Sulfate formation is dominated by manganese-catalyzed oxidation of SO2 on aerosol surfaces during haze events Article Swipe
YOU?
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· 2021
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22091-6
· OA: W3149974529
The formation mechanism of aerosol sulfate during wintertime haze events in China is still largely unknown. As companions, SO 2 and transition metals are mainly emitted from coal combustion. Here, we argue that the transition metal-catalyzed oxidation of SO 2 on aerosol surfaces could be the dominant sulfate formation pathway and investigate this hypothesis by integrating chamber experiments, numerical simulations and in-field observations. Our analysis shows that the contribution of the manganese-catalyzed oxidation of SO 2 on aerosol surfaces is approximately one to two orders of magnitude larger than previously known routes, and contributes 69.2% ± 5.0% of the particulate sulfur production during haze events. This formation pathway could explain the missing source of sulfate and improve the understanding of atmospheric chemistry and climate change.