Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Feb 2019)
Possible heterogeneous chemistry of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) in northern China winter haze
- S. Song,
- M. Gao,
- W. Xu,
- W. Xu,
- Y. Sun,
- Y. Sun,
- Y. Sun,
- D. R. Worsnop,
- J. T. Jayne,
- Y. Zhang,
- L. Zhu,
- M. Li,
- M. Li,
- Z. Zhou,
- Z. Zhou,
- C. Cheng,
- C. Cheng,
- Y. Lv,
- Y. Wang,
- W. Peng,
- X. Xu,
- N. Lin,
- Y. Wang,
- S. Wang,
- J. W. Munger,
- D. J. Jacob,
- M. B. McElroy
Affiliations
- S. Song
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- M. Gao
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- W. Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
- W. Xu
- College of Earth Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Y. Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
- Y. Sun
- College of Earth Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Y. Sun
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- D. R. Worsnop
- Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, USA
- J. T. Jayne
- Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, USA
- Y. Zhang
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- L. Zhu
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- M. Li
- Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- M. Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Online Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Z. Zhou
- Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Z. Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Online Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou 510632, China
- C. Cheng
- Institute of Mass Spectrometer and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- C. Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Online Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Y. Lv
- China National Environmental Monitoring Center, Beijing 100012, China
- Y. Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather & Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- W. Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather & Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- X. Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather & Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- N. Lin
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Y. Wang
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004, USA
- S. Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- J. W. Munger
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- D. J. Jacob
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- M. B. McElroy
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1357-2019
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 19
pp. 1357 – 1371
Abstract
The chemical mechanisms responsible for rapid sulfate production, an important driver of winter haze formation in northern China, remain unclear. Here, we propose a potentially important heterogeneous hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) chemical mechanism. Through analyzing field measurements with aerosol mass spectrometry, we show evidence for a possible significant existence in haze aerosols of organosulfur primarily as HMS, misidentified as sulfate in previous observations. We estimate that HMS can account for up to about one-third of the sulfate concentrations unexplained by current air quality models. Heterogeneous production of HMS by SO2 and formaldehyde is favored under northern China winter haze conditions due to high aerosol water content, moderately acidic pH values, high gaseous precursor levels, and low temperature. These analyses identify an unappreciated importance of formaldehyde in secondary aerosol formation and call for more research on sources and on the chemistry of formaldehyde in northern China winter.
