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Wen H, Zhou Y, He Y, Wang T, Pu W, Zhang B, Cui J, Liu J, Wang X. Regional differences in molecular characteristics of atmospheric water-soluble organic carbon over northern China: Comparison of remote, rural, and urban environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174170. [PMID: 38917903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) is a critical component of airborne particulates. It significantly affects the Earth's energy balance, air quality, and human health. Despite its importance, the molecular composition and sources of WSOC remain unclear, particularly in non-urban areas. In this study, we collected total suspended particulate (TSP) samples from three sites in northern China: Erenhot (remote site), Zhangbei (rural site), and Jinan (urban site). The WSOC components were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. The results showed that the formula numbers of identified compounds exhibited a decreasing trend of Jinan (2647) > Zhangbei (2046) > Erenhot (1399). Among the assigned formulas, CHO compounds were the most abundant category for all three sites, accounting for 33 %-38 % of the identified compounds, followed by the CHON compounds with contributions of 27 %-30 %. In the remote site of Erenhot, CHO compounds were dominated by oxidized unsaturated organic compounds, and CHON compounds were mainly low-oxygenated aliphatic compounds, suggesting a significant influence of primary emissions. In contrast, the urban site of Jinan showed higher contributions of CHO and CHON compounds with elevated oxidation degrees, indicating the influence of more extensive secondary oxidation processes. Atmospheric WSOC in Erenhot and Zhangbei had abundant reduced sulfur-containing species, likely from coal or diesel combustion, while that in Jinan was characterized by aliphatic organosulfates and nitrooxy-organosulfates, which are mainly associated with traffic emissions and biogenetic sources, respectively. These findings reveal significant differences in the molecular composition of WSOC in different atmospheric environments and improve our understanding of the chemical properties, potential sources, and transformations of organic aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wen
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Yuhui He
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tianshuang Wang
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Meteorological Disaster Prevention Technology Center of Hainan Province, Haikou 570203, China
| | - Wei Pu
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Baoqing Zhang
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jiecan Cui
- Zhejiang Development and Planning Institute, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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2
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Ning C, Gao Y, Sun S, Yang H, Tang W, Wang D. Size-Resolved Molecular Characterization of Water-Soluble Organic Matter in Atmospheric Particulate Matter from Northern China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 258:119436. [PMID: 38897433 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) affects visibility, climate, biogeochemical cycles and human health. Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) is an important component of PM. In this study, PM samples with size-resolved measurements at aerodynamic cut-point diameters (Dp) of 0.01-18μm were collected in the rural area of Baoding and the urban area of Dalian, Northern China. Non-targeted analysis was adopted for the characterization of the molecule constitutes of WSOM in different sized particles using Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Regardless of the location, the composition of WSOM in Aitken mode particles (aerodynamic diameter < 0.05 μm) was similar. The WSOM in accumulation mode particles (0.05-2 μm) in Baoding was predominantly composed of CHO compounds (84.9%), which were mainly recognized as lignins and lipids species. However, S-containing compounds (64.2%), especially protein and carbohydrates species, accounted for most of the WSOM in the accumulation mode particles in Dalian. The CHO compounds (67.6%-79.7%) contributed the most to the WSOM in coarse mode particles (> 2 μm) from both sites. Potential sources analysis indicated the WSOM in Baoding were mainly derived from biomass burning and oxidation reactions, while the WSOM in Dalian arose from coal combustion, oxidation reactions, and regional transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiping Ning
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan, 114051, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Shuai Sun
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide Environmental Assessment and Pollution Control, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing, 210042, China.
