Chemical Processing in Atmospheric Water Systems
Summary
Chemical processing in atmospheric water systems encompasses the multiphase reactions occurring in cloud droplets, fog, rain and aerosol water. These aqueous environments serve as microreactors where gas-phase species dissolve and undergo acid–base transformations, photochemical oxidations and radical-driven reactions. Key oxidants such as hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide and nitrate radicals drive oxidation of dissolved organics and inorganics, leading to secondary organic aerosol formation and modification of aerosol hygroscopicity. Uptake of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides produces sulphate and nitrate ions, while organic acids and organosulphates arising from biogenic and anthropogenic precursors accumulate over time. The balance of ionic species controls droplet pH and influences metal-catalysed redox processes. Variations in droplet size, liquid water content and supersaturation shape reaction rates and partitioning between aqueous and particulate phases. Together, these processes govern cloud acidity, influence precipitation chemistry, affect aerosol optical properties and modulate removal of pollutants from the atmosphere, with implications for air quality, ecosystem health and climate forcing.
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Chemical Processing in Atmospheric Water Systems publication trend
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Technical terms
Aqueous phase oxidation: Oxidation of dissolved species in droplet water by radicals or oxidants, leading to secondary products.
Scavenging efficiency: Fraction of aerosol or gas-phase species removed by incorporation into cloud or fog droplets.
Cloud condensation nucleus (CCN): Aerosol particle that activates at a given supersaturation to form a cloud droplet.
Secondary organic aerosol (SOA): Organic particulate matter formed through oxidation of volatile precursors in gas or aqueous phases.
Supersaturation: Relative humidity above 100% required for droplet activation and growth in clouds and fog.
References
- Long-term monitoring of cloud water chemistry at Whiteface Mountain: the emergence of a new chemical regime. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2023).
- Short Sampling Periods: A New Setup to Evaluate the Change in the Chemical Composition of Fog at High Time Resolution. Tellus B (2023).
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