Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China

Marianne Glasius; Ditte Thomsen; Kai Wang; Louise Skov Iversen; Jing Duan; Ru Jin Huang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151187

Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China

Marianne Glasius^*, Ditte Thomsen, Kai Wang, Louise Skov Iversen, Jing Duan, Ru Jin Huang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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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.

Original language	English
Article number	151187
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	810
Number of pages	11
ISSN	0048-9697
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151187
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Keywords

Aerosol processes
Air pollution
Chemical analysis
Secondary organic aerosols
SOA
Environmental Monitoring
Air Pollution
Aerosols/analysis
Carboxylic Acids
Air Pollutants/analysis
China
Organic Chemicals/analysis
Particulate Matter/analysis
Seasons

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@article{f3eaae8e6b6c4f90b43a41dbcf7b7250,

title = "Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China",

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.",

keywords = "Aerosol processes, Air pollution, Chemical analysis, Secondary organic aerosols, SOA, Environmental Monitoring, Air Pollution, Aerosols/analysis, Carboxylic Acids, Air Pollutants/analysis, China, Organic Chemicals/analysis, Particulate Matter/analysis, Seasons",

author = "Marianne Glasius and Ditte Thomsen and Kai Wang and Iversen, {Louise Skov} and Jing Duan and Huang, {Ru Jin}",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151187",

language = "English",

volume = "810",

journal = "Science of the Total Environment",

issn = "0048-9697",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China. / Glasius, Marianne ; Thomsen, Ditte; Wang, Kai et al.
In: Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 810, 151187, 03.2022.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China

AU - Glasius, Marianne

AU - Thomsen, Ditte

AU - Wang, Kai

AU - Iversen, Louise Skov

AU - Duan, Jing

AU - Huang, Ru Jin

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Aerosol processes

KW - Air pollution

KW - Chemical analysis

KW - Secondary organic aerosols

KW - SOA

KW - Environmental Monitoring

KW - Air Pollution

KW - Aerosols/analysis

KW - Carboxylic Acids

KW - Air Pollutants/analysis

KW - China

KW - Organic Chemicals/analysis

KW - Particulate Matter/analysis

KW - Seasons

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85118699798&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151187

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151187

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34756911

AN - SCOPUS:85118699798

SN - 0048-9697

VL - 810

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

M1 - 151187

ER -

Chemical characteristics and sources of organosulfates, organosulfonates, and carboxylic acids in aerosols in urban Xi'an, Northwest China

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