Articles | Volume 26, issue 16
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11817-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11817-2026
Research article
 | 
20 Aug 2026
Research article |  | 20 Aug 2026

New insights into traffic emissions: the role of hydrocarbons and oxygenated organic species in traffic-derived aerosol

Sanna Saarikoski, Minna Aurela, Jarkko V. Niemi, Luis M. F. Barreira, Jussi Hoivala, Hanna Manninen, Topi Rönkkö, and Hilkka Timonen

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Cited articles

Alanen, J., Saukko, E., Lehtoranta, K., Murtonen, T., Timonen, H., Hillamo, R., Karjalainen, P., Kuuluvainen, H., Harra, J., Keskinen, J., and Rönkkö, T.: The formation and physical properties of the particle emissions from a natural gas engine, Fuel, 162, 155–161, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2015.09.003, 2015. 
Alves, C. A., Vicente, A. M. P., Calvo, A. I., Baumgardner, D., Amato, F., Querol, X., Pio, C., and Gustafsson, M.: Physical and chemical properties of non-exhaust particles generated from wear between pavements and tyres, Atmos. Environ., 224, 117252, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.117252, 2020. 
An, Z., Huang, R.-J., Zhang, R., Tie, X., Li, G., Cao, J., Zhou, W., Shi, Z., Han, Y., Gu, Z., and Ji, Y.: Severe haze in northern China: A synergy of anthropogenic emissions and atmospheric processes, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 116, 8657–8666, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1900125116, 2019. 
Barreira, L. M. F., Helin, A., Aurela, M., Teinilä, K., Friman, M., Kangas, L., Niemi, J. V., Portin, H., Kousa, A., Pirjola, L., Rönkkö, T., Saarikoski, S., and Timonen, H.: In-depth characterization of submicron particulate matter inter-annual variations at a street canyon site in northern Europe, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6297–6314, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6297-2021, 2021. 
Barreira, L. M. F., Aurela, M., Saarikoski, S., Li, D., Teinilä, K., Virkkula, A., Niemi, J. V., Manninen, H. E., Pirjola, L., Petäjä, T., Rönkkö, T., and Timonen, H.: Characterizing winter-time brown carbon: Insights into chemical and light-absorption properties in residential and traffic environments, Sci. Total Environ., 955, 177089, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177089, 2024. 
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Short summary
This study analyzed submicron organic aerosol (OA) at a Helsinki traffic site (2018–2024) using aerosol mass spectrometer. Findings show that traffic OA includes both hydrocarbons (HOA) and oxygenated traffic-related OA (TrOA). TrOA peaks later in morning than HOA, likely due to atmospheric processing or modern vehicle emissions. Using only HOA to estimate traffic primary OA may cause a 50 % underestimation indicating that traffic OA is complicated, involving both primary and secondary aerosols.
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