Articles | Volume 25, issue 19
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12721-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-25-12721-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
10 Oct 2025
Research article |
| 10 Oct 2025
| 10 Oct 2025
Hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) formation in urban and marine atmospheres: role of aerosol ionic strength
Rongshuang Xu
School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Atmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Yu-Chi Lin
School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Atmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Siyu Bian
School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Atmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Feng Xie
School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Atmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Yan-Lin Zhang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Atmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
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Short summary
Levels of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) in a continental city and, for the first time, a marine atmosphere are reported. The effect of aerosol ionic strength (IS) on HMS formation was quantified; it first rises with increasing IS and then peaks at 4 mol kg−1 before declining. Given the IS range of marine (2–6) and urban (6–20 mol kg−1) aerosols and the clearly negative correlation between humidity and IS, moderate IS levels in humid conditions may notably boost ambient HMS formation.
Levels of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) in a continental city and, for the first time, a marine...
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