Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yunliang Zhao, Daniel S. Tkacik, Andrew A. May, Neil M. Donahue, Allen L. Robinson
Summary: By analyzing ambient and emissions data, it has been found that mobile sources make a significant contribution to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in the Los Angeles region from 2009 to 2019. Despite the improvements in air quality, the reduction in organic aerosol (OA) concentrations has not been as significant as primary pollutants. It is suggested that reducing emissions from mobile sources will lead to further improvements in atmospheric SOA and PM2.5 mass in the Los Angeles region.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matic Ivancic, Asta Gregoric, Gasper Lavric, Balint Alfoldy, Irena Jezek, Sina Hasheminassab, Payam Pakbin, Faraz Ahangar, Mohammad Sowlat, Steven Boddeker, Martin Rigler
Summary: In this study, a method for apportioning carbonaceous aerosols (CA) based on high-time-resolution measurements is presented. Two years of CA measurements in California's Los Angeles Basin are analyzed. The study finds that secondary organic aerosols (SOA) contribute more than 50% of CA, with remarkable peaks observed in summer afternoons. Primary emitted CA, consisting of black carbon (BC) and primary organic aerosol (POA), dominate during morning rush hours on winter working days. The study also highlights the different contributions of brown carbon (BrC) to optical absorption at different wavelengths, with the highest contribution observed during wildfire periods.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shan Gu, Alex Guenther, Celia Faiola
Summary: The study highlights the significant impact of future urban greening programs that increase biogenic VOC emissions on urban air quality, offsetting the benefits of reducing anthropogenic VOC emissions. Therefore, urban greening projects need to consider both anthropogenic and biogenic VOC contributions to secondary pollution, and should choose vegetation types with low VOC emissions to prevent further degradation of urban air quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ramin Tohidi, Abdulmalik Altuwayjiri, Milad Pirhadi, Constantinos Sioutas
Summary: The study used the PMF model to identify sources of carbonaceous PM2.5 species and found significant correlations with various criteria gaseous pollutants in different years.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Economics
Emily Lewis, Jesse Ponnock, Qamar Cherqaoui, Scott Holmdahl, Yus Johnson, Alfred Wong, H. Oliver Gao
Summary: The study aims to define a holistic and effective architectural approach for implementing a safe and profitable pilot UAM airport shuttling system. It includes developing a system model, performing tradespace analyses to evaluate the most desirable architecture outcomes. The recommendation is to pilot in Los Angeles and leverage a FIFO queuing system, smartphone interface, and hybrid energy source.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART A-POLICY AND PRACTICE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pradhi Rajeev, Vikram Choudhary, Abhishek Chakraborty, Gyanesh Kumar Singh, Tarun Gupta
Summary: This study collected PM2.5 samples from two polluted urban sites in the central Indo-Gangetic Plain to investigate the sources, atmospheric transformations, and light-absorbing properties of water-soluble organic aerosols (WSOA). The results showed higher concentrations of WSOC and WSOA in Kanpur compared to Allahabad, indicating a higher abundance of oxidized WSOA in Kanpur. Kanpur also exhibited higher absorption properties and absorption forcing efficiency of WSOA. The study suggested the influence of low-volatile organic compounds in enhancing the light absorption capacity of WSOA in Kanpur.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohammad Mahdi Badami, Ramin Tohidi, Vahid Jalali Farahani, Constantinos Sioutas
Summary: This study investigated the water solubility and sources of metals and trace elements in fine and coarse particulate matter in Central Los Angeles. The results showed higher water solubility of metals in the fine fraction, with seasonal variations observed. Tire and brake wear were identified as the most significant contributors to total metals, followed by combustion sources. Mineral dust and re-suspended dust were found to be the highest contributors to coarse metals. Non-tailpipe emissions were found to significantly contribute to both coarse and fine PM metals in the region.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shijie Liu, Yiqian Wang, Gehui Wang, Si Zhang, Dapeng Li, Lin Du, Can Wu, Wei Du, Shuangshuang Ge
Summary: This study investigated the yield and light absorption of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) from toluene photooxidation under different nitrogen oxides (NO2) levels. It found that the SOA yield initially increased and then decreased with increasing NO2 concentration, while light absorption and mass absorption coefficient (MAC) of the toluene-derived SOA continuously increased. The main species associated with the increase in SOA light absorption were nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs), particularly nitro compounds.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shijie Liu, Yiqian Wang, Xinbei Xu, Gehui Wang
