Important contribution of N2O5 hydrolysis to the daytime nitrate in Xi'an, China during haze periods: Isotopic analysis and WRF-Chem model simulation. (1st November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Can; Liu, Lang; Wang, Gehui; Zhang, Si; Li, Guohui; Lv, Shaojun; Li, Jianjun; Wang, Fanglin; Meng, Jingjing; Zeng, Ying
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 288(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11-01
• Subjects: Nitrate -- NO2 andO3 -- Aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) -- PM2.5 -- Ammonia; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117712
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Nitrate, as one of the major components of tropospheric aerosols, plays a crucial role in winter haze formation. While, the formation mechanism of the high production of nitrate in Chinese megacities is still not fully understood. To quantify the contributions of major formation pathways to nitrate, airborne particles in Xi'an, inland China during the winter of 2017 were measured and analyzed for the water-soluble ions and stable nitrogen/oxygen isotope compositions of nitrate in PM2.5, followed by a WRF-Chem model simulation. The oxygen isotopic results indicated that N2 O5 hydrolysis was an important formation pathway for the daytime nitrate in the haze episodes. The model simulation further revealed that N2 O5 hydrolysis contribution increased from 8.2% to 20.5% of the total nitrate over 14:00–16:00 p.m., clearly showing that N2 O5 formation followed by a heterogeneous hydrolysis to nitrate can effectively proceed in daytime under the abundantly co-existing O3, NO2 and NH3 conditions. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Nitrate becomes the main component of PM2.5 than sulfate during the haze events in Xi'an. N2 O5 hydrolysis also plays a critical role in the buildup of daytime nitrate in heavy haze periods. The high values of δ 15 N-NO3 - in Xi'an can be ascribed to NOx from coal combustion emission.