Articles | Volume 24, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2423-2024
© Author(s) 2024. 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-24-2423-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Feb 2024
Research article |
| 26 Feb 2024
| 26 Feb 2024
Elucidating the mechanisms of atmospheric new particle formation in the highly polluted Po Valley, Italy
Jing Cai
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Juha Sulo
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Yifang Gu
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Sebastian Holm
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Runlong Cai
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Steven Thomas
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Almuth Neuberger
Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
Fredrik Mattsson
Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
Marco Paglione
National Research Council of Italy – Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC), 40129 Bologna, Italy
Stefano Decesari
National Research Council of Italy – Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC), 40129 Bologna, Italy
Matteo Rinaldi
National Research Council of Italy – Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC), 40129 Bologna, Italy
Rujing Yin
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Diego Aliaga
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Wei Huang
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Yuanyuan Li
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
Yvette Gramlich
Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
Giancarlo Ciarelli
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Lauriane Quéléver
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Nina Sarnela
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Katrianne Lehtipalo
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00560 Helsinki, Finland
Nora Zannoni
National Research Council of Italy – Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC), 40129 Bologna, Italy
Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Atmospheric Science, University of Gothenburg, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden
Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
Juha Kangasluoma
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Claudia Mohr
Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
Department of Environmental System Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Markku Kulmala
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
Qiaozhi Zha
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
Dominik Stolzenburg
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Institute for Materials Chemistry, TU Wien, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Federico Bianchi
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Cited
19 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Thermodynamics of Molecular Binding and Clustering in the Atmosphere Revealed through Conventional and ML-Enhanced Umbrella Sampling J. Kubečka et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c05634
- The key role of nanoparticle concentration gradient in aerosol initial growth R. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70082-2
- Ventilation and low pollution enhancing new particle formation in Milan, Italy M. Agrò et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6521-2026
- Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley F. Mattsson et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7973-2025
- The enhanced role of formic acid on sulfuric acid-ammonia-driven nucleation in forest regions and polluted city areas S. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.025
- Oxidation-driven acceleration of NPF-to-CCN conversion under polluted atmosphere: evidence from mountain-top observations in Yangtze River Delta W. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1947-2026
- Sources of ultrafine particles at a rural midland site in Switzerland L. Dada et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-315-2025
- Atmospheric new particle formation in the eastern region of China: an investigation on mechanism and influencing factors at multiple sites J. Jin et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17125-2025
- Case study probing the potential drivers of Houston new particle formation and growth in a unique outdoor chamber S. O’Donnell et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2026.2669561
- PM2.5 prediction and its influencing factors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration using spatial temporal graph convolutional networks Y. Zhao https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ade1aa
- On the contribution of low-molecular mass organic acids to new particle formation in a continental central European city L. Dada et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2025.2536080
- Atmospheric aerosol light scattering and absorption properties in the urban area of Milan (Italy): A focus on aerosol typing S. Rimoldi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108776
- Exploring the influence of physical and chemical factors on new particle formation in a polluted megacity U. Ali et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EA00114A
- Performance Evaluation of Hydrogen-Powered Internal Combustion Engine City Bus for the Urban Mobility of Bologna, Italy P. Brancaleoni et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2893/1/012068
- Incomplete mass closure in atmospheric nanoparticle growth D. Stolzenburg et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00893-5
- Treatment of Key Aerosol and Cloud Processes in Earth System Models – Recommendations from the FORCeS Project I. Riipinen et al. https://doi.org/10.16993/tellusb.1883
- Investigating Ultrafine Aerosol Turbulent Fluxes during Atmospheric New Particle Formation Events R. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c06924
- Fast and Interpretable Machine Learning Modeling of Atmospheric Molecular Clusters L. Seppäläinen et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.5c06950
- Anthropogenic Oxygenated Organic Molecules Dominate New Particle Growth in Moderate-Pollution Urban China C. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11555
19 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Thermodynamics of Molecular Binding and Clustering in the Atmosphere Revealed through Conventional and ML-Enhanced Umbrella Sampling J. Kubečka et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c05634
- The key role of nanoparticle concentration gradient in aerosol initial growth R. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70082-2
- Ventilation and low pollution enhancing new particle formation in Milan, Italy M. Agrò et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6521-2026
- Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley F. Mattsson et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7973-2025
- The enhanced role of formic acid on sulfuric acid-ammonia-driven nucleation in forest regions and polluted city areas S. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.025
- Oxidation-driven acceleration of NPF-to-CCN conversion under polluted atmosphere: evidence from mountain-top observations in Yangtze River Delta W. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1947-2026
- Sources of ultrafine particles at a rural midland site in Switzerland L. Dada et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-315-2025
- Atmospheric new particle formation in the eastern region of China: an investigation on mechanism and influencing factors at multiple sites J. Jin et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17125-2025
- Case study probing the potential drivers of Houston new particle formation and growth in a unique outdoor chamber S. O’Donnell et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2026.2669561
- PM2.5 prediction and its influencing factors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration using spatial temporal graph convolutional networks Y. Zhao https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ade1aa
- On the contribution of low-molecular mass organic acids to new particle formation in a continental central European city L. Dada et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2025.2536080
- Atmospheric aerosol light scattering and absorption properties in the urban area of Milan (Italy): A focus on aerosol typing S. Rimoldi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108776
- Exploring the influence of physical and chemical factors on new particle formation in a polluted megacity U. Ali et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EA00114A
- Performance Evaluation of Hydrogen-Powered Internal Combustion Engine City Bus for the Urban Mobility of Bologna, Italy P. Brancaleoni et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2893/1/012068
- Incomplete mass closure in atmospheric nanoparticle growth D. Stolzenburg et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00893-5
- Treatment of Key Aerosol and Cloud Processes in Earth System Models – Recommendations from the FORCeS Project I. Riipinen et al. https://doi.org/10.16993/tellusb.1883
- Investigating Ultrafine Aerosol Turbulent Fluxes during Atmospheric New Particle Formation Events R. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c06924
- Fast and Interpretable Machine Learning Modeling of Atmospheric Molecular Clusters L. Seppäläinen et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.5c06950
- Anthropogenic Oxygenated Organic Molecules Dominate New Particle Growth in Moderate-Pollution Urban China C. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11555
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 21 Jul 2026
Short summary
By combining field measurements, simulations and recent chamber experiments, we investigate new particle formation (NPF) and growth in the Po Valley, where both haze and frequent NPF occur. Our results show that sulfuric acid, ammonia and amines are the dominant NPF precursors there. A high NPF rate and a lower condensation sink lead to a greater survival probability for newly formed particles, highlighting the importance of gas-to-particle conversion for aerosol concentrations.
By combining field measurements, simulations and recent chamber experiments, we investigate new...
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