Summary: This study provides new insight into the effect of NO2 on SOA formation through the change in o-xylene photooxidation under different RH conditions, and the complex effect of multiple environmental factors on SOA formation was also important and should not be ignored.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Fabian Mahrt, Elli Newman, Yuanzhou Huang, Markus Ammann, Allan K. Bertram
Summary: The research found that internal mixtures of POA and SOA in the atmosphere almost always formed two phases when the O/C ratio of the POA was less than 0.11. When the O/C ratio of the POA was between 0.11 and 0.29, the mixtures mostly resulted in particles with one liquid phase. However, depending on the types of SOA and POA surrogates, two liquid phases were also observed in some cases, and an increase in phase-separated particles was observed when increasing the relative humidity within this O/C range.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yixin Li, Jiayun Zhao, Yuan Wang, John H. Seinfeld, Renyi Zhang
Summary: Photooxidation of toluene can lead to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and light-absorbing brown carbon (BrC) through a complex series of chemical reactions, involving the production of dicarbonyls and carboxylic functional groups as primary precursors. The study shows that volatile dicarbonyls form nonvolatile oligomers and light-absorbing nitrogen heterocycles/heterochains at high humidity, while organic acids contribute to aerosol carboxylates through ionic dissociation or acid-base reactions over a wide range of humidity levels. These findings highlight the important role of toluene in SOA/BrC formation due to the unique functionalities of dicarbonyls and organic acids in aerosol-phase reactions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yan Qin Ren, Jie Wei, Yuan Yuan Ji, Zhen Hai Wu, Fang Bi, Rui Gao, Xue Zhong Wang, Hong Li
Summary: The study shows that primary emission and secondary formation have significant impacts on the organic compositions of fine aerosols in summer Beijing. Coal combustion is an important source of OC during polluted period, while biomass burning is the main contributor during clean period. The study also highlights the importance of atmospheric oxidants and particle acidity in the formation of secondary organic carbon during high pollution periods in Beijing.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Houssni Lamkaddam, Josef Dommen, Ananth Ranjithkumar, Hamish Gordon, Gunther Wehrle, Jordan Krechmer, Francesca Majluf, Daniil Salionov, Julia Schmale, Sasa Bjelic, Kenneth S. Carslaw, Imad El Haddad, Urs Baltensperger
Summary: The study reveals that processing isoprene oxidation products in cloud droplets can produce a significant amount of secondary organic aerosol, which may have a substantial impact on the global aerosol burden.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Long Jia, YongFu Xu, MinZheng Duan
Summary: Aerosol particles have significant effects on local environment and global climate. The mechanism of explosive growth of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) during severe haze events is unclear. Through chamber experiments and kinetic model simulations, this study revealed the microphysical mechanism for explosive organic aerosol formation. The condensation of gas-phase organics and the interaction between aerosol and fog were found to contribute to the explosive growth of SOA. The co-condensation of organic vapors with water should not be overlooked as it can significantly underestimate SOA and liquid water content in 3D models.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhijie Li, Yele Sun, Qingqing Wang, Jinyuan Xin, Jiaxing Sun, Lu Lei, Jie Li, Pingqing Fu, Zifa Wang
Summary: This study integrated aerosol compositions and particle light extinction data to analyze the contributors to visibility degradation in different seasons in Beijing. The results showed that ammonium nitrate was the dominant factor affecting visibility, while secondary organic aerosol played a significant role in autumn and spring. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, an increase in the contributions of ammonium nitrate and secondary organic aerosol to visibility degradation was observed.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Alexa Canchola, Siri Langmo, Ruth Meletz, Michael Lum, Ying-Hsuan Lin
Summary: Despite previous studies indicating the thermal stability of vitamin E acetate (VEA) at low temperatures, VEA readily decomposes into various degradation products at vaping temperatures of <200 degrees C. The presence of molecular oxygen and transition metals such as Cu-Ni greatly enhance VEA degradation, resulting in the formation of numerous degradation products. The results highlight the importance of oxidation pathways in VEA thermal degradation and aid in the prediction of degradation products from e-liquids.
CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zirui Zhang, Wenfei Zhu, Min Hu, Hui Wang, Lizi Tang, Shuya Hu, Ruizhe Shen, Ying Yu, Kai Song, Rui Tan, Zheng Chen, Shiyi Chen, Francesco Canonaco, Andre S. H. Prevot, Song Guo
Summary: Researchers quantified the secondary organic aerosols (SOA) produced by urban-lifestyle sources under real atmospheric conditions through a combination of laboratory simulation and field observation. They found that vehicle emissions were the dominant source of SOA formation during daytime photochemical processes, and the SOA:POA ratio of vehicle emissions was about 1.4 times larger than that of cooking emissions. These findings not only provide a new approach to quantify urban SOA, but also validate laboratory hypotheses and contribute to understanding the ambient contributions, chemical characteristics, and environmental effects of urban-lifestyle SOA.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Roberto Casotto, Alicja Skiba, Martin Rauber, Jan Strahl, Anna Tobler, Deepika Bhattu, Houssni Lamkaddam, Manousos Manousakas, Gary Salazar, Tianqu Cui, Francesco Canonaco, Lucyna Samek, Anna Rys, Imad El Haddad, Anne Kasper-Giebl, Urs Baltensperger, Jaroslaw Necki, Sonke Szidat, Katarzyna Styszko, Jay G. Slowik, Andre S. H. Prevot, Kaspar R. Daellenbach
Summary: Krakow is a pollution hot-spot in Europe, mainly due to the high use of coal combustion. The study found that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from residential heating was the main contributor to winter organic aerosol (OA), composed of both fossil and non-fossil emissions. Additionally, fresh solid fuel combustion from residential heating also contributed to OA during winter. In contrast, spring and summer had more soluble organic carbon, mainly from biogenic sources. These findings provide information for evaluating the success of efforts to improve air quality in Krakow.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Toxicology
C. M. Sabbir Ahmed, Alexa Canchola, Biplab Paul, Md Rubaiat Nurul Alam, Ying-Hsuan Lin
Summary: This study investigated the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in gene expression changes induced by exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP). The findings showed that several lncRNAs associated with respiratory diseases exhibited altered expression in both normal and COPD cells, and potential lncRNAs related to lung cancer were also identified. This highlights the potential importance of lncRNAs in regulating DEP-induced gene expression changes.
INHALATION TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bo Chen, Jessica A. Mirrielees, Yuzhi Chen, Timothy B. Onasch, Zhenfa Zhang, Avram Gold, Jason D. Surratt, Yue Zhang, Sarah D. Brooks
Summary: We measured the Tg of IEPOX-derived SOA components using broadband dielectric spectroscopy and found that the Tg of mixtures depends on their composition. The Kwei equation provides a good fit for the Tg-composition relationship of complex mixtures. We demonstrate that the non-linear deviation of Tg as a function of composition may be caused by changes in the extent of hydrogen bonding in the mixture using Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Suneeti Mishra, Sachchida Nand Tripathi, Vijay P. Kanawade, Sophie L. Haslett, Lubna Dada, Giancarlo Ciarelli, Varun Kumar, Atinderpal Singh, Deepika Bhattu, Neeraj Rastogi, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Dilip Ganguly, Prashant Gargava, Jay G. Slowik, Markku Kulmala, Claudia Mohr, Imad El-Haddad, Andre S. H. Prevot
Summary: Measurements suggest that emissions from biomass burning are responsible for the rapid growth of particles leading to haze formation during the night in Delhi. Uncontrolled biomass burning affects air quality, climate, and human health globally, with Delhi experiencing severe haze events during winter. Despite unfavorable conditions for new-particle formation, particle growth events occur systematically. The condensation of primary organic vapours from biomass burning is the leading cause of particle growth, driven by a sharp decrease in night-time temperatures and rapid increase in biomass-burning emissions. This unique mechanism may affect 5% of the world's population and regional climate. Regulating uncontrolled biomass-combustion emissions can inhibit haze formation and improve human health in India.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Faria Khan, Yuzhi Chen, Hadley J. Hartwell, Jin Yan, Ying-Hsuan Lin, Anastasia Freedman, Zhenfa Zhang, Yue Zhang, Andrew T. Lambe, Barbara J. Turpin, Avram Gold, Andrew P. Ault, Rafal Szmigielski, Rebecca C. Fry, Jason D. Surratt
Summary: This study demonstrates that atmospheric chemical aging of particulate 2-MTSs induces toxic effects in human lung cells, leading to changes in the expression of genes related to oxidative stress and inflammation.
CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hasna Chebaicheb, Joel F. de Brito, Gang Chen, Emmanuel Tison, Caroline Marchand, Andre S. H. Prevot, Olivier Favez, Veronique Riffault
Summary: This study conducted long-term online measurements of submicron particles in northern France using the ACSM instrument. The results showed that the average PM1 concentration at the ATOLL platform was 10.6 μg/m³, with organic aerosols and nitrate being the dominant components. The study also identified wood combustion as a significant source of winter air pollution in the region.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Varun Kumar, Jay G. Slowik, Urs Baltensperger, Andre S. H. Prevot, David M. Bell
Summary: This study examines the composition and evolution of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed by the reactions of aromatic VOCs with OH and NO3 radicals. The results show that the SOA formed by the oxidation of VOCs by OH radicals is dominated by monomers, while the SOA formed by NO3 radicals consists mainly of dimers. The study also highlights the importance of particle-phase reactions in the formation and degradation of SOA. Rating: 8/10
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Clara M. A. Eichler, Naomi Y. Chang, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal, Daniel E. Amparo, Jiaqi Zhou, Jason D. Surratt, Glenn C. Morrison, Barbara J. Turpin
Summary: During the Indoor PFAS Assessment (IPA) Campaign, concentrations of nine neutral PFAS were measured in air and cotton cloth in 11 homes in North Carolina. The study found that fluorotelomer alcohols were the dominant species in indoor air, while perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols accumulated most significantly in cloth. Cloth-air partition coefficients were derived for different PFAS and were positively correlated with the octanol-air partition coefficient. Temperature was found to have the greatest effect on PFAS accumulation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Claudia Christine E. Avila, Michael Schaefer, Alyssa M. Duro, Thomas P. Haensel, Abdi Garniwan, Ying Lin, G. Darrel Jenerette, Peter S. Nico, Eric Dubinsky, Marco Keiluweit, Eoin L. Brodie, Ying-Hsuan Lin, Peter M. Homyak, Samantha C. Ying
Summary: Drying-rewetting cycles are common in natural and managed ecosystems, causing pulses of carbon emissions. This study investigates the impact of different water regimes on carbon respiration in irrigated agricultural soils.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bosen Jin, Yiwen Zhu, Weiyang Zhao, Zekun Liu, Shun Che, Kunpeng Chen, Ying-Hsuan Lin, Jinyong Liu, Yujie Men
Summary: This study investigated the structure-biodegradability relationship for different ether PFAS in activated sludge communities. Only polyfluorinated ethers with specific molecular structures underwent biotransformation, leading to the formation of unstable fluoroalcohol intermediates subject to spontaneous defluorination. The findings suggest that aerobic biotransformation/defluorination can complement advanced reduction processes for cost-effective treatment of PFAS.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Samira Atabakhsh, Laurent Poulain, Gang Chen, Francesco Canonaco, Andre S. H. Prevot, Mira Poehlker, Alfred Wiedensohler, Hartmut Herrmann
Summary: This study investigated the chemical composition and sources of organic aerosol (OA) in submicron particles measured in Melpitz from September 2016 to August 2017. The dominant sources were anthropogenic, including hydrocarbon-like OA, biomass burning OA, and coal combustion OA, as well as secondary OA. Seasonal air mass cluster analysis showed that coal combustion had a critical impact on rural-background aerosols and air quality during both winter and summer.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marc Webb, Liyong Cui, Glenn Morrison, Karsten Baumann, Jason D. Surratt, Zhenfa Zhang, Joanna Atkin, Barbara J. Turpin
Summary: Humidity affects the removal and concentrations of indoor pollutants, especially in humid homes. Research on a model organic peroxide showed that the relative humidity has a greater effect on the removal rate and reaction probability on soiled surfaces compared to clean surfaces. These findings are important for predicting indoor concentrations of organic peroxides.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kunpeng Chen, Raphael Mayorga, Caitlin Hamilton, Roya Bahreini, Haofei Zhang, Ying-Hsuan Lin
Summary: Carbonyl chromophores derived from nighttime oxidation of furan and pyrrole derivatives significantly contribute to light absorption in secondary BrC. The quantified N-containing carbonyl chromophores contribute to over 40% of total light absorption at specific wavelengths, highlighting their divergent importance in different spectral regions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
