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Toxics
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Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection
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Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Pollution and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 4724

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chunlei Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Mass Spectrometry and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Interests: atmospheric organic aerosols; single particles; formation mechanism; ozone formation and simulation; mass spectrometry analysis
Dr. Cheng Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Mass Spectrometry and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Interests: aerosol optical properties; aerosol measurement techniques; visibility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The impact of atmospheric aerosols on climate, air quality, and human health has drawn significant attention in recent years. Understanding the sources, chemical compositions, and detection methods of atmospheric aerosols is crucial for accurately assessing their contributions to air pollution and making effective mitigation strategies. This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research on source apportionment, chemical characterization, and advanced detection techniques related to atmospheric aerosols. This Special Issue invites researchers and experts in the field of atmospheric science to contribute their original research, reviews, and perspectives on the following topics:

  • Source Apportionment: Investigations focusing on identifying and quantifying the major sources of atmospheric aerosols. Contributions may include studies utilizing advanced statistical methods, emission inventories, and modeling techniques to determine the spatial and temporal variations of aerosol sources. Additionally, research on the impacts of source-specific aerosols on climate, air quality, and human health is also welcome;
  • Chemical Characterization: Research that advances our understanding of the chemical composition of aerosols, including both organic and inorganic species. Contributions may include studies employing state-of-the-art analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry, chromatography, and spectroscopy to characterize the molecular and elemental composition of aerosols. Investigations on aerosol aging, transformation, and the formation of secondary aerosols are of particular interest;
  • Advanced Detection Methods: Exploration of innovative approaches and technologies for the real-time detection and monitoring of atmospheric aerosols. Contributions may include studies on the development of advanced sensors, remote sensing techniques, and online monitoring systems for accurate and continuous measurements of aerosol properties. Investigations into the integration of different detection methods to improve spatial coverage and data quality are also encouraged;
  • Aerosol–Climate Interactions: Studies investigating the complex interactions between atmospheric aerosols and climate. Contributions may include research on aerosol–cloud interactions, radiative forcing, aerosol impacts on precipitation patterns, and feedback mechanisms. Investigations exploring the regional and global climate effects of different aerosol types and sources are welcome;
  • Policy Implications and Mitigation Strategies: Discussions on the policy implications of aerosol research and the development of effective mitigation strategies. Contributions may include studies on the assessment of air pollution regulations, evaluation of emission control measures, and the integration of aerosol-related research into environmental and public health policies.

By addressing these multidisciplinary aspects, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers and policymakers to exchange knowledge, share insights, and foster collaborations to address the challenges associated with atmospheric aerosols.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chunlei Cheng
Dr. Cheng Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • atmospheric aerosols
  • chemical characterization
  • source apportionment
  • analytical methods
  • formation mechanism
  • secondary organic aerosols
  • health effect
  • air pollution

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2400 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Airport Sources and Their Effects on Ozone Production
by Mubai Chen, Shiping Li, Long Yun, Yongjiang Xu, Daiwei Chen, Chuxiong Lin, Zhicheng Qiu, Yinong You, Ming Liu, Zhenrong Luo, Liyun Zhang, Chunlei Cheng and Mei Li
Toxics 2024, 12(4), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12040243 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 538
Abstract
In recent years, commercial air transport has increased considerably. However, the compositions and source profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from aircraft are still not clear. In this study, the characteristics of VOCs (including oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs)) emitted from airport sources were [...] Read more.
In recent years, commercial air transport has increased considerably. However, the compositions and source profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from aircraft are still not clear. In this study, the characteristics of VOCs (including oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs)) emitted from airport sources were measured at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. The results showed that the compositions and proportions of VOC species showed significant differences as the aircraft operating state changed. OVOCs were the dominant species and accounted for 63.17%, 58.44%, and 51.60% of the total VOC mass concentration during the taxiing, approach, and take-off stages. Propionaldehyde and acetone were the main OVOCs, and dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane were the main halohydrocarbons. Propane had the highest proportion among all alkanes, while toluene and benzene were the predominant aromatic hydrocarbons. Compared with the source profiles of VOCs from construction machinery, the proportions of halogenated hydrocarbons and alkanes emitted from aircraft were significantly higher, as were those of propionaldehyde and acetone. OVOCs were still the dominant VOC species in aircraft emissions, and their calculated ozone formation potential (OFP) was much higher than that of other VOC species at all stages of aircraft operations. Acetone, propionaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and ethylene were the greatest contributors to ozone production. This study comprehensively measured the distribution characteristics of VOCs, and its results will aid in the construction of a source profile inventory of VOCs emitted from aircraft sources in real atmospheric environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection)
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18 pages, 2427 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Secondary Sulfate Aqueous-Phase Formation Pathways in the Tropical Island City of Haikou: A Chemical Kinetic Perspective
by Chen Wang, Li Luo, Zifu Xu, Shuhan Liu, Yuxiao Li, Yuanzhe Ni and Shuh-Ji Kao
Toxics 2024, 12(2), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12020105 - 26 Jan 2024
Viewed by 858
Abstract
Sulfate (SO42−) is an essential chemical species in atmospheric aerosols and plays an influential role in their physical–chemical characteristics. The mechanisms of secondary SO42− aerosol have been intensively studied in air-polluted cities. However, few studies have focused on [...] Read more.
Sulfate (SO42−) is an essential chemical species in atmospheric aerosols and plays an influential role in their physical–chemical characteristics. The mechanisms of secondary SO42− aerosol have been intensively studied in air-polluted cities. However, few studies have focused on cities with good air quality. One-year PM2.5 samples were collected in the tropical island city of Haikou, and water-soluble inorganic ions, as well as water-soluble Fe and Mn, were analyzed. The results showed that non-sea-salt SO42− (nss-SO42−) was the dominant species of water-soluble inorganic ions, accounting for 40–57% of the total water-soluble inorganic ions in PM2.5 in Haikou. The S(IV)+H2O2 pathway was the main formation pathway for secondary SO42− in wintertime in Haikou, contributing to 57% of secondary SO42− formation. By contrast, 54% of secondary SO42− was produced by the S(IV)+Fe×Mn pathway in summer. In spring and autumn, the S(IV)+H2O2, S(IV)+Fe×Mn, and S(IV)+NO2 pathways contributed equally to secondary SO42− formation. The ionic strength was the controlling parameter for the S(IV)+NO2 pathway, while pH was identified as a key factor that mediates the S(IV)+H2O2 and S(IV)+Fe×Mn pathways to produce secondary SO42−. This study contributes to our understanding of secondary SO42− production under low PM2.5 concentrations but high SO42− percentages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection)
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15 pages, 4974 KiB  
Article
The Variation in Chemical Composition and Source Apportionment of PM2.5 before, during, and after COVID-19 Restrictions in Zhengzhou, China
by Jinting Huang, Aomeng Cai, Weisi Wang, Kuan He, Shuangshuang Zou and Qingxia Ma
Toxics 2024, 12(1), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010081 - 17 Jan 2024
Viewed by 829
Abstract
Despite significant improvements in air quality during and after COVID-19 restrictions, haze continued to occur in Zhengzhou afterwards. This paper compares ionic compositions and sources of PM2.5 before (2019), during (2020), and after (2021) the restrictions to explore the reasons for the [...] Read more.
Despite significant improvements in air quality during and after COVID-19 restrictions, haze continued to occur in Zhengzhou afterwards. This paper compares ionic compositions and sources of PM2.5 before (2019), during (2020), and after (2021) the restrictions to explore the reasons for the haze. The average concentration of PM2.5 decreased by 28.5% in 2020 and 27.9% in 2021, respectively, from 102.49 μg m−3 in 2019. The concentration of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIAs) was 51.87 μg m−3 in 2019, which decreased by 3.1% in 2020 and 12.8% in 2021. In contrast, the contributions of SIAs to PM2.5 increased from 50.61% (2019) to 68.6% (2020) and 61.2% (2021). SIAs contributed significantly to PM2.5 levels in 2020–2021. Despite a 22~62% decline in NOx levels in 2020–2021, the increased O3 caused a similar NO3− concentration (20.69~23.00 μg m−3) in 2020–2021 to that (22.93 μg m−3) in 2019, hindering PM2.5 reduction in Zhengzhou. Six PM2.5 sources, including secondary inorganic aerosols, industrial emissions, coal combustion, biomass burning, soil dust, and traffic emissions, were identified by the positive matrix factorization model in 2019–2021. Compared to 2019, the reduction in PM2.5 from the secondary aerosol source in 2020 and 2021 was small, and the contribution of secondary aerosol to PM2.5 increased by 13.32% in 2020 and 12.94% in 2021. In comparison, the primary emissions, including biomass burning, traffic, and dust, were reduced by 29.71% in 2020 and 27.7% in 2021. The results indicated that the secondary production did not significantly contribute to the PM2.5 decrease during and after the COVID-19 restrictions. Therefore, it is essential to understand the formation of secondary aerosols under high O3 and low precursor gases to mitigate air pollution in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection)
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12 pages, 1954 KiB  
Article
Association of Air Pollution with the Number of Common Respiratory Visits in Children in a Heavily Polluted Central City, China
by Dan Wang, Yanan Wang, Qianqian Liu, Wenxin Sun, Liangkui Wei, Chengxin Ye and Rencheng Zhu
Toxics 2023, 11(10), 815; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11100815 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 906
Abstract
Children’s respiratory health is vulnerable to air pollution. Based on data collected from June 2019 to June 2022 at a children’s hospital in Zhengzhou, China, this study utilized Spearman correlation analysis and a generalized additive model (GAM) to examine the relationship between daily [...] Read more.
Children’s respiratory health is vulnerable to air pollution. Based on data collected from June 2019 to June 2022 at a children’s hospital in Zhengzhou, China, this study utilized Spearman correlation analysis and a generalized additive model (GAM) to examine the relationship between daily visits for common respiratory issues in children and air pollutant concentrations. Results show that the number of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), pneumonia (PNMN), bronchitis (BCT), and bronchiolitis (BCLT) visits in children showed a positive correlation with PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO while exhibiting a negative correlation with temperature and relative humidity. The highest increases in PNMN visits in children were observed at lag 07 for NO2, SO2, and CO. A rise of 10 μg/m3 in NO2, 1 μg/m3 in SO2, and 0.1 mg/m3 in CO corresponded to an increase of 9.7%, 2.91%, and 5.16% in PNMN visits, respectively. The effects of air pollutants on the number of BCT and BCLT visits were more pronounced in boys compared to girls, whereas no significant differences were observed in the number of URTI and PNMN visits based on sex. Overall, air pollutants significantly affect the prevalence of respiratory diseases in children, and it is crucial to improve air quality to protect the children’s respiratory health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection)
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23 pages, 13198 KiB  
Article
Evaluation and Comparison of Multi-Satellite Aerosol Optical Depth Products over East Asia Ocean
by Zhaoxiang Cao, Kuifeng Luan, Peng Zhou, Wei Shen, Zhenhua Wang, Weidong Zhu, Zhenge Qiu and Jie Wang
Toxics 2023, 11(10), 813; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11100813 - 26 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1168
Abstract
The atmosphere over the ocean is an important research field that involves multiple aspects such as climate change, atmospheric pollution, weather forecasting, and marine ecosystems. It is of great significance for global sustainable development. Satellites provide a wide range of measurements of marine [...] Read more.
The atmosphere over the ocean is an important research field that involves multiple aspects such as climate change, atmospheric pollution, weather forecasting, and marine ecosystems. It is of great significance for global sustainable development. Satellites provide a wide range of measurements of marine aerosol optical properties and are very important to the study of aerosol characteristics over the ocean. In this study, aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from seventeen AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) stations were used as benchmark data to comprehensively evaluate the data accuracy of six aerosol optical thickness products from 2013 to 2020, including MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer), VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), MISR (Multi-Angle Imaging Spectrometer), OMAERO (OMI/Aura Multi-wavelength algorithm), OMAERUV (OMI/Aura Near UV algorithm), and CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation) in the East Asian Ocean. In the East Asia Sea, VIIRS AOD products generally have a higher correlation coefficient (R), expected error within ratio (EE within), lower root mean square error (RMSE), and median bias (MB) than MODIS AOD products. The retrieval accuracy of AOD data from VIIRS is the highest in spring. MISR showed a higher EE than other products in the East Asian Ocean but also exhibited systematic underestimation. In most cases, the OMAERUV AOD product data are of better quality than OMAERO, and OMAERO overestimates AOD throughout the year. The CALIPSO AOD product showed an apparent underestimation of the AOD in different seasons (EE Below = 58.98%), but when the AOD range is small (0 < AOD < 0.1), the CALIPSO data accuracy is higher compared with other satellite products under small AOD range. In the South China Sea, VIIRS has higher data accuracy than MISR, while in the Bohai-Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan, and the western Pacific Ocean, MISR has the best data accuracy. MODIS and VIIRS show similar trends in R, EE within, MB, and RMSE under the influence of AOD, Angstrom exponent (AE), and precipitable water. The study on the temporal and spatial distribution of AOD in the East Asian Ocean shows that the annual variation of AOD is different in different sea areas, and the ocean in the coastal area is greatly affected by land-based pollution. In contrast, the AOD values in the offshore areas are lower, and the aerosol type is mainly clean marine type aerosol. These findings can help researchers in the East Asian Ocean choose the most accurate and reliable satellite AOD data product to better study atmospheric aerosols’ impact and trends. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: Source Apportionment, Characterizations, and Detection)
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