A Closure Study of Aerosol Hygroscopic Growth Factor during the 2006 Pearl River Delta Campaign

Measurements of aerosol physical, chemical and optical parameters were carried out in Guangzhou, China from 1 July to 31 July 2006 during the Pearl River Delta Campaign. The dry aerosol scattering coefficient was measured using an integrating nephelometer and the aerosol scattering coefficient for wet conditions was determined by subtracting the sum of the aerosol absorption coefficient, gas scattering coefficient and gas absorption coefficient from the atmospheric extinction coefficient. Following this, the aerosol hygroscopic growth factor, f（RH）, was calculated as the ratio of wet and dry aerosol scattering coefficients. Measurements of size-resolved chemical composition, relative humidity （RH）, and published functional relationships between particle chemical composition and water uptake were likewise used to find the aerosol scattering coe？cients in wet and dry conditions using Mie theory for internally- or externally-mixed particle species [（NH_4）_2SO_4, NH_4NO_3, NaCl, POM, EC and residue]. Closure was obtained by comparing the measured f（RH） values from the nephelometer and other in situ optical instruments with those computed from chemical composition and thermodynamics. Results show that the model can represent the observed f（RH） and is appropriate for use as a component in other higher-order models.

Retrieval of refractive index of ultrafine single particle using hygroscopic growth factor obtained by high sensitive surface plasmon resonance microscopy

When exposed to different relative humidities (RHs),the optical properties of atmospheric aerosols will change because of changes in the aerosol particle size and complex refractive index (RI),which will affect haze formation and global climate change.The potential contributions of ultrafine particles to the atmospheric optical characteristics and to haze spreading cannot be ignored because of their high particle number concentrations and strong diffusibility;measurement of the optical properties of wet ultrafine particles is thus highly important for environmental assessment.Therefore,a surface plasmon resonance microscopy with azimuthal rotation illumination (SPRM-ARI) system is designed to determine the RIs of single particle aerosols with diameters of less than 100 nm in the hygroscopic growth process.Measurements are taken using mixed single particles with different mass ratios.The RIs of mixed single aerosols at different RHs are retrieved by measuring the scattering light intensity using the SPRM-ARI system and almost all the RIs of the bicomponent particles with different mass ratios decrease with increasing water content under high RH conditions.Finally,for each of the bicomponent particles,the maximum standard deviations for the retrieved RI values are only 2.06×10^(-3),3.08×10^(-3)and 3.83×10^(-3),corresponding to the NaCl and NaNO_(3)bicomponent particles with a 3:1 mass ratio at 76.0%RH,the NaCl and glucose particles with a 1:3 mass ratio at 89.0%RH,and the NaCl and OA particles with a 1:1 mass ratio at 78.0%RH,respectively;these results indicate that the high-sensitivity SPRM-ARI system can measure the RI effectively and accurately.

Hygroscopic growth of aerosol scattering coefficient:A comparative analysis between urban and suburban sites at winter in Beijing

A humidity controlled inlet system was developed to measure the hygroscopic growth of aerosol scattering coefficient in conjunction with nephelometry at an urban site of Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences （CAMS） in Beijing and a rural site at Shangdianzi Regional Background Air Pollution Monitoring Station （SDZ） outside Beijing during winter, from December 2005 to January 2006. Measurements were carded out at a wavelength of 525 nm with an Ecotech M9003 nephelometer. The hygroscopic growth function （or factor） of the aerosol scattering coefficientf（RH） increased continuously with increasing relative humidity （RH） and showed no obvious ＂step-like＂ deliquescent behavior at both sites during the experiment. The average growth factorf（RH） at the SDZ site could reach 1.5 when RH increased from less than 40% to 92%, and to 2.1 at the CAMS site when RH increased from less than 40% to 93%. The average hygroscopic growth factor at a relative humidity of 80%, f（RH = 80 ± 1%）, was found to be about 1.26 ±0.15 at CAMS and 1.24 ±0.11 at SDZ. Further analysis indicated that under relatively polluted conditions, the average hygroscopic growth factor was higher at the CAMS site than that at the SDZ site. However, under relatively clean air conditions, the difference between the two sites was small, showing a hygroscopic growth behavior similar to those of burning biomass or blowing dust. These results reflected the different characteristics of aerosol types at the two sites.