| | - Haiming Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan, 114051, China
| | - Wei Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan, 114051, China
| | - Dan Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan, 114051, China
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3
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Wang K, Zhang Y, Tong H, Han J, Fu P, Huang RJ, Zhang H, Hoffmann T. Molecular-Level Insights into the Relationship between Volatility of Organic Aerosol Constituents and PM 2.5 Air Pollution Levels: A Study with Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectrometry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:7947-7957. [PMID: 38676647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Volatility of organic aerosols (OAs) significantly influences new particle formation and the occurrence of particulate air pollution. However, the relationship between the volatility of OA and the level of particulate air pollution (i.e., particulate matter concentration) is not well understood. In this study, we compared the chemical composition (identified by an ultrahigh-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer) and volatility (estimated based on a predeveloped parametrization method) of OAs in urban PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) samples from seven German and Chinese cities, where the PM2.5 concentration ranged from a light (14 μg m-3) to heavy (319 μg m-3) pollution level. A large fraction (71-98%) of compounds in PM2.5 samples were attributable to intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The fraction of low-volatility organic compounds (LVOCs) and extremely low-volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs) decreased from clean (28%) to heavily polluted urban regions (2%), while that of IVOCs increased from 34 to 62%. We found that the average peak area-weighted volatility of organic compounds in different cities showed a logarithmic correlation with the average PM2.5 concentration, indicating that the volatility of urban OAs increases with the increase of air pollution level. Our results provide new insights into the relationship between OA volatility and PM pollution levels and deepen the understanding of urban air pollutant evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of Ministry of Education, National Observation and Research Station of Agriculture Green Development (Quzhou, Hebei), China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Haijie Tong
- Institute of Surface Science, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht 21502, Germany
- Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Plank Institute for Chemistry, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Jiajun Han
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Pingqing Fu
- Institute for Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ru-Jin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Thorsten Hoffmann
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55128, Germany
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4
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Ng SIM, Chan MN. Beyond the formation: unveiling the atmospheric transformation of organosulfates via heterogeneous OH oxidation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:13919-13938. [PMID: 37933441 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03700b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Organosulfates (OSs), characterized with a sulfate ester group (R-OSO3-), are abundant constituents in secondary organic aerosols. Recent laboratory-based investigations have revealed that OSs can undergo efficient chemical transformation through heterogeneous oxidation by hydroxyl radicals (˙OH, interchangeably termed as OH in this article), which freshly derives functionalized and fragmented OSs. The reaction not only contributes to the presence of structurally transformed OSs in the atmosphere of which sources were unidentified, but it also leads to the formation of inorganic sulfates (e.g., SO42-) with profound implication on the form of aerosol sulfur. In this article, we review the current state of knowledge regarding the heterogeneous OH oxidation of OSs based on state-of-the-art designs of experiments, computational approaches, and chemical analytical techniques. Here, we discuss the formation potential of new OSs and SO42-, in light of the influence of diverse OS structures on the relative importance of different reaction pathways. We propose future research directions to advance our mechanistic understanding of these reactions, taking into account aerosol matrix effects, interactions with other atmospheric pollutants, and the incorporation of experimental findings into atmospheric chemical transport models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze In Madeleine Ng
- Earth System Science Programme, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Man Nin Chan
- Earth System Science Programme, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- The Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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5
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Ning C, Gao Y, Zhang H, Yu H, Cao R, Chen J. Urban particulate water-soluble organic matter in winter: Size-resolved molecular characterization, role of the S-containing compounds on haze formation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162657. [PMID: 36878301 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM), as a group of ubiquitous components in atmospheric PM, plays a crucial role in global climate change and carbon cycle. In this study, the size-resolved molecular characterization of WSOM in the range of 0.010-18 μm PM was studied to gain insights into their formation processes. The CHO, CHNO, CHOS, CHNOS compounds were identified by the ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry in ESI source mode. A bimodal pattern of the PM mass concentrations was found in the accumulation and coarse mode. The increasing mass concentration of PM was mainly attributed to the growth of large-size PM with the occurrence of haze. Both Aiken-mode (70.5-75.6 %) and coarse-mode (81.7-87.9 %) particles were proven the main carriers of the CHO compounds, the majority of which were indicated to be the saturated fatty acids and their oxidized derivatives. The S-containing (CHOS and CHNOS) compounds in accumulation-mode (71.5-80.9 %) increased significantly in hazy days, where organosulfates (C11H20O6S, C12H22O7S) and nitrooxy-organosulfates (C9H19NO8S, C9H17NO8S) were confirmed in majority. The S-containing compounds in accumulation-mode particle with high oxygen content (6-8 oxygen atoms), unsaturation degree (DBE < 4), and reactivity could facilitate the particle agglomeration and accelerate the haze formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiping Ning
