An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter
Abstract Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), as a major component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), significantly impacts air quality, climate, and human health. Although the aqueous chemistry of oxygenated organic compounds (OOCs) is acknowledged as an important contributor to the global SOA budget,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01138-1 |
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| author | Yuemeng Ji Jiaxin Wang Yongpeng Ji Yanpeng Gao Weina Zhang Jiangyao Chen Guiying Li Taicheng An |
| author_facet | Yuemeng Ji Jiaxin Wang Yongpeng Ji Yanpeng Gao Weina Zhang Jiangyao Chen Guiying Li Taicheng An |
| author_sort | Yuemeng Ji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), as a major component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), significantly impacts air quality, climate, and human health. Although the aqueous chemistry of oxygenated organic compounds (OOCs) is acknowledged as an important contributor to the global SOA budget, the mechanisms by which this process yields SOA-forming oligomers remain unclear. Therefore, we clarify the aqueous-phase reactions of monocarbonyl OOCs (MOOCs, e.g., octanal and 2,4-hexadienal) in sulfuric acid aerosols using quantum chemistry and kinetic calculations. We identified all intermediates and products for established reaction pathways and explored a newly alcohol-governed mechanism for MOOC oligomerization, independent of prior atmospheric knowledge. Oligomers are yielded by the repetition of simple organic reactions, including protonation/deprotonation, hydration/dehydration, and nucleophilic addition, leading to rapid SOA formation. Our results unveil that an alcohol-governed aqueous-phase reaction mechanism of MOOC is likely prevalent across other OOCs in the atmosphere and helps to explain the explosive growth of PM2.5. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-070df9cf005d440cb0a5caab0eb7da1c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2397-3722 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-070df9cf005d440cb0a5caab0eb7da1c2025-08-20T03:37:23ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-07-01811910.1038/s41612-025-01138-1An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matterYuemeng Ji0Jiaxin Wang1Yongpeng Ji2Yanpeng Gao3Weina Zhang4Jiangyao Chen5Guiying Li6Taicheng An7Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of TechnologyAbstract Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), as a major component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), significantly impacts air quality, climate, and human health. Although the aqueous chemistry of oxygenated organic compounds (OOCs) is acknowledged as an important contributor to the global SOA budget, the mechanisms by which this process yields SOA-forming oligomers remain unclear. Therefore, we clarify the aqueous-phase reactions of monocarbonyl OOCs (MOOCs, e.g., octanal and 2,4-hexadienal) in sulfuric acid aerosols using quantum chemistry and kinetic calculations. We identified all intermediates and products for established reaction pathways and explored a newly alcohol-governed mechanism for MOOC oligomerization, independent of prior atmospheric knowledge. Oligomers are yielded by the repetition of simple organic reactions, including protonation/deprotonation, hydration/dehydration, and nucleophilic addition, leading to rapid SOA formation. Our results unveil that an alcohol-governed aqueous-phase reaction mechanism of MOOC is likely prevalent across other OOCs in the atmosphere and helps to explain the explosive growth of PM2.5.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01138-1 |
| spellingShingle | Yuemeng Ji Jiaxin Wang Yongpeng Ji Yanpeng Gao Weina Zhang Jiangyao Chen Guiying Li Taicheng An An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| title | An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter |
| title_full | An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter |
| title_fullStr | An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter |
| title_full_unstemmed | An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter |
| title_short | An alcohol-governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization: implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter |
| title_sort | alcohol governed mechanism of monocarbonyl oligomerization implications for explosive growth of fine particulate matter |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01138-1 |
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