Investigating the effect of volatility on the hygroscopicities of acetate nanoparticle aerosols by surface plasmon resonance microscopy

Under high relative humidity(RH)conditions,the release of volatile components(such as acetate)has a significant impact on the aerosol hygroscopicity.In this work,one surface plasmon resonance microscopy(SPRM)measurement system was introduced to determine the hygroscopic growth factors(GFs)of three acetate aerosols separately or mixed with glucose at different RHs.For Ca(CH_(3)COO)_(2) or Mg(CH_(3)COO)_(2) aerosols,the hygroscopic growth trend of each time was lower than that of the previous time in three cyclic humidification from 70% RH to 90% RH,which may be due to the volatility of acetic acid leading to the formation of insoluble hydroxide(Ca(OH)_(2) or Mg(OH)_(2))under high RH conditions.Then the third calculated GF(using the Zdanovskii-Stokes-Robinson method)for Ca(CH_(3)COO)_(2) or Mg(CH_(3)COO)_(2) in bicomponent aerosols with 1:1 mass ratio were 3.20% or 5.33% lower than that of the first calculated GF at 90% RH.The calculated results also showed that the hygroscopicity change of bicomponent aerosol was negatively correlated with glucose content,especially when the mass ratio of Mg(CH_(3)COO)_(2) to glucose was 1:2,the GF at 90% RH only decreased by4.67% after three cyclic humidification.Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrum(ICP-AES)based measurements also indicated that the changes of Mg^(2+)concentration in bicomponent was lower than that of the single-component.The results of this study reveal thatduring the efflorescence transitions of atmospheric nanoparticles,the organic acids diffusion rate may be inhibited by the coating effect of neutral organic components,and the particles aging cycle will be prolonged.

Effect of Varying Aerosol Concentrations and Relative Humidity on Visibility and Particle Size Distribution in Urban Atmosphere

Atmospheric aerosol concentrations have been found to change constantly due to the influence of source,winds and human activities over short time periods.This has proved to be a constraint to the study of varied aerosol concentrations in urban atmosphere alongside changing relative humidity and how it affects visibility and aerosol particle size distribution.In this research simulation was carried out using Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds(OPAC 4.0)average concentration setup for relative humidity(RH)0-99%at visible wavelength 0.4-0.8μm to vary the concentrations of three aerosol components:WASO(Water-soluble),INSO(Insoluble)and SOOT.The Angstrom exponents(α),the curvatures(α2)and atmospheric turbidities(β)were obtained from the regression analysis of Kaufman’s first and second order polynomial equations for visibility.The research determined the mean exponent of the aerosol size growth curve(μ)from the effective hygroscopic growth(geff)and the humidification factors(γ)from visibility enhancement f(RH,λ).The mean exponent of aerosol size distributions(υ)was determined fromμandγ.The results showed that with varied WASO,INSO and SOOT concentrations respectively at different RH,aerosol particle size distributions showed bimodal characteristics with dominance of fine mode particles.Hazy atmospheric conditions prevailed with increasing turbidity.

Evaluation of particle growth systems for sampling and analysis of atmospheric fine particles

Three types of water-based condensational growth systems, which can enable particles to grow in size to facilitate sampling and subsequent chemical analysis, were evaluated. The first one is a mixing type growth system where aerosols are mixed with saturated water vapor, the second one is a thermal diffusive growth system where warm flow enters cold-walled tube, and the third one is a laminar flow type where cold flow enters a warm wet-wall tube. Hygroscopic sodium chloride （NaCl）, ammonium sulfate （（NH4）2SO4） and ammonium nitrate （NH4N03）, and non-hygroscopic polystyrene latex （PSL） particles, in the size range of 50-400 nm, were used to determine their growth factors through the growth systems. Our data showed that the third-type growth system could enable particles to grow most efficiently regardless of their hygroscopic property. Collection efficiency of particles in the size range of 0.05-2.5 μm, in a continuous aerosol sampler after they passed through the third-type growth system was about 100%, suggesting that the third-type growth system would he the most useful among the tested growth systems for sampling and subsequent chemical analysis of fine and ultrafine particles.