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan 114051, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Haijun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rong Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jiping Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
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6
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Deng H, Lakey PSJ, Wang Y, Li P, Xu J, Pang H, Liu J, Xu X, Li X, Wang X, Zhang Y, Shiraiwa M, Gligorovski S. Daytime SO 2 chemistry on ubiquitous urban surfaces as a source of organic sulfur compounds in ambient air. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq6830. [PMID: 36170374 PMCID: PMC9519037 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq6830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The reactions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) with surface-bound compounds on atmospheric aerosols lead to the formation of organic sulfur (OS) compounds, thereby affecting the air quality and climate. Here, we show that the heterogeneous reaction of SO2 with authentic urban grime under near-ultraviolet sunlight irradiation leads to a large suite of various organic compounds including OS released in the gas phase. Calculations indicate that at the core area of Guangzhou, building surface uptake of SO2 is 15 times larger than uptake of SO2 on aerosol surfaces, yielding ~20 ng m-3 of OS that represents an important fraction of the observed OS compounds (60 to 200 ng m-3) in ambient aerosols of Chinese megacities. This chemical pathway occurring during daytime can contribute to the observed fraction of OS compounds in aerosols and improve the understanding of haze formation and urban air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifan Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Chinese Academy of Science, Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pascale S. J. Lakey
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92687-2025, USA
| | - Yiqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinli Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongwei Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
| | - Jiangping Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
| | - Xin Xu
- Institute of Mass Spectrometry and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xue Li
- Institute of Mass Spectrometry and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for On-line Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xinming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Chinese Academy of Science, Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yuzhong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Manabu Shiraiwa
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92687-2025, USA
| | - Sasho Gligorovski
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510 640, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Chinese Academy of Science, Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Corresponding author.
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7
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Mao J, Cheng Y, Bai Z, Zhang W, Zhang L, Chen H, Wang L, Li L, Chen J. Molecular characterization of nitrogen-containing organic compounds in the winter North China Plain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156189. [PMID: 35618117 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The molecular characteristics of organic aerosols (OAs) in heavily polluted areas affected by coal combustion (CC) were investigated. In terms of relative abundance, the total nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOC) accounted for about 61%-68% of all molecules detected in methanol-soluble organic carbon (MSOC) by LC - Q-TOF - MS. More than 85% of the CHON- formulas are nitro-aromatic compounds, which are generally considered to be secondary organic compounds, as evidenced by the lower degree of overlap of these substances in the atmospheric samples and CC samples. Some polycyclic aromatic compounds with 4 N and 1-2O and very low H/C and O/C ratio produced by CC are unstable and easily react to form compounds with higher degrees of saturation. Almost all of the CHON+ homologues detected in the CC samples were also found in the atmospheric samples, indicating that the large amount of CHON+ compounds produced by CC are stable during atmospheric processes. The CHN+ compounds produced by CC contain a certain amount of highly unsaturated compounds, among which 1 N-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (1 N-PAHs) is stable in atmosphere and can serve as markers of CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfang Mao
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yi Cheng
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhe Bai
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Linyuan Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Lina Wang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Jianmin Chen
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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8
