Microphysical properties of atmospheric soot and organic particles:measurements, modeling, and impacts

Atmospheric soot and organic particles from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning modify Earth’s climate through their interactions with solar radiation and through modifications of cloud properties by acting as cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles. Recent advancements in understanding their individual properties and microscopic composition have led to heightened interest in their microphysical properties. This review article provides an overview of current advanced microscopic measurements and offers insights into future avenues for studying microphysical properties of these particles. To quantify soot morphology and ageing, fractal dimension (Df) is a commonly employed quantitative metric which allows to characterize morphologies of soot aggregates and their modifications in relation to ageing factors like internal mixing state, core-shell structures, phase, and composition heterogeneity. Models have been developed to incorporate Df and mixing diversity metrics of aged soot particles, enabling quantitative assessment of their optical absorption and radiative forcing effects. The microphysical properties of soot and organic particles are complex and they are influenced by particle sources, ageing process, and meteorological conditions. Furthermore, soluble organic particles exhibit diverse forms and can engage in liquid–liquid phase separation with sulfate and nitrate components. Primary carbonaceous particles such as tar balls and soot warrant further attention due to their strong light absorbing properties, presence of toxic organic constituents, and small size, which can impact human health. Future research needs include both atmospheric measurements and modeling approaches, focusing on changes in the mixing structures of soot and organic particle ensembles, their effects on climate dynamics and human health

Sources and processes of iron aerosols in a megacity in Eastern China

Iron (Fe) in aerosol particles is a major external source of micronutrients for marine ecosystems and poses a potential threat to human health. To understand the impacts of aerosol Fe, it is essential to quantify the sources of dissolved Fe and total Fe. In this study, we applied receptor modeling for the first time to apportion the sources of dissolved Fe and total Fe in fine particles collected under five different weather conditions in the Hangzhou megacity of Eastern China, which is upwind of the East Asian outflow. Results showed that Fe solubility (dissolved Fe to total Fe) was the largest on fog days (6.7 ± 3.0 %), followed by haze (4.8 ± 1.9 %), dust (2.1 ± 0.7 %), clear (1.9 ± 1.0 %), and rain (0.9 ± 0.5 %) days. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis suggested that industrial emissions were the largest contributor to dissolved Fe (44.5 %–72.4 %) and total Fe (39.1 %–55.0 %, except for dust days) during haze, fog, dust, and clear days. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of individual particles showed that > 75 % of Fe-containing particles were internally mixed with acidic secondary aerosol species on haze, fog, dust, and clear days. Furthermore, Fe solubility showed significant positive correlations with aerosol acidity/total Fe and liquid water content. These results indicated that the wet surface of aerosol particles promotes heterogeneous reactions between acidic species and Fe aerosols, contributing to a high Fe solubility

Air quality services on climate time-scales for decision making: An empirical study of China

The provision of climate services for assessing and governing environmental problems such as poor air quality requires interactions between scientists and decision-makers. Air quality information services in China mainly focus on the coming days to weeks. However, users may benefit from air quality information on climate time-scales—from months to decades; hereafter air quality climate services. We focused on key decision-makers and stakeholders that are users of air quality climate services and conducted five workshops with these identified users to ascertain their priorities for air quality climate services, and the reasoning behind these priorities. We also conducted a choice-based conjoint experiment via an online survey distributed amongst regional and local Climate Centres and Environmental Monitoring Centres to assess quantitatively the decision-makers’ needs. The results from the workshops and the survey showed that the needs for air quality climate services by users in China mainly relate to seasonal forecasting of winter haze events (PM2.5 levels and/or the meteorological conditions conducive to the dispersion of the air pollution); there is also some interest in long-term projections of haze under climate change and a growing interest in ozone pollution in summer. Spatial relevance is perceived to be important to regional and city-level stakeholders who prefer information on the city-level, whilst national-wide information is important for national government agencies. A high level of reliability of forecasts was needed for uptake. The findings on the needs for air quality climate services by potential users can support researchers and policy-makers in developing the scientific capacity and providing tailored and effective air quality climate services in China

Air pollution–aerosol interactions produce more bioavailable iron for ocean ecosystems

It has long been hypothesized that acids formed from anthropogenic pollutants and natural emissions dissolve iron (Fe) in airborne particles, enhancing the supply of bioavailable Fe to the oceans. However, field observations have yet to provide indisputable evidence to confirm this hypothesis. Single-particle chemical analysis for hundreds of individual atmospheric particles collected over the East China Sea shows that Fe-rich particles from coal combustion and steel industries were coated with thick layers of sulfate after 1 to 2 days of atmospheric residence. The Fe in aged particles was present as a “hotspot” of (insoluble) iron oxides and throughout the acidic sulfate coating in the form of (soluble) Fe sulfate, which increases with degree of aging (thickness of coating). This provides the “smoking gun” for acid iron dissolution, because iron sulfate was not detected in the freshly emitted particles and there is no other source or mechanism of iron sulfate formation in the atmosphere