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

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 Guo, Shaojie Song, Yiming Qin, Pengfei Liu, Jay R. Turner, Hyun Chul Lee, Sungwoo Hwang, Hong Liao, Scot T. Martin, Qi Zhang, Mindong Chen, Yele Sun, Xinlei Ge () and Daniel J. Jacob ()
Additional contact information
Junfeng Wang: Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology
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
Jianlin Hu: Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology
Dantong Liu: Zhejiang University
Dongyang Nie: Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology
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

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16683-x

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