Atmospheric Oxidation Processes of Organic Nitrogen Compounds
Summary
Organic nitrogen compounds (ONCs) emitted from combustion sources, agricultural activities and biogenic processes undergo a complex array of oxidation reactions in the atmosphere. Gas-phase reactions with hydroxyl radicals, nitrate radicals and ozone initiate the degradation of amines, amides and isocyanates to form peroxy radicals and nitrogen-containing oxidation products. Secondary pathways include heterogeneous uptake into cloud and aerosol water, where hydrolysis and acid–base chemistry can alter partitioning and lead to nitrate and nitramine formation. The rates and branching of these reactions control tropospheric lifetimes, influence secondary organic aerosol formation and determine long-range transport, including injection into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere by deep convection. Recent advances in quantum chemical calculations, chamber experiments and global modelling have improved mechanistic understanding, informing air quality management and assessing health impacts of toxic intermediates.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Atmospheric Oxidation Processes of Organic Nitrogen Compounds publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in atmospheric oxidation processes of organic nitrogen compounds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Organic nitrogen compounds (ONCs): A class of nitrogen-containing molecules such as amines, amides and isocyanates present in the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources.
Hydroxyl radical (OH): A highly reactive species that initiates the gas-phase oxidation of ONCs by abstracting hydrogen atoms or adding to unsaturated bonds.
Peroxy radicals (RO2): Reactive intermediates formed when organic radicals combine with molecular oxygen, leading to subsequent nitrogen-containing oxidation products.
Heterogeneous processes: Reactions or partitioning occurring on particle surfaces or within cloud and aerosol water that can alter ONC fate and secondary aerosol yields.
Tropospheric lifetime: The average time an ONC remains in the lower atmosphere before removal by chemical reaction, deposition or wet scavenging.
References
- Atmospheric chemical loss processes of isocyanic acid (HNCO): a combined theoretical kinetic and global modelling study. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2020).
- Atmospheric Chemistry of N‑Methylmethanimine (CH3NCH2): A Theoretical and Experimental Study. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A (2022).
- Atmospheric oxidation mechanism and kinetics of indole initiated by ⚫OH and ⚫Cl: a computational study. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2022).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.