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Fast sulfate formation from oxidation of SO2 by NO2 and HONO observed in Beijing haze

Author

Listed:
  • Junfeng Wang

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology
    Harvard University)

  • Jingyi Li

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Jianhuai Ye

    (Harvard University)

  • Jian Zhao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yangzhou Wu

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology
    Zhejiang University)

  • Jianlin Hu

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Dantong Liu

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Dongyang Nie

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology
    Nanjing University)

  • Fuzhen Shen

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Xiangpeng Huang

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Dan Dan Huang

    (Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences)

  • Dongsheng Ji

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xu Sun

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Weiqi Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jianping Guo

    (Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences)

  • Shaojie Song

    (Harvard University)

  • Yiming Qin

    (Harvard University)

  • Pengfei Liu

    (Harvard University)

  • Jay R. Turner

    (Washington University in Saint Louis)

  • Hyun Chul Lee

    (Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology)

  • Sungwoo Hwang

    (Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology)

  • Hong Liao

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Scot T. Martin

    (Harvard University)

  • Qi Zhang

    (University of California Davis)

  • Mindong Chen

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Yele Sun

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xinlei Ge

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Daniel J. Jacob

    (Harvard University)

Abstract

Severe events of wintertime particulate air pollution in Beijing (winter haze) are associated with high relative humidity (RH) and fast production of particulate sulfate from the oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitted by coal combustion. There has been considerable debate regarding the mechanism for SO2 oxidation. Here we show evidence from field observations of a haze event that rapid oxidation of SO2 by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrous acid (HONO) takes place, the latter producing nitrous oxide (N2O). Sulfate shifts to larger particle sizes during the event, indicative of fog/cloud processing. Fog and cloud readily form under winter haze conditions, leading to high liquid water contents with high pH (>5.5) from elevated ammonia. Such conditions enable fast aqueous-phase oxidation of SO2 by NO2, producing HONO which can in turn oxidize SO2 to yield N2O.This mechanism could provide an explanation for sulfate formation under some winter haze conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Junfeng Wang & Jingyi Li & Jianhuai Ye & Jian Zhao & Yangzhou Wu & Jianlin Hu & Dantong Liu & Dongyang Nie & Fuzhen Shen & Xiangpeng Huang & Dan Dan Huang & Dongsheng Ji & Xu Sun & Weiqi Xu & Jianping, 2020. "Fast sulfate formation from oxidation of SO2 by NO2 and HONO observed in Beijing haze," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16683-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16683-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Peng Zhang & Tianzeng Chen & Qingxin Ma & Biwu Chu & Yonghong Wang & Yujing Mu & Yunbo Yu & Hong He, 2022. "Diesel soot photooxidation enhances the heterogeneous formation of H2SO4," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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