The Isotopic Characteristics, Sources, and Formation Pathways of Atmospheric Sulfate and Nitrate in the South China Sea

Yongyun Zhang, Min Gao, Xi Sun, Baoling Liang, Cuizhi Sun, Qibin Sun, Xue Ni, Hengjia Ou, Shixin Mai, Shengzhen Zhou () and Jun Zhao
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Yongyun Zhang: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Min Gao: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Xi Sun: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Baoling Liang: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Cuizhi Sun: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Qibin Sun: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Xue Ni: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Hengjia Ou: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Shixin Mai: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Shengzhen Zhou: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Jun Zhao: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-18

Abstract: The South China Sea (SCS) is a crucial region for studying atmospheric aerosols, given its unique geographical location and the interaction of various natural and anthropogenic sources. In this study, we measured the isotopic characteristics of sulfate and nitrate in PM 2.5 and utilized a Bayesian isotope mixing model (SIAR) to analyze their sources and formation pathways. Sulfur isotopic values in sulfate (δ 34 S-SO 4 2− ) were 8.7 ± 1.8‰, while nitrogen and oxygen isotopic values in nitrate (δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − ) were −0.9 ± 2.4‰ and 52.3 ± 7.3‰, respectively. The results revealed that sulfate was primarily influenced by marine biogenic sulfur emissions (mostly dimethyl sulfide, DMS), fossil fuel combustion, and biomass burning. Nitrate formation was dominated by the NO 2 + •OH pathway (accounting for 69.8–85.7%), with significant contributions from vehicle emissions, biomass burning, and lightning. These findings offer key insights into the complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic aerosol sources in the SCS, contributing to a broader understanding of marine aerosol chemistry.

Keywords: PM 2.5; nitrate isotopes; sulfate isotopes; source apportionment; formation pathways; South China Sea (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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