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Ma J, Ungeheuer F, Zheng F, Du W, Wang Y, Cai J, Zhou Y, Yan C, Liu Y, Kulmala M, Daellenbach KR, Vogel AL. Nontarget Screening Exhibits a Seasonal Cycle of PM 2.5 Organic Aerosol Composition in Beijing. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:7017-7028. [PMID: 35302359 PMCID: PMC9179655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The molecular composition of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in the urban environment is complex, and it remains a challenge to identify its sources and formation pathways. Here, we report the seasonal variation of the molecular composition of organic aerosols (OA), based on 172 PM2.5 filter samples collected in Beijing, China, from February 2018 to March 2019. We applied a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) on a large nontarget-screening data set and found a strong seasonal difference in the OA chemical composition. Molecular fingerprints of the major compound clusters exhibit a unique molecular pattern in the Van Krevelen-space. We found that summer OA in Beijing features a higher degree of oxidation and a higher proportion of organosulfates (OSs) in comparison to OA during wintertime, which exhibits a high contribution from (nitro-)aromatic compounds. OSs appeared with a high intensity in summer-haze conditions, indicating the importance of anthropogenic enhancement of secondary OA in summer Beijing. Furthermore, we quantified the contribution of the four main compound clusters to total OA using surrogate standards. With this approach, we are able to explain a small fraction of the OA (∼11-14%) monitored by the Time-of-Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ToF-ACSM). However, we observe a strong correlation between the sum of the quantified clusters and OA measured by the ToF-ACSM, indicating that the identified clusters represent the major variability of OA seasonal cycles. This study highlights the potential of using nontarget screening in combination with HCA for gaining a better understanding of the molecular composition and the origin of OA in the urban environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialiang Ma
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Florian Ungeheuer
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Feixue Zheng
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Wei Du
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yonghong Wang
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Research
Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, 100085 Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jing Cai
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ying Zhou
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Chao Yan
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yongchun Liu
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Markku Kulmala
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kaspar R. Daellenbach
- Aerosol
and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter
Science and Engineering, Beijing University
of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, P. R. China
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Laboratory
of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer
Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Alexander L. Vogel
- Institute
for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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9
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Kanellopoulos PG, Kotsaki SP, Chrysochou E, Koukoulakis K, Zacharopoulos N, Philippopoulos A, Bakeas E. PM 2.5-bound organosulfates in two Eastern Mediterranean cities: The dominance of isoprene organosulfates. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 297:134103. [PMID: 35219711 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PM2.5 samples were collected during 2017-2018 at two Eastern Mediterranean urban sites in Greece, Athens and Patra, in order to study the abundances, the seasonal trends, the sources and the possible impact of gas phase pollutants on organosulfate formation. Each of the studied groups, except that of aromatic organosulfates, presented higher concentrations in Patra compared to those measured in Athens, from 1.1 (nitro-oxy organosulfates) to 3.6 times (isoprene organosulfates). At both sites, isoprene organosulfates was the dominant group which accounted on average for more than 50% of the total measured organosulfates, with the contribution being more than 80% during summer. Strong seasonality was observed at both sites, regarding the isoprene organosulfates, with an almost 21-fold increase from winter to summer. The same pattern, but to a lesser extent, was also observed for monoterpenes organosulfates at both sites. Alkyl organosulfates followed an identical seasonal trend with the highest mean concentrations observed during spring followed by autumn. The seasonality of anthropogenic organosulfates, multisource organosulfates and nitro-oxy organosulfates differed among the two sites or presented a more compound-specific variation. The isoprene-epoxydiol pathway appeared to be the dominant pathway of isoprene transformation, with the compounds iOS211, iOS213 and iOS215 being the major isoprene organosulfate compounds at both sites. Organosulfate contribution to the concentration of particulate matter presented common variation at both sites, ranging from 0.20 ± 0.14% (winter) to 2.5 ± 1.2% (summer) and from 0.21 ± 0.13% (winter) to 5.0 ± 2.5% (summer) for Athens and Patra, respectively. The increased NOx levels in Athens, appeared to affect isoprene organosulfate formation as well as the formation of monoterpene and decalin nitro-oxy organosulfates. Principal component analysis followed by multiple linear regression analysis highlighted the dominance of isoprene organosulfates. In Athens, the possible impact of transportation emissions on the formation of monoterpene nitro-oxy organosulfates is indicated while the correlation of naphthalene organosulfates with low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons suggests that vehicle emissions may be a significant source. In Patra, the possible contribution of sea on methyl sulfate levels is denoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Georgios Kanellopoulos
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece
| | - Sevasti Panagiota Kotsaki
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece
| | - Eirini Chrysochou
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Koukoulakis
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Zacharopoulos
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece
| | - Athanassios Philippopoulos
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece
| | - Evangelos Bakeas
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zografou, GR, 15784, Greece.
