Asian dust storm observed at a rural mountain site in southern China: chemical evolution and heterogeneous photochemistry

Nie, Wei; Wang, Tao; Xue, Likun; Ding, Aijun; Wang, Xinfeng; Gao, Xiang; Xu, Zheng; Yu, Yanshan; Cheng, Yuan; Zhou, Zhen; Gao, Rui; Liu, X. H.; Wang, Y.; Fan, Saijun; Poon, SW; Zhang, Q. Z.; Wang, W. X.

doi:10.5194/acp-12-11985-2012

Cited by 51 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A number of studies in China reported that dust particles significantly enhanced the formation of sulfate and nitrate when dust plumes advected over urban areas (Li and Shao, 2009;Li et al, 2014;Nie et al, 2012;Qi et al, 2006;Sheng et al, 2003;Wang et al, 2013;Zhao et al, 2011Zhao et al, , 2007, which is very different from the conclusions of this study. We carefully examined the available meteorological records for the dust episodes in those studies.…”

Section: Intercomparisons and Implicationscontrasting

confidence: 89%

“…In many cases, dust was observed in cyclonic disturbances with weak fronts or without fronts (Cao et al, 2003;Nie et al, 2012;Wang et al, 2013). Cold fronts could not be confirmed clearly at places of dust arrival in those studies.…”

Section: Intercomparisons and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…In addition, mineral ions or crustal elements (e.g., the Ca 2+ ion or elemental Al) have frequently been applied as the indicators of mineral dust in studies (Nie et al, 2012;Zhao et al, 2007). Samples with the highest loading of mass or crustal compositions (e.g., Ca 2+ , Al) were frequently regarded as samples of long-distance-transported dust.…”

Section: Intercomparisons and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many studies reported substantial sulfate and nitrate on the surface of Asian dust particles after the particles were transported over long distances in the atmosphere (Cao et al, 2003;Huang et al, 2010;Li and Shao, 2009;Mori, 2003;Nie et al, 2012;Nishikawa et al, 1991;Qi et al, 2006;Ro et al, 2005;Sun et al, 2010Sun et al, , 2004Wu and Okada, 1994;Zhao et al, 2011). In contrast, an early study of Zhang and Iwasaka (1999) found that sulfate and nitrate were rarely formed on Asian dust particles that had been transported over a long distance in inland China after about 2 days.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Limited production of sulfate and nitrate on front-associated dust storm particles moving from desert to distant populated areas in northwestern China

Zhang

Cao

et al. 2017

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Sulfate and nitrate compounds can greatly increase the hygroscopicity of mineral particles in the atmosphere and consequently alter the particles' physical and chemical properties. Their uptake on long-distance-transported Asian dust particles within mainland China has been reported to be substantial in previous studies, but the production was very inefficient in other studies. We compared these two salts in particles collected from a synoptic-scale, mid-latitude, cycloneinduced dust storm plume at the Tengger Desert (38.79 • N, 105.38 • E) and in particles collected in a postfrontal dust plume at an urban site in Xi'an (34.22 • N, 108.87 • E) when a front-associated dust storm from the Tengger Desert arrived there approximately 700 km downwind. The results showed that the sulfate concentration was not considerably different at the two sites, while the nitrate concentration was slightly larger at the urban site than that at the desert site. The estimated nitrate production rate was 4-5 ng µg −1 of mineral dust per day, which was much less than that in polluted urban air. The adiabatic process of the dust-loading air was suggested to be the reason for the absence of sulfate formation, and the uptake of background HNO 3 was suggested to be the reason for the small nitrate production. According to our investigation of the published literature, the significant sulfate and nitrate in dust-storm-associated samples within the continental atmosphere reported in previous studies cannot be confirmed as actually produced on desert dust particles; the contribution from locally emitted and urban mineral particles or from soil-derived sulfate was likely substantial because the weather conditions in those studies indicated that the collection of the samples was started before dust arrival, or the air from which the samples were collected was a mixture of desert dust and locally emitted mineral particles. These results suggest that the production of nitrate and sulfate on dust particles following cold fronts is likely limited when the particles move from the desert to populated areas within the continent. For an accurate quantification of sulfate and nitrate formed on long-distance-transported desert dust particles at downwind populated areas in eastern China, dust collection efforts are indispensable to minimize any possible influence by locally emitted particles or at least to ensure that the samples are collected after dust arrival.

show abstract

Section: Intercomparisons and Implicationscontrasting

confidence: 89%

Section: Intercomparisons and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Intercomparisons and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Limited production of sulfate and nitrate on front-associated dust storm particles moving from desert to distant populated areas in northwestern China

