A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation

Abstract Inorganic nitrate production is critical in atmospheric chemistry that reflects the oxidation capacity and the acidity of the atmosphere. Here we use the oxygen anomaly of nitrate (Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − )) in high-time-resolved (3 h) aerosols to explore the chemical mechanisms of...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan-Lin Zhang, Wenqi Zhang, Mei-Yi Fan, Jianghanyang Li, Huan Fang, Fang Cao, Yu-Chi Lin, Benjamin Paul Wilkins, Xiaoyan Liu, Mengying Bao, Yihang Hong, Greg Michalski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-06-01
Series:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00273-3
_version_ 1811334293041971200
author Yan-Lin Zhang
Wenqi Zhang
Mei-Yi Fan
Jianghanyang Li
Huan Fang
Fang Cao
Yu-Chi Lin
Benjamin Paul Wilkins
Xiaoyan Liu
Mengying Bao
Yihang Hong
Greg Michalski
author_facet Yan-Lin Zhang
Wenqi Zhang
Mei-Yi Fan
Jianghanyang Li
Huan Fang
Fang Cao
Yu-Chi Lin
Benjamin Paul Wilkins
Xiaoyan Liu
Mengying Bao
Yihang Hong
Greg Michalski
author_sort Yan-Lin Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Inorganic nitrate production is critical in atmospheric chemistry that reflects the oxidation capacity and the acidity of the atmosphere. Here we use the oxygen anomaly of nitrate (Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − )) in high-time-resolved (3 h) aerosols to explore the chemical mechanisms of nitrate evolution in fine particles during the winter in Nanjing, a megacity of China. The continuous Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) observation suggested the dominance of nocturnal chemistry (NO3 + HC/H2O and N2O5 + H2O/Cl−) in nitrate formation in the wintertime. Significant diurnal variations of nitrate formation pathways were found. The contribution of nocturnal chemistry increased at night and peaked (72%) at midnight. Particularly, nocturnal pathways became more important for the formation of nitrate in the process of air pollution aggravation. In contrast, the contribution of daytime chemistry (NO2 + OH/H2O) increased with the sunrise and showed a highest fraction (48%) around noon. The hydrolysis of N2O5 on particle surfaces played an important role in the daytime nitrate production on haze days. In addition, the reaction of NO2 with OH radicals was found to dominate the nitrate production after nitrate chemistry was reset by the precipitation events. These results suggest the importance of high-time-resolved observations of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) for exploring dynamic variations in reactive nitrogen chemistry.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T17:05:39Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f3ec4a9549864595b0e09e21eb014de6
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2397-3722
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T17:05:39Z
publishDate 2022-06-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
spelling doaj.art-f3ec4a9549864595b0e09e21eb014de62022-12-22T02:38:29ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222022-06-015111010.1038/s41612-022-00273-3A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formationYan-Lin Zhang0Wenqi Zhang1Mei-Yi Fan2Jianghanyang Li3Huan Fang4Fang Cao5Yu-Chi Lin6Benjamin Paul Wilkins7Xiaoyan Liu8Mengying Bao9Yihang Hong10Greg Michalski11Atmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyDepartment of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Purdue UniversityDepartment of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Purdue UniversityAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyDepartment of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Purdue UniversityAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyAtmospheric Environment Center, International Joint Laboratory on Climate and Environment Change (ILCEC), Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyDepartment of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Purdue UniversityAbstract Inorganic nitrate production is critical in atmospheric chemistry that reflects the oxidation capacity and the acidity of the atmosphere. Here we use the oxygen anomaly of nitrate (Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − )) in high-time-resolved (3 h) aerosols to explore the chemical mechanisms of nitrate evolution in fine particles during the winter in Nanjing, a megacity of China. The continuous Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) observation suggested the dominance of nocturnal chemistry (NO3 + HC/H2O and N2O5 + H2O/Cl−) in nitrate formation in the wintertime. Significant diurnal variations of nitrate formation pathways were found. The contribution of nocturnal chemistry increased at night and peaked (72%) at midnight. Particularly, nocturnal pathways became more important for the formation of nitrate in the process of air pollution aggravation. In contrast, the contribution of daytime chemistry (NO2 + OH/H2O) increased with the sunrise and showed a highest fraction (48%) around noon. The hydrolysis of N2O5 on particle surfaces played an important role in the daytime nitrate production on haze days. In addition, the reaction of NO2 with OH radicals was found to dominate the nitrate production after nitrate chemistry was reset by the precipitation events. These results suggest the importance of high-time-resolved observations of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) for exploring dynamic variations in reactive nitrogen chemistry.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00273-3
spellingShingle Yan-Lin Zhang
Wenqi Zhang
Mei-Yi Fan
Jianghanyang Li
Huan Fang
Fang Cao
Yu-Chi Lin
Benjamin Paul Wilkins
Xiaoyan Liu
Mengying Bao
Yihang Hong
Greg Michalski
A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
title A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
title_full A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
title_fullStr A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
title_full_unstemmed A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
title_short A diurnal story of Δ17O( $$\rm{NO}_{3}^{-}$$ NO 3 − ) in urban Nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
title_sort diurnal story of δ17o rm no 3 no 3 in urban nanjing and its implication for nitrate aerosol formation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00273-3
work_keys_str_mv AT yanlinzhang adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT wenqizhang adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT meiyifan adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT jianghanyangli adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT huanfang adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT fangcao adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT yuchilin adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT benjaminpaulwilkins adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT xiaoyanliu adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT mengyingbao adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT yihanghong adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT gregmichalski adiurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT yanlinzhang diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT wenqizhang diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT meiyifan diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT jianghanyangli diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT huanfang diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT fangcao diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT yuchilin diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT benjaminpaulwilkins diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT xiaoyanliu diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT mengyingbao diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT yihanghong diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation
AT gregmichalski diurnalstoryofd17ormno3no3inurbannanjinganditsimplicationfornitrateaerosolformation