Cloud condensation nuclei activity of CaCO₃ particles with oleic acid and malonic acid coatings

Abstract

Condensation of carboxylic acids on mineral particles leads to coatings and impacts the particles' potential to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). To determine how the CCN activity of mineral particles is impacted by carboxylic acid coatings, the CCN activities of CaCO3 particles and CaCO3 particles with oleic acid and malonic acid coatings were compared in this study. The results revealed that small amounts of oleic acid coating (volume fraction (vf) ≤ 4.3 %) decreased the CCN activity of CaCO3 particles, while more oleic acid coating (vf ≥ 16 %) increased the CCN activity of CaCO3 particles. This phenomenon has not been reported before. In contrast, the CCN activity of CaCO3 particles coated with malonic acid increased with the thickness of the malonic acid coating (vf = 0.4–40 %). Even the smallest amounts of malonic acid coating (vf = 0.4 %) significantly enhanced the CCN activity of CaCO3 particles from κ = 0.0028±0.0001 to κ = 0.0123±0.0005. This indicates that a small amount of water-soluble organic acid coating may significantly enhance the CCN activity of mineral particles. The presence of water vapor during the coating process with malonic acid additionally increased the CCN activity of the coated CaCO3 particles, probably because more CaCO3 reacts with malonic acid when sufficient water is available.