Photolytic radical persistence due to anoxia in viscous aerosol particles

Peter A. Alpert (), Jing Dou, Pablo Corral Arroyo, Frederic Schneider, Jacinta Xto, Beiping Luo, Thomas Peter, Thomas Huthwelker, Camelia N. Borca, Katja D. Henzler, Thomas Schaefer, Hartmut Herrmann, Jörg Raabe, Benjamin Watts, Ulrich K. Krieger and Markus Ammann ()
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Peter A. Alpert: Paul Scherrer Institute
Jing Dou: Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich
Pablo Corral Arroyo: Paul Scherrer Institute
Frederic Schneider: Paul Scherrer Institute
Jacinta Xto: Paul Scherrer Institute
Beiping Luo: Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich
Thomas Peter: Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich
Thomas Huthwelker: Paul Scherrer Institute
Camelia N. Borca: Paul Scherrer Institute
Katja D. Henzler: Paul Scherrer Institute
Thomas Schaefer: Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Hartmut Herrmann: Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Jörg Raabe: Paul Scherrer Institute
Benjamin Watts: Paul Scherrer Institute
Ulrich K. Krieger: Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich
Markus Ammann: Paul Scherrer Institute

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract In viscous, organic-rich aerosol particles containing iron, sunlight may induce anoxic conditions that stabilize reactive oxygen species (ROS) and carbon-centered radicals (CCRs). In laboratory experiments, we show mass loss, iron oxidation and radical formation and release from photoactive organic particles containing iron. Our results reveal a range of temperature and relative humidity, including ambient conditions, that control ROS build up and CCR persistence in photochemically active, viscous organic particles. We find that radicals can attain high concentrations, altering aerosol chemistry and exacerbating health hazards of aerosol exposure. Our physicochemical kinetic model confirmed these results, implying that oxygen does not penetrate such particles due to the combined effects of fast reaction and slow diffusion near the particle surface, allowing photochemically-produced radicals to be effectively trapped in an anoxic organic matrix.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21913-x

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