Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2743
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2743
19 Jun 2025
 | 19 Jun 2025

Rapid Aqueous-Phase Oxidation of An α-Pinene-Derived Organosulfate by Hydroxyl Radicals: A Potential Source of Some Unclassified Oxygenated and Small Organosulfates in the Atmosphere

Donger Lai, Yanxin Bai, Zijing Zhang, Pui-Kin So, Yong Jie Li, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, Ying-Yeung Yeung, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jian Zhen Yu, Yuchen Wang, and Man Nin Chan

Abstract. Organosulfates (OSs) are ubiquitously present in atmospheric aerosols and cloud droplets, and affect aerosol-cloud-climate interactions via their distinct physicochemical properties. Although various formation pathways and transformation mechanisms have been proposed, the origins of many atmospheric OSs remain unclear or unexplained. In this study, we investigated the aqueous-phase oxidation of an α-pinene-derived organosulfate (C10H17O5SNa, αpOS-249) by OH radicals as a potential source of some uncharacterized atmospheric OSs by quantifying the kinetics and characterizing the reaction products. An aqueous-phase photoreactor was used to conduct the aqueous-phase OH oxidation of αpOS-249, revealing a rate constant of (2.2 ± 0.2) × 109 L mol–1 s–1 and atmospheric lifetimes ranged from minutes to about 2 days under atmospherically relevant cloud conditions. The product analysis revealed that a variety of more oxygenated C10 OS products, smaller OS (<C10) products, and inorganic sulfates (e.g., bisulfate and sulfate) can be produced via functionalization and fragmentation processes upon oxidation. Most of the OS products have been detected in the atmosphere, with some of them whose sources and formation mechanisms are unknown thus far. Our study provides a new perspective that the chemical transformation of larger OSs via aqueous-phase oxidation can proceed efficiently to yield a variety of new OSs, serving as a source for atmospheric OSs, particularly smaller OSs. These findings would be useful in field data interpretation and model simulations regarding the abundance, formation, transformation, and atmospheric fates of OSs.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

09 Oct 2025
Rapid aqueous-phase oxidation of an α-pinene-derived organosulfate by hydroxyl radicals: a potential source of some unclassified oxygenated and small organosulfates in the atmosphere
Donger Lai, Yanxin Bai, Zijing Zhang, Pui-Kin So, Yong Jie Li, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, Ying-Yeung Yeung, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jian Zhen Yu, Yuchen Wang, and Man Nin Chan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 12569–12584, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12569-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12569-2025, 2025
Short summary
Donger Lai, Yanxin Bai, Zijing Zhang, Pui-Kin So, Yong Jie Li, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, Ying-Yeung Yeung, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jian Zhen Yu, Yuchen Wang, and Man Nin Chan

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2743', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2743', Anonymous Referee #2, 29 Jul 2025
  • AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2743', ManNin Chan, 23 Aug 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2743', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2743', Anonymous Referee #2, 29 Jul 2025
  • AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2743', ManNin Chan, 23 Aug 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by ManNin Chan on behalf of the Authors (23 Aug 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (27 Aug 2025) by Sergey A. Nizkorodov
AR by ManNin Chan on behalf of the Authors (27 Aug 2025)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

09 Oct 2025
Rapid aqueous-phase oxidation of an α-pinene-derived organosulfate by hydroxyl radicals: a potential source of some unclassified oxygenated and small organosulfates in the atmosphere
Donger Lai, Yanxin Bai, Zijing Zhang, Pui-Kin So, Yong Jie Li, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, Ying-Yeung Yeung, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jian Zhen Yu, Yuchen Wang, and Man Nin Chan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 12569–12584, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12569-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12569-2025, 2025
Short summary
Donger Lai, Yanxin Bai, Zijing Zhang, Pui-Kin So, Yong Jie Li, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, Ying-Yeung Yeung, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jian Zhen Yu, Yuchen Wang, and Man Nin Chan
Donger Lai, Yanxin Bai, Zijing Zhang, Pui-Kin So, Yong Jie Li, Ying-Lung Steve Tse, Ying-Yeung Yeung, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jian Zhen Yu, Yuchen Wang, and Man Nin Chan

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Short summary
Aqueous-phase OH oxidation can potentially act as an important atmospheric sink for α-pinene-derived organosulfates (OSs). Such oxidation can also generate a variety of new OS products, and can be as a potential source for some atmospheric OSs with previously unknown origins.
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