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10
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Wang Z, Ge Y, Bi S, Liang Y, Shi Q. Molecular characterization of organic aerosol in winter from Beijing using UHPLC-Orbitrap MS. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 812:151507. [PMID: 34762951 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The urban organic aerosol (OA) may pose a serious threat to human health and ecological environment. In order to understand the molecular characteristics of organic compounds in aerosols, atmospheric PM2.5 samples were collected in Beijing and the extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry combined with negative-ion electrospray ionization, positive-ion electrospray ionization, and positive-ion atmospheric pressure photoionization sources. The combination of multiple ionization sources realized the comprehensive molecular characterization of organic compounds in OA, and 1976 (+APPI), 3038 (-ESI), and 4376 (+ESI) molecular formulas were identified in this study. Significant differences in the species, abundance, and number of subgroups (CHO, CHN, CHON, CHONS, CHOS, and CH compounds) were clarified. Chemical fingerprinting of organics in the PM2.5 extract were investigated by high-throughput non-target compound analytical methods. Structure induction of organic compounds was realized through fragmentation prediction of MS/MS spectra with Sirius software. Furthermore, a total of 50 nitroaromatic formulas, 285 organosulfates (OS) formulas, 57 nitrooxy-OS formulas, 228 CHO- formulas with carboxyl groups, and 36 monoketone formulas were determined based on diagnostic fragmentation filtering. Our results provide important insights into the molecular composition and structural characteristics of OA, and establish foundation for exploring the interaction between composition and physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China
| | - Yafen Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China
| | - Shasha Bi
- Food and Drug Fiber Quality Supervision and Testing Center, Changzhou 213000, PR China
| | - Yongmei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China.
| | - Quan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China
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11
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Glasius M, Thomsen D, Wang K, Iversen LS, Duan J, Huang RJ. Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:151187. [PMID: 34756911 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated speciation and levels of organosulfates, organosulfonates as well as carboxylic acids in aerosol samples collected during summer (2014) and winter (2014/15) in Xi'an, Northwest China, to improve understanding of composition and sources of organic aerosols in this region heavily affected by air pollution. Organosulfates are formed from reactive gas-phase organic compounds and acidic sulfate aerosols, contributing to secondary organic aerosols, SOA. The aerosol samples show a large diversity in organosulfur species in line with other regions of China, reflecting the high levels and complexity of SOA precursors. In summer samples, organosulfates from isoprene are prevalent due to transport of air masses from southern regions with isoprene-emitting mountain forests. During winter, air masses are local or from areas north of the city with low population density and very low temperatures. The estimated levels of organosulfates and organosulfonates in summer (768 ± 346 ng m-3) and winter samples (938 ± 374 ng m-3) are more similar than expected given the high levels of sulfate and organic carbon in winter, indicating the complexity of organosulfur formation processes. We observed an organosulfonate with molecular weight 214 (C6H14O6S) at high estimated levels (254 ± 232 ng m-3) in winter, but much lower concentrations (12 ± 13 ng m-3) in summer. High levels of organosulfur compounds were mainly observed at aerosol pH below about 2.5. Concentrations of carboxylic acids from oxidation of monoterpenes were low (5.2 ± 2.7 ng m-3 in summer). Phthalic acid was as high as 90 ± 29 ng m-3 during winter and correlated highly with organic carbon, chloride and potassium, indicating a common origin, most likely burning of biomass and plastic-containing waste. Further research is needed to elucidate formation and sources of organosulfates and organosulfonates, as well as the impact on aerosol properties affecting e.g. health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Glasius
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Ditte Thomsen
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | | | - Jing Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, and Key Laboratory of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Ru-Jin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, and Key Laboratory of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China.
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12
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Ning C, Gao Y, Zhang H, Wang L, Yu H, Zou L, Cao R, Chen J. Molecular chemodiversity of water-soluble organic matter in atmospheric particulate matter and their associations with atmospheric conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 809:151171. [PMID: 34699831 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) is a complex mixture of organic compounds affecting global climate change and carbon cycle. Herein, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was used for identification of WSOM molecular compositions in annual atmospheric particulate matter with diameters ≤10 μm (PM10). Totally 6538 unambiguous monoisotopic molecular formulas were assigned to WSOM with m/z values concentrating in 150-600 Da. The CHO compounds with high unsaturation degrees contributed most (51.7-52.1%) to WSOM in spring and summer. However, the S-containing compounds (CHOS and CHNOS) with higher O/C and H/C ratios accounted for 56.8-63.2% of WSOM in autumn and winter. Temperature (r = 0.82) and O3 (r = 0.89) showed higher correlation with CHO compounds, which were mainly aliphatics and highly unsaturated structures with high oxygen compounds (80.7-90.8%). The concentrations of SO42- (r = 0.33) and NO3- (r = 0.46) in PM10 both showed a positive correlation with the abundances of the S-containing compounds due to their direct participation in atmospheric reactions. Among them, 96-100% and 78-96% of the CHOS and CHNOS compounds were confirmed to be organosulfates (OSs) and nitrooxy-organosulfates (NOSs) by MS/MS analysis, respectively. These findings illustrate the strong association of atmospheric conditions with molecular chemodiversity of WSOM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiping Ning