Insight into the interaction between water and surfactant aerosol particles based on molecular dynamics simulations

The ubiquitous surfactant significantly influences the hygroscopic growth of atmospheric aerosol par-ticles.However,knowledge on the morphology of surfactant particles after the adsorption of water is insufficient.In this study,the interaction between water and particles composed of surface active malonic acid(MA)or adipic acid(AA)are simulated based on the molecular dynamics method.The key point is the combined effect of temperature and water content on the structural properties of particles and the surface propensity of surfactants at the equilibrium state.Results show that demixed structure 1 with the adsorption of water clusters on acid grain,mixed structure and demixed structure 2 with acids coating on water droplet can be observed.With temperature increasing from 160 K to 330 K the surface propensity of MA and AA increases first and then weakens.Near the standard atmospheric temperature(280-330 K),the surface propensity of MA and AA increases with increasing water content and alkyl group,and its sensitivity to temperature and water content varies regularly.Moreover,all surfactants at the particle surface orient their hydrophobic groups toward the gas.These findings improve our insight into the surfactant partitioning and further assist in more accurate prediction of the particle hygroscopic growth.

A novel method for distinguishing fog and haze based on PM2.5, visibility, and relative humidity

Haze and fog are both low visibility events, but with different physical properties. Haze is caused by the increase of aerosol loading or the hygroscopic growth of aerosol at high relative humidity, whereas visibility degradation in fog is due to the light scattering of fog droplets, which are transited from aerosols via activation. Based on the difference of physical properties between haze and fog, this study presents a novel method to distinguish haze and fog using real time measurements of PM2.5, visibility, and relative humidity. In this method, a criterion can be developed based on the local historical data of particle number size distributions and aerosol hygroscopicity. Low visibility events can be classified into haze and fog according to this criterion.

An intensive study on aerosol optical properties and affecting factors in Nanjing,China

The optical properties of aerosol as well as their impacting factors were investigated at a suburb site in Nanjing during autumn from 14 to 28 November 2012. More severe pollution was found together with lower visibility. The average scattering and absorption coefficients（B sca and B abs） were 375.7 ± 209.5 and 41.6 ± 18.7 Mm^（-1）, respectively. Higher ？ngstr？m absorption and scattering exponents were attributed to the presence of more aged aerosol with smaller particles. Relative humidity（RH） was a key factor affecting aerosol extinction. High RH resulted in the impairment of visibility, with hygroscopic growth being independent of the dry extinction coefficient. The hygroscopic growth factor was 1.8 ± 1.2 with RH from 19% to 85%.Light absorption was enhanced by organic carbon（OC）, elemental carbon（EC） and EC coatings,with contributions of 26%, 44% and 75%（532 nm）, respectively. The B sca and B abs increased with increasing N_（100）（number concentration of PM_（2.5）with diameter above 100 nm）, PM_1 surface concentration and PM_（2.5）mass concentration with good correlation.

Aerosol optical properties under different pollution levels in the Pearl River Delta(PRD) region of China

To clarify the aerosol hygroscopic growth and optical properties of the Pearl River Delta(PRD)region,integrated observations were conducted in Heshan City of Guangdong Province from October 19 to November 17,2014.The concentrations and chemical compositions of PM2.5,aerosol optical properties and meteorological parameters were measured.The mean value of PM2.5 increased from less than 35(excellent)to 35-75μg/m^3(good)and then to greater than 75μg/m^3(pollution),corresponding to mean PM2.5 values of 24.9,51.2,and 93.3μg/m^3,respectively.The aerosol scattering hygroscopic growth factor(f(RH=80%))values were 2.0,2.12,and 2.18 for the excellent,good,and pollution levels,respectively.The atmospheric extinction coefficient(σext)and the absorption coefficient of aerosols(σap)increased,and the single scattering albedo(SSA)decreased from the excellent to the pollution levels.For different air mass sources,under excellent and good levels,the land air mass from northern Heshan had lower f(RH)andσsp values.In addition,the mixed aerosol from the sea and coastal cities had lower f(RH)and showed that the local sources of coastal cities have higher scattering characteristics in pollution periods.