Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas

<p>As a key source of hydroxyl (OH) radicals, nitrous acid (HONO) has attracted much attention for its important role in the atmospheric oxidant capacity (AOC) increase. In this study, we made a comparison of the ambient levels, variation patterns, sources, and formation pathway in the warm se...

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Main Authors: J. Li, C. Lian, M. Liu, H. Zhang, Y. Yan, Y. Song, C. Chen, J. Wang, Y. Ren, Y. Guo, W. Wang, Y. Xu, H. Li, J. Gao, M. Ge
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-02-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/2551/2025/acp-25-2551-2025.pdf
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author J. Li
C. Lian
C. Lian
M. Liu
H. Zhang
Y. Yan
Y. Song
C. Chen
J. Wang
H. Zhang
Y. Ren
Y. Guo
W. Wang
Y. Xu
H. Li
J. Gao
M. Ge
author_facet J. Li
C. Lian
C. Lian
M. Liu
H. Zhang
Y. Yan
Y. Song
C. Chen
J. Wang
H. Zhang
Y. Ren
Y. Guo
W. Wang
Y. Xu
H. Li
J. Gao
M. Ge
author_sort J. Li
collection DOAJ
description <p>As a key source of hydroxyl (OH) radicals, nitrous acid (HONO) has attracted much attention for its important role in the atmospheric oxidant capacity (AOC) increase. In this study, we made a comparison of the ambient levels, variation patterns, sources, and formation pathway in the warm season (from June to October in 2021) on the basis of a continuous intensive observation in an urban site of Beijing. The monthly average mixing ratios of HONO were 1.3, 1.3, 1.0, 0.96, and 0.89 <span class="inline-formula">ppb</span>, respectively, showing a larger contribution to OH radicals relative to ozone in the daytime. The emission factor (EF) relative to <span class="inline-formula">NO<sub><i>x</i></sub></span> from the vehicle emissions was estimated to be 0.017, higher than most studies conducted in Beijing. The average nocturnal <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">NO</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">2</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">HONO</mi></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="62pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="612f9684084736b5e9166c390ca162ab"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-25-2551-2025-ie00001.svg" width="62pt" height="14pt" src="acp-25-2551-2025-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> conversion frequency <span class="inline-formula"><i>k</i><sub>HONO</sub></span> was 0.008 <span class="inline-formula">h<sup>−1</sup></span>. In the warm season, the missing source of HONO, <span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i><sub>unknown</sub></span>, around noontime was 0.29–2.7 <span class="inline-formula">ppb h<sup>−1</sup></span>. According to the OH production from HONO, the OH production rate from the missing HONO was also very important to the AOC. This work highlights the importance of HONO for the AOC in the warm season, while encouraging long-term HONO observation to assess the contribution of HONO sources over time compared to the capture of pollution processes.</p>
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spelling doaj-art-0c2c149a9fd94404b7c8aaa24ca82ba92025-08-20T02:45:46ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242025-02-01252551256810.5194/acp-25-2551-2025Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areasJ. Li0C. Lian1C. Lian2M. Liu3H. Zhang4Y. Yan5Y. Song6C. Chen7J. Wang8H. Zhang9Y. Ren10Y. Guo11W. Wang12Y. Xu13H. Li14J. Gao15M. Ge16State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, Chinanow at: Assessment and Research Center for Pollution and Carbon Reduction, Tianfu Yongxing Laboratory, Chengdu 610213, ChinaChina National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China<p>As a key source of hydroxyl (OH) radicals, nitrous acid (HONO) has attracted much attention for its important role in the atmospheric oxidant capacity (AOC) increase. In this study, we made a comparison of the ambient levels, variation patterns, sources, and formation pathway in the warm season (from June to October in 2021) on the basis of a continuous intensive observation in an urban site of Beijing. The monthly average mixing ratios of HONO were 1.3, 1.3, 1.0, 0.96, and 0.89 <span class="inline-formula">ppb</span>, respectively, showing a larger contribution to OH radicals relative to ozone in the daytime. The emission factor (EF) relative to <span class="inline-formula">NO<sub><i>x</i></sub></span> from the vehicle emissions was estimated to be 0.017, higher than most studies conducted in Beijing. The average nocturnal <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">NO</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">2</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">HONO</mi></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="62pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="612f9684084736b5e9166c390ca162ab"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-25-2551-2025-ie00001.svg" width="62pt" height="14pt" src="acp-25-2551-2025-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> conversion frequency <span class="inline-formula"><i>k</i><sub>HONO</sub></span> was 0.008 <span class="inline-formula">h<sup>−1</sup></span>. In the warm season, the missing source of HONO, <span class="inline-formula"><i>P</i><sub>unknown</sub></span>, around noontime was 0.29–2.7 <span class="inline-formula">ppb h<sup>−1</sup></span>. According to the OH production from HONO, the OH production rate from the missing HONO was also very important to the AOC. This work highlights the importance of HONO for the AOC in the warm season, while encouraging long-term HONO observation to assess the contribution of HONO sources over time compared to the capture of pollution processes.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/2551/2025/acp-25-2551-2025.pdf
spellingShingle J. Li
C. Lian
C. Lian
M. Liu
H. Zhang
Y. Yan
Y. Song
C. Chen
J. Wang
H. Zhang
Y. Ren
Y. Guo
W. Wang
Y. Xu
H. Li
J. Gao
M. Ge
Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas
title_full Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas
title_fullStr Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas
title_short Characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in Beijing urban areas
title_sort characterization of nitrous acid and its potential effects on secondary pollution in the warm season in beijing urban areas
url https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/2551/2025/acp-25-2551-2025.pdf
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