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Haijun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Lei Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria/Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lili Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Rong Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jiping Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
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13
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Wang W, Zhang Y, Jiang B, Chen Y, Song Y, Tang Y, Dong C, Cai Z. Molecular characterization of organic aerosols in Taiyuan, China: Seasonal variation and source identification. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149419. [PMID: 34392207 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) samples collected in 2018 in Taiyuan, a typical industrial and mining city in North China Plain (NCP), were characterized based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with orbitrap mass spectrometry. Potential molecular identifications based on precise molecular weight were conducted to obtain the compositional and source information of organic aerosols (OAs) in this city. Evident variation trends were observed during the sampling period in the composition, degree of oxidation and saturation of the obtained molecules. The proportion of CHOS- and CHO+ were increased from winter to summer and then decreased, conversely the proportion of CHN+ was decreased from winter to summer and then increased. By reclassifying the molecules, OA molecules were observed to be more saturated and oxidized in summer. It was caused by the high abundance of organosulfates (OSs) in summer, and aromatic amines/N-heterocycle aromatic hydrocarbons (PANHs) in winter. Molecular identification indicated that the OSs were basically originated from biogenic source isoprene or monoterpene, while the aromatic amines and PANHs were related to anthropogenic emissions of fossil fuel combustion, like other cities in the NCP area. The prevailing northwesterlies in winter may bring coal-burning pollutants from other cities, while the high abundance of organosulfates in summer may be related to the PM2.5 transportation from Shijiazhuang. This study firstly demonstrates the molecular composition characteristics, potential sources, and geographical origins of PM2.5 in Taiyuan, which gives a comprehensive understanding of PM2.5 in a typical industrial and mining city.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yanhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yanyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yingtao Tang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chuan Dong
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Zongwei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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14
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Qi L, Zhang Z, Wang X, Deng F, Zhao J, Liu H. Molecular characterization of atmospheric particulate organosulfates in a port environment using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry: Identification of traffic emissions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 419:126431. [PMID: 34186426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Organosulfates (OSs) are an important component of atmospheric organic aerosol (OA) and are widespread in various environments. However, the OSs generated from anthropogenic emissions are poorly understood. In this study, the molecular compositions of OSs from atmospheric PM2.5 samples collected during a winter measurement campaign (SEISO-Bohai) at Jingtang Harbor were characterized via ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (UHRMS). The changes of port OS compositions were observed in episodes of complete haze pollution. As the pollution aggravated, the relative abundances of OSs were apparently increased, and the molecule compositions became more complex, primarily driven by the oxidation and fragmentation processes. Potential OS precursors from traffic emissions were identified based on an optimized "OS precursor map" developed in the previous study. OSs characterized by high molecular weights and low degrees of both unsaturation and oxidization were suggested to mainly derive from secondary reactions of intermediate volatile organic compounds (IVOCs) emitted by traffic sources. These OSs were primarily detected in clean-day samples, followed by decreasing with the pollution process. In addition, our study also finds that ship emissions may further facilitated OS productions under haze pollution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, College of Eco-environmental Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, School of the Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhining Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, School of the Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaotong Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, School of the Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fanyuan Deng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, School of the Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Junchao Zhao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, School of the Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Huan Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, School of the Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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15
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Zhang Y, Wang K, Tong H, Huang RJ, Hoffmann T. The maximum carbonyl ratio (MCR) as a new index for the structural classification of secondary organic aerosol components. