A heterogeneous dust chemistry module was developed and coupled toward the near-explicit mechanism MCM. Model simulations were performed for different dust concentrations (low, high, and very high dust), and the most significant changes were modeled in HNO 3 , by 99% for very high dust, forming surface nitrates. Surface photolysis of nitrates resulted in an increase in HONO. Chemical rate analyses revealed that the direct uptake on dust played only a minor role for most species, except N 2 O 5 , HNO 3 , H 2 O 2 , and SO 2 . Average SO 2 oxidation rates of 3 μg m −3 h −1 and 0.3 μg m −3 h −1 were modeled for dust loads of 196 μg m −3 and 19.6 μg m −3 , which are higher than the reported aqueous-phase oxidation rates. Sensitivity simulations considering the uptake of only one compound revealed that the N 2 O 5 and HNO 3 uptake had the strongest effects. The uptake of only HNO 3 with surface photolysis resulted in major increases in NO x , OH, and HONO by 20%, 36%, and 5110%, respectively. Further sensitivity simulations with higher uptake coefficients showed that the uptake of O 3 could act as an indirect source of HONO because of higher NO x and OH concentrations. The minimum required uptake coefficient for direct effects to occur (γ min ) was also determined for the main inorganic species and had values of 10 −6 for O 3 and SO 2 and 10 −4 for NO 2 , thus suggesting that direct uptake of NO 2 on dust is an unimportant sink under urban conditions. Overall, this study shows the importance of photoenhanced uptake and uptake coefficient values in heterogeneous chemistry.