Phase Behavior of Internal Mixtures of Hydrocarbon-like Primary Organic Aerosol and Secondary Aerosol Based on Their Differences in Oxygen-to-Carbon Ratios.

The phase behavior, the number and type of phases, in atmospheric particles containing mixtures of hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is important for predicting their impacts on air pollution, human health, and climate. Using a solvatochromic dye and fluorescence microscopy, we determined the phase behavior of 11 HOA proxies (O/C = 0-0.29) each mixed with 7 different SOA materials generated in environmental chambers (O/C 0.4-1.08), where O/C represents the average oxygen-to-carbon atomic ratio. Out of the 77 different HOA + SOA mixtures studied, we observed two phases in 88% of the cases. The phase behavior was independent of relative humidity over the range between 90% and <5%. A clear trend was observed between the number of phases and the difference between the average O/C ratios of the HOA and SOA components (ΔO/C). Using a threshold ΔO/C of 0.265, we were able to predict the phase behavior of 92% of the HOA + SOA mixtures studied here, with one-phase particles predicted for ΔO/C < 0.265 and two-phase particles predicted for ΔO/C ≥ 0.265. The threshold ΔO/C value provides a relatively simple and computationally inexpensive framework for predicting the number of phases in internