skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Source apportionment of soot particles and aqueous-phase processing of black carbon coatings in an urban environment

Journal Article · · Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online)

The impacts of soot particles on climate and human health depend on the concentration of black carbon (BC) as well as the thickness and composition of the coating material, i.e., organic and inorganic compounds internally mixed with BC. In this study, the size-resolved chemical composition of BC-containing aerosol was measured using a high-resolution soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS) during wintertime in Fresno, California, a location influenced by abundant combustion emissions and frequent fog events. Concurrently, particle optical properties were measured to investigate the BC absorption enhancement. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis was performed on the SP-AMS mass spectral measurements to explore the sources of soot particles and the atmospheric processes affecting the properties of BC coatings. The analysis revealed that residential woodburning and traffic are the dominant sources of soot particles. Alongside primary soot particles originating from biomass burning (BBOABC) and vehicles (HOABC) two distinct types of processed BC-containing aerosol were identified: fog-related oxidized organic aerosol (FOOABC) and winter-background OOABC (WOOABC). Both types of OOABC showed evidence of having undergone aqueous processing, albeit with differences. The concentration of FOOABC was substantially elevated during fog events, indicating the formation of aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA) within fog droplets. On the other hand, WOOABC was present at a relatively consistent concentration throughout the winter and was likely related to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in both the gas phase and aerosol liquid water. By comparing the chemical properties and temporal variations in FOOABC and WOOABC, we gain insights into the key aging processes of BC aerosol. It was found that aqueous-phase reactions facilitated by fog droplets had a significant impact on the thickness and chemical composition of BC coatings, thereby affecting the light absorption and hygroscopic properties of soot particles. These findings underscore the important role of chemical reactions occurring within clouds and fogs and influencing the climate forcing of BC aerosol in the atmosphere

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Center; Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); California Air Resources Board
Contributing Organization:
PNNL, BNL, ANL, ORNL
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0022140; SC0020182; 13-330
OSTI ID:
2229017
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2279037
Journal Information:
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online), Journal Name: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online) Vol. 23 Journal Issue: 23; ISSN 1680-7324
Publisher:
Copernicus GmbHCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

References (116)

Organic Aerosol Particle Chemical Properties Associated With Residential Burning and Fog in Wintertime San Joaquin Valley (Fresno) and With Vehicle and Firework Emissions in Summertime South Coast Air Basin (Fontana) journal September 2018
Light-absorbing properties of ambient black carbon and brown carbon from fossil fuel and biomass burning sources: LIGHT-ABSORBING PROPERTIES OF BC journal July 2015
Tropospheric Air Pollution: Ozone, Airborne Toxics, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and Particles journal May 1997
Larger Submicron Particles for Emissions With Residential Burning in Wintertime San Joaquin Valley (Fresno) than for Vehicle Combustion in Summertime South Coast Air Basin (Fontana) journal September 2018
Particle detection using the dual-vaporizer configuration of the soot particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) journal December 2020
Light Absorption by Ambient Black and Brown Carbon and its Dependence on Black Carbon Coating State for Two California, USA, Cities in Winter and Summer journal February 2019
Primary and secondary aerosols in Beijing in winter: sources, variations and processes journal January 2016
Is there an aerosol signature of chemical cloud processing? journal January 2018
Characterization of carbonaceous aerosols in Singapore: insight from black carbon fragments and trace metal ions detected by a soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer journal May 2020
Fog- and cloud-induced aerosol modification observed by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET): CLOUD-INDUCED AEROSOL MODIFICATION journal April 2012
Climate Change 2021 – The Physical Science Basis journal June 2023
Characteristics and sources of formic, acetic and oxalic acids in PM2.5 and PM10 aerosols in Beijing, China journal April 2007
Extensive Soot Compaction by Cloud Processing from Laboratory and Field Observations journal August 2019
Impact of brown and clear carbon on light absorption enhancement, single scatter albedo and absorption wavelength dependence of black carbon journal January 2010
Enhanced air pollution via aerosol-boundary layer feedback in China journal January 2016
Toward Understanding Amines and Their Degradation Products from Postcombustion CO 2 Capture Processes with Aerosol Mass Spectrometry journal April 2014
Photochemistry of the Cloud Aqueous Phase: A Review journal January 2020
Estimating the contribution of organic acids to northern hemispheric continental organic aerosol: ORGANIC ACID CONTRIBUTION TO OA journal July 2015
Chemical processing of water-soluble species and formation of secondary organic aerosol in fogs journal March 2019
Identification of the Mass Spectral Signature of Organic Aerosols from Wood Burning Emissions journal August 2007
Characterization of submicron organic particles in Beijing during summertime: comparison between SP-AMS and HR-AMS journal November 2020
Quantification of black carbon mixing state from traffic: implications for aerosol optical properties journal January 2016
Radiative Absorption Enhancements Due to the Mixing State of Atmospheric Black Carbon journal August 2012
Observational assessment of the role of nocturnal residual-layer chemistry in determining daytime surface particulate nitrate concentrations journal January 2017
Effect of Ammonia on the Volatility of Organic Diacids journal November 2014
SOA from methylglyoxal in clouds and wet aerosols: Measurement and prediction of key products journal December 2010
Light absorption enhancement of black carbon in urban Beijing in summer journal September 2019
PM2.5 pollution in China’s Guanzhong Basin and the USA’s San Joaquin Valley mega-regions journal January 2021
Key parameters controlling OH-initiated formation of secondary organic aerosol in the aqueous phase (aqSOA): KEY PARAMETERS OF AQSOA FORMATION journal April 2014
Black carbon semi-direct effects on cloud cover: review and synthesis journal January 2010
Haze types in Beijing and the influence of agricultural biomass burning journal January 2010
Field-Deployable, High-Resolution, Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer journal December 2006
In Situ Chemical Characterization of Aged Biomass-Burning Aerosols Impacting Cold Wave Clouds journal August 2010
Chase Studies of Particulate Emissions from in-use New York City Vehicles journal June 2004
Factor analysis of combined organic and inorganic aerosol mass spectra from high resolution aerosol mass spectrometer measurements journal January 2012
Particulate Oxalate‐To‐Sulfate Ratio as an Aqueous Processing Marker: Similarity Across Field Campaigns and Limitations journal December 2021
Biogenic and anthropogenic sources of oxalate in PM2.5 in a mega city, Shanghai journal March 2014
Wintertime water-soluble aerosol composition and particle water content in Fresno, California: Water-Soluble Gases and Ionic PM in SJV journal March 2017
Insights into secondary organic aerosol formed via aqueous-phase reactions of phenolic compounds based on high resolution mass spectrometry journal January 2010
Heterogeneous and Multiphase Chemistry in the Troposphere journal May 1997
Aqueous aging of secondary organic aerosol coating onto black carbon: Insights from simultaneous L-ToF-AMS and SP-AMS measurements at an urban site in southern China journal January 2022
Post-flame gas-phase sulfation of potassium chloride journal May 2013
Processing of atmospheric organic matter by California radiation fogs journal March 2008
The formation and evolution of secondary organic aerosol during summer in Xi'an: Aqueous phase processing in fog-rain days journal February 2021
Dicarboxylic acids, metals and isotopic compositions of C and N in atmospheric aerosols from inland China: implications for dust and coal burning emission and secondary aerosol formation journal July 2010
When Aerosol Sulfate Goes Up, So Does Oxalate:  Implication for the Formation Mechanisms of Oxalate journal January 2005
The Multilinear Engine—A Table-Driven, Least Squares Program for Solving Multilinear Problems, Including the n -Way Parallel Factor Analysis Model journal December 1999
Elemental ratio measurements of organic compounds using aerosol mass spectrometry: characterization, improved calibration, and implications journal January 2015
Deconvolution and Quantification of Hydrocarbon-like and Oxygenated Organic Aerosols Based on Aerosol Mass Spectrometry journal July 2005
Aerosol mass spectrometry: particle–vaporizer interactions and their consequences for the measurements journal January 2015
Markedly enhanced absorption and direct radiative forcing of black carbon under polluted urban environments journal March 2016
Aqueous Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation in Ambient Cloud Water Photo-Oxidations journal January 2018
Distinguishing fuel and lubricating oil combustion products in diesel engine exhaust particles journal March 2019
Relating hygroscopicity and composition of organic aerosol particulate matter journal January 2011
Fog composition in the Central Valley of California over three decades journal January 2015
Nighttime chemistry at a high altitude site above Hong Kong: NIGHTTIME CHEMISTRY ABOVE HONG KONG journal March 2016
Organic PM Emissions from Vehicles: Composition, O/C Ratio, and Dependence on PM Concentration journal January 2015
Production of particulate brown carbon during atmospheric aging of residential wood-burning emissions journal January 2018
Characterization of Size-Resolved Hygroscopicity of Black Carbon-Containing Particle in Urban Environment journal November 2019
Correlation of secondary organic aerosol with odd oxygen in Mexico City journal January 2008
Spatial and temporal variations in San Joaquin Valley fog chemistry journal January 1998
Liquid Water: Ubiquitous Contributor to Aerosol Mass journal June 2016
Enhancing characterization of organic nitrogen components in aerosols and droplets using high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometry journal July 2023
On the Source of the Submicrometer Droplet Mode of Urban and Regional Aerosols journal January 1994
Formation of secondary organic aerosol coating on black carbon particles near vehicular emissions journal January 2017
Important contribution of N2O5 hydrolysis to the daytime nitrate in Xi'an, China during haze periods: Isotopic analysis and WRF-Chem model simulation journal November 2021
Light Absorption by Carbonaceous Particles: An Investigative Review journal January 2006
Secondary organic aerosol formation in cloud droplets and aqueous particles (aqSOA): a review of laboratory, field and model studies journal January 2011
Soot Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer: Development, Validation, and Initial Application journal July 2012
Photosensitized Reactions of a Phenolic Carbonyl from Wood Combustion in the Aqueous Phase—Chemical Evolution and Light Absorption Properties of AqSOA journal March 2021
A Case Study of Urban Particle Acidity and Its Influence on Secondary Organic Aerosol journal May 2007
Chemical Compositions of Black Carbon Particle Cores and Coatings via Soot Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometry with Photoionization and Electron Ionization journal November 2014
Direct observation of aqueous secondary organic aerosol from biomass-burning emissions journal August 2016
Enhanced light absorption by mixed source black and brown carbon particles in UK winter journal September 2015
Fine mode aerosol composition at three long-term atmospheric monitoring sites in the Amazon Basin journal January 1994
SoFi, an IGOR-based interface for the efficient use of the generalized multilinear engine (ME-2) for the source apportionment: ME-2 application to aerosol mass spectrometer data journal January 2013
Mexico city aerosol analysis during MILAGRO using high resolution aerosol mass spectrometry at the urban supersite (T0) – Part 2: Analysis of the biomass burning contribution and the non-fossil carbon fraction journal January 2010
A microphysical parameterization of aqSOA and sulfate formation in clouds journal July 2017
Chemical characterization of SOA formed from aqueous-phase reactions of phenols with the triplet excited state of carbonyl and hydroxyl radical journal January 2014
Supplementary material to "A comprehensive study about the in-cloud processing of nitrate through coupled measurements of individual cloud residuals and cloud water" journal January 2022
Influences of emission sources and meteorology on aerosol chemistry in a polluted urban environment: results from DISCOVER-AQ California journal January 2016
Investigation of the correlation between odd oxygen and secondary organic aerosol in Mexico City and Houston journal January 2010
Aqueous chemistry and its role in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation journal January 2010
Mechanism of carboxylic acid photooxidation in atmospheric aqueous phase: Formation, fate and reactivity journal September 2012
In Situ Measurement Technique for Simultaneous Detection of K, KCl, and KOH Vapors Released during Combustion of Solid Biomass Fuel in a Single Particle Reactor journal February 2014
First Chemical Characterization of Refractory Black Carbon Aerosols and Associated Coatings over the Tibetan Plateau (4730 m a.s.l) journal November 2017
Constraining the contribution of organic acids and AMS m/z 44 to the organic aerosol budget: On the importance of meteorology, aerosol hygroscopicity, and region : MULTIPHASE PROCESSES TO PRODUCE SOA journal November 2010
Changes in organic aerosol composition with aging inferred from aerosol mass spectra journal January 2011
Variability in morphology, hygroscopicity, and optical properties of soot aerosols during atmospheric processing journal July 2008
Global and regional climate changes due to black carbon journal March 2008
Evidence of major secondary organic aerosol contribution to lensing effect black carbon absorption enhancement journal December 2018
A single parameter representation of hygroscopic growth and cloud condensation nucleus activity journal January 2007
Secondary inorganic aerosol dominated the light absorption enhancement of black carbon aerosol in Wuhan, Central China journal October 2022
Positive matrix factorization: A non-negative factor model with optimal utilization of error estimates of data values journal June 1994
Influences of Primary Emission and Secondary Coating Formation on the Particle Diversity and Mixing State of Black Carbon Particles journal July 2019
Oxalic acid in clear and cloudy atmospheres: Analysis of data from International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation 2004: OXALIC ACID DATA ANALYSIS FROM ICARTT journal August 2006
Characterization of aerosol composition, aerosol acidity, and organic acid partitioning at an agriculturally intensive rural southeastern US site journal January 2018
Processes Influencing Secondary Aerosol Formation in the San Joaquin Valley during Winter journal December 2006
Thermodynamic Model of the System H + −NH 4 + −SO 4 2- −NO 3 - −H 2 O at Tropospheric Temperatures journal March 1998
Soot Carbon and Excess Fine Potassium: Long-Range Transport of Combustion-Derived Aerosols journal June 1983
Photochemical Cloud Processing of Primary Wildfire Emissions as a Potential Source of Secondary Organic Aerosol journal August 2018
Regional influence of wildfires on aerosol chemistry in the western US and insights into atmospheric aging of biomass burning organic aerosol journal January 2017
Modeling air quality in the San Joaquin valley of California during the 2013 Discover-AQ field campaign journal January 2020
Dicarboxylic acids and water‐soluble organic carbon in aerosols in New Delhi, India, in winter: Characteristics and formation processes journal October 2009
Prediction of potassium compounds released from biomass during combustion journal September 2019
Individual aerosol particles from biomass burning in southern Africa: 2, Compositions and aging of inorganic particles: COMPOSITIONS AND AGING OF INORGANIC PARTICLES journal March 2003
PM2.5 composition and sources in the San Joaquin Valley of California: A long-term study using ToF-ACSM with the capture vaporizer journal January 2022
Release to the Gas Phase of Inorganic Elements during Wood Combustion. Part 2: Influence of Fuel Composition journal March 2008
Measurement of fine particulate and gas-phase species during the New Year's fireworks 2005 in Mainz, Germany journal July 2006
Understanding atmospheric aerosol particles with improved particle identification and quantification by single-particle mass spectrometry journal January 2019
Effects of aging on organic aerosol from open biomass burning smoke in aircraft and laboratory studies journal January 2011
Dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, and dicarbonyls in the urban atmosphere of China journal November 2007
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change journal October 1998
Significant contribution of organics to aerosol liquid water content in winter in Beijing, China journal January 2020
Effect of aqueous-phase processing on aerosol chemistry and size distributions in Fresno, California, during wintertime journal January 2012
Primary and secondary organic aerosols in Fresno, California during wintertime: Results from high resolution aerosol mass spectrometry: POA AND SOA IN FRESNO IN WINTER journal October 2012

Similar Records

Chemical properties and single-particle mixing state of soot aerosol in Houston during the TRACER campaign
Journal Article · Wed Apr 03 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online) · OSTI ID:2229017

Long-term real-time chemical characterization of submicron aerosols at Montsec (southern Pyrenees, 1570 m a.s.l.)
Journal Article · Mon Mar 16 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online) · OSTI ID:2229017

Influences of emission sources and meteorology on aerosol chemistry in a polluted urban environment: results from DISCOVER-AQ California
Journal Article · Mon May 02 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Online) · OSTI ID:2229017

Related Subjects