Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1251
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1251
31 Mar 2025
 | 31 Mar 2025

New water-soluble, toxic tracers of wood burning identified in fine brown carbon aerosol using a non-target approach

Vinh Nguyen, Bartłomiej Witkowski, and Tomasz Gierczak

Abstract. The molecular composition of water-soluble fine (PM3) brown carbon aerosol (BrCaq) generated by combustion of wood was studied with ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-ToF/MS) using a non-target analysis (NTA) workflow. The NTA analysis workflow based on MS-DIAL and MS-FINDER showed the best performance of the five software tested. Structures of 361 out of the 420 water-soluble organics in BrC were tentatively identified for the first time. The total emission of fine, water-soluble BrCaq was approx. 1 g per kg of wood burned, comparable with the emission factors of some semi-volatile organics from open biomass burning. Potential precursors of aqueous secondary organic aerosols (aqSOAs) and toxic molecules were selected among the newly identified molecules.

The newly identified harmful tracers of fine BrC included plant and wood care products, alkaloids, and fungal metabolites. Fungal metabolites were also identified among the potential precursors of aqSOAs with high Henry's law constants values, alongside natural compounds occurring in roots and leaves, diterpenoids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, and coumarins. The release of these natural and man-made compounds is possible during wildfires and domestic uses of biomass. The atmospheric lifetimes calculated for the newly identified precursors of aqSOAs showed that natural dyes, bacterial and fungal metabolites, and (aromatic) glucosides can undergo aqueous OH oxidation in cloud water. Such molecules can produce low-volatility products without decomposing due to their large carbon backbones. Many new potential chromophores were also identified in BrC, including natural dyes and molecules with conjugated double bonds and aromatic rings.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

23 Sep 2025
New water-soluble, toxic tracers of wood burning identified in fine brown carbon aerosol using a non-target approach
Vinh Nguyen, Bartłomiej Witkowski, and Tomasz Gierczak
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 10965–10986, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10965-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10965-2025, 2025
Short summary
Vinh Nguyen, Bartłomiej Witkowski, and Tomasz Gierczak

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1251', Anonymous Referee #1, 15 May 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Bartlomiej Witkowski, 22 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1251', Anonymous Referee #2, 23 May 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Bartlomiej Witkowski, 22 Jul 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1251', Anonymous Referee #1, 15 May 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Bartlomiej Witkowski, 22 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1251', Anonymous Referee #2, 23 May 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Bartlomiej Witkowski, 22 Jul 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Bartlomiej Witkowski on behalf of the Authors (22 Jul 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (06 Aug 2025) by Ryan Sullivan
AR by Bartlomiej Witkowski on behalf of the Authors (08 Aug 2025)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

23 Sep 2025
New water-soluble, toxic tracers of wood burning identified in fine brown carbon aerosol using a non-target approach
Vinh Nguyen, Bartłomiej Witkowski, and Tomasz Gierczak
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 10965–10986, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10965-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10965-2025, 2025
Short summary
Vinh Nguyen, Bartłomiej Witkowski, and Tomasz Gierczak
Vinh Nguyen, Bartłomiej Witkowski, and Tomasz Gierczak

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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
This article provides new insights into the molecular composition of fine, light-absorbing organic aerosols emitted by biomass burning. Laboratory-generated aerosol was extracted into water and analyzed with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, identifying over 350 new water-soluble wood burning tracers. This study also examines the toxicities and atmospheric lifetimes, revealing that the newly identified molecules are harmful and can undergo chemical processing in atmospheric hydrometeors.
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