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2021; 35:e9113. [PMID: 33908097 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Organic aerosols (OA) account for a large fraction of atmospheric fine particulate matter and thus are affecting climate and public health. Elucidation of the chemical composition of OA is the key for addressing the role of ambient fine particles at the atmosphere-biosphere interface and mass spectrometry is the main method to achieve this goal. METHODS High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is on its way to becoming one of the most prominent analytical techniques, also for the analysis of atmospheric aerosols. The combination of high mass resolution and accurate mass determination allows the elemental compositions of numerous compounds to be easily elucidated. Here a new parameter for the improved classification of OA is introduced - the maximum carbonyl ratio (MCR) - which is directly derived from the molecular composition and is particularly suitable for the identification and characterization of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). RESULTS The concept is exemplified by the analysis of ambient OA samples from two measurement sites (Hyytiälä, Finland; Beijing, China) and of laboratory-generated SOA based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to Orbitrap MS. To interpret the results, MCR-Van Krevelen (VK) diagrams are generated for the different OA samples and the individual compounds are categorized into specific areas in the diagrams. The results show that the MCR index is a valuable parameter for representing atmospheric SOA components in composition and structure-dependent visualization tools such as VK diagrams. CONCLUSIONS The MCR index is suggested as a tool for a better characterization of the sources and the processing of atmospheric OA components based on HRMS data. Since the MCR contains information on the concentration of highly electrophilic organic compounds in particulate matter (PM) as well as on the concentration of organic (hydro)peroxides, the MCR could be a promising metric for identifying health-related particulate matter parameters by HRMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, 55128, Germany
| | - Kai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Haijie Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ru-Jin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Key Laboratory of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Thorsten Hoffmann
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, 55128, Germany
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Su S, Xie Q, Lang Y, Cao D, Xu Y, Chen J, Chen S, Hu W, Qi Y, Pan X, Sun Y, Wang Z, Liu CQ, Jiang G, Fu P. High Molecular Diversity of Organic Nitrogen in Urban Snow in North China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:4344-4356. [PMID: 33502199 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Snow serves as a vital scavenging mechanism to gas-phase and particle-phase organic nitrogen substances in the atmosphere, providing a significant link between land-atmosphere flux of nitrogen in the surface-earth system. Here, we used optical instruments (UV-vis and excitation-emission matrix fluorescence) and a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) to elucidate the molecular composition and potential precursors of snow samples collected simultaneously at four megacities in North China. The elemental O/N ratio (≥3), together with the preference in the negative ionization mode, indicates that the one and two nitrogen atom-containing organics (CHON1 and CHON2) in snow were largely in the oxidized form (as organic nitrates, -ONO2). This study assumed that scavenging of particle-phase and gas-phase organic nitrates might be significant sources of CHON in precipitation. A gas-phase oxidation process and a particle-phase hydrolysis process, at a molecular level, were used to trace the potential precursors of CHON. Results show that more than half of the snow CHON molecules may be related to the oxidized and hydrolyzed processes of atmospheric organics. Potential formation processes of atmospheric organics on a molecular level provide a new concept to better understand the sources and scavenging mechanisms of organic nitrogen species in the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihui Su
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Qiaorong Xie
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yunchao Lang
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Dong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yisheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shuang Chen
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yulin Qi
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xiaole Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yele Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zifa Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Cong-Qiang Liu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Pingqing Fu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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17
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Song J, Li M, Fan X, Zou C, Zhu M, Jiang B, Yu Z, Jia W, Liao Y, Peng P. Molecular Characterization of Water- and Methanol-Soluble Organic Compounds Emitted from Residential Coal Combustion Using Ultrahigh-Resolution Electrospray Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:13607-13617. [PMID: 31682114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Water-soluble organic compounds (WSOC) and methanol-soluble organic compounds (MSOC) in smoke particles emitted from residential coal combustion were characterized by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. The results showed that the molecular compositions of WSOC and MSOC are different. S-containing compounds (CHOS and CHONS) are found to be the dominant components (65-87%) of the WSOC, whereas CHO and CHON compounds make a great contribution (79-96%) to the MSOC samples. It is worth noting that greater abundance of S-containing compounds was found in smoke produced from coal combustion compared to biomass burning and atmospheric samples. The molecular compositions of WSOC and MSOC also varied significantly depending on the maturity of the coal. The WSOC and MSOC derived from the combustion of low-maturity coal contained a higher proportion of oxidized functional groups but with a lower degree of aromaticity than the compounds derived from the combustion of high-maturity coal. Our findings suggest that organic molecules with a high modified aromaticity index, low O/C ratio, and low polarity showed stronger light absorption. This study also suggests that CHO and CHON compounds significantly contributed to the light absorption of WSOC and MSOC and that the contribution of CHON may be stronger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
| | - Meiju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Xingjun Fan
- College of Resource and Environment , Anhui Science and Technology University , Anhui 233100 , China
| | - Chunlin Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Mengbo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Bin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
| | - Zhiqiang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
| | - Wanglu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
| | - Yuhong Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
| | - Ping'an Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510640 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
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