Zhang

Cao

et al. 2017

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These compounds are very hygroscopic and thus may take up water vapor, forming a liquid phase on the dust surface even under the low-RH conditions of the dust storm period (RH = 22 ± 3.5%, Table 1). The aqueous phase is favorable for the formation of NH 4 NO 3 , which is probably formed via a gas-phase homogeneous reaction of nitric acid with ammonia and a subsequent partitioning into the liquid phase (Nie et al, 2012;Pathak et al, 2011). In addition, NO − 3 can also be produced in the liquid phase via heterogeneous reactions of gaseous HNO 3 , N 2 O 5 and NO x with dust particles (Finlayson-Pitts et al, 2003;Hanisch and Crowley, 2001;Laskin et al, 2005;Usher et al, 2003) Figure 12.…”

Section: Chemical Forms Sources and Productions Of Nitrate And Sulfatementioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of aerosol chemistry in Xi'an, inland China, during the dust storm period of 2013 – Part 1: Sources, chemical forms and formation mechanisms of nitrate and sulfate

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract.A total suspended particulate (TSP) sample was collected hourly in Xi'an, an inland megacity of China near the Loess Plateau, during a dust storm event of 2013 (9 March 18:00−12 March 10:00 LT), along with a sizeresolved aerosol sampling and an online measurement of PM 2.5 . The TSP and size-resolved samples were determined for elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), watersoluble organic carbon (WSOC) and nitrogen (WSON), inorganic ions and elements to investigate chemistry evolution of dust particles. Hourly concentrations of Cl − , NO We propose a mechanism to explain these observations in which aqueous phase of dust particle surface is formed via uptake of water vapor by hygroscopic salts such as Na 2 SO 4 and NaCl, followed by heterogeneous formation of nitrate on the liquid phase and subsequent absorption of ammonia. Our data indicate that 54 ± 20 % and 60 ± 23 % of NH + 4 and NO − 3 during the dust period were secondarily produced via this pathway, with the remaining derived from the Gobi desert and Loess Plateau, while SO 2− 4 in the event almost entirely originated from the desert regions. Such cases are different from those in the East Asian continental outflow region, where during Asia dust storm events SO 2− 4 is secondarily produced and concentrates in sub-micrometer particles as (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and/or NH 4 HSO 4 . To the best of our knowledge, the current work for the first time revealed an infant state of the East Asian dust ageing process in the regions near the source, which is helpful for researchers to understand the panorama of East Asian dust ageing process from the desert area to the downwind region.

show abstract

Mixing state and hygroscopicity of dust and haze particles before leaving Asian continent

Shao

Shi

et al. 2014

JGR Atmospheres

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pollutants during haze and Asian dust storms are transported out of the Asian continent, affecting the regional climate and the hydrological and biogeochemical cycles. Understanding the physicochemical properties of aerosol particles is essential to quantify their impacts. In order to determine physicochemical properties of aerosols before leaving the Asian continent, we carried out a field campaign from 14 April to 2 May 2011 at a background site in the path of Asian dust and haze outflows. We measured concentrations of gaseous pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , NO, O 3 , and CO), black carbon (BC), and particle number in situ and collected airborne particles for microscopic analysis. Pollutant concentrations (BC, 4 μg m À3; CO, 808 ppb; SO 2 , 24 ppb; NO 2 , 37 ppb) were highest during haze periods, except for PM 2.5 mass, which was highest (162 μg m À3) during a dust storm. Seventy-one percent of haze particles were coated with organic films and 32% were internal mixtures of sulfates and refractory particles (e.g., soot, metal/fly ash, and mineral). Seventy-nine percent of haze particles have deliquescence relative humidity at 68-70%. During a dust storm, soot particles were observed among dust particles. Most dust particles were hydrophobic, and no Ca(NO 3 ) 2 was observed in dust particles collected during the dust storms, but up to 32% of dust particles were found to be coated with Ca(NO 3 ) 2 after the main dust storm moved out of the sampling area. These results indicated that both natural and anthropogenic aerosol particles in Asian outflow can undergo significant physicochemical processes before leaving the Asian continent.

show abstract

Asian dust storm observed at a rural mountain site in southern China: chemical evolution and heterogeneous photochemistry

Cited by 51 publications

References 43 publications

Limited production of sulfate and nitrate on front-associated dust storm particles moving from desert to distant populated areas in northwestern China

Limited production of sulfate and nitrate on front-associated dust storm particles moving from desert to distant populated areas in northwestern China

Evolution of aerosol chemistry in Xi'an, inland China, during the dust storm period of 2013 – Part 1: Sources, chemical forms and formation mechanisms of nitrate and sulfate

Mixing state and hygroscopicity of dust and haze particles before leaving Asian continent

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About