchstetter, T. W., Lunden, M. M., Marshall, J. D., Portier, C. J., Vermeulen, R. C. H., and Hamburg, S. P.: High-Resolution Air Pollution Mapping with Google Street View Cars: Exploiting Big Data, Environ. Sci. Technol., 51, 6999–7008, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b00891, 2017. 
Download
Executive editor
While it has been established for decades that particulate matter, especially the PM2.5 fraction, can be quantitatively linked to a variety of negative health outcomes from both long- and short-term exposure, our ability to conclusively link this to specific particle components or types has proved stubbornly elusive. If particular sources or chemical components were found to be the driving factors, these could lead to more effective interventions and regulations. Because of recent advances in our observational capabilities and fundamental understanding of particle composition and toxicity, this opinion piece argues that we are at a pivotal moment in this ongoing area of study, and summarises some recent advances in this area.
Short summary
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.
Share
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint