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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2119
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2119
18 Jul 2024
 | 18 Jul 2024

Heterogeneous formation and light absorption of secondary organic aerosols from acetone photooxidation: Remarkably enhancing effects of seeds and ammonia

Si Zhang, Xinbei Xu, Luyao Chen, Can Wu, Zheng Li, Rongjie Li, Binyu Xiao, Xiaodi Liu, Rui Li, Fan Zhang, and Gehui Wang

Abstract. Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) from highly volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are currently not well represented in numerical models as their heterogeneous formation mechanisms in the atmosphere remain unclear. Based on the smog chamber experiments, here we investigated the yield and formation pathway of SOA from acetone photooxidation in the presence of preexisting haze particles ((NH4)2SO4, and NH4HSO4) and mineral dusts (Na2SO4) under ammonia-rich conditions. Our results showed that the yield of acetone-derived SOA can be remarkably enhanced via multiphase reactions in the presence of these preexisting seeds especially for the mineral dusts, suggesting that heterogeneous reactions of highly volatile VOCs is an important source of atmospheric SOA. We found that aerosol acidity is a key factor controlling the formation pathways of SOA, in which carbonyls produced from acetone photooxidation dissolve into the aqueous phase of the preexisting seeds and oligomerize into SOA that consist of larger molecules on the acidic aerosols but smaller molecules on the neutral mineral aerosols. Moreover, light absorption ability of SOA formed on (NH4)2SO4 aerosols is stronger than that formed on Na2SO4 mineral particles especially in the presence of ammonia. Based on the yields obtained, we estimated the importance of acetone-derived SOA in the global atmosphere, which is 9.5–18.4 Tg yr-1, equivalent to 8.5–16.4 % of the global SOA budget, suggesting that heterogeneous formation of highly volatile VOCs such as acetone is an importance source of SOA in the atmosphere and should be accounted for in the future model studies.

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Si Zhang, Xinbei Xu, Luyao Chen, Can Wu, Zheng Li, Rongjie Li, Binyu Xiao, Xiaodi Liu, Rui Li, Fan Zhang, and Gehui Wang

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2119', Anonymous Referee #1, 30 Jul 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Gehui Wang, 28 Sep 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2119', Anonymous Referee #2, 16 Aug 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Gehui Wang, 28 Sep 2024

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2119', Anonymous Referee #1, 30 Jul 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Gehui Wang, 28 Sep 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2119', Anonymous Referee #2, 16 Aug 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Gehui Wang, 28 Sep 2024
Si Zhang, Xinbei Xu, Luyao Chen, Can Wu, Zheng Li, Rongjie Li, Binyu Xiao, Xiaodi Liu, Rui Li, Fan Zhang, and Gehui Wang
Si Zhang, Xinbei Xu, Luyao Chen, Can Wu, Zheng Li, Rongjie Li, Binyu Xiao, Xiaodi Liu, Rui Li, Fan Zhang, and Gehui Wang

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Short summary
SOA from acetone photooxidation can be formed more readily on neutral aerosols than on acidic aerosols, while heterogeneous reaction of carbonyl with ammonium is only active on acidic aerosols in the presence of NH3, which produces light-absorbing N-containing compounds. Our work suggested that the heterogeneous oxidation of highly volatile VOC, for example acetone, is an importance source of SOA in the atmosphere, which should be accounted for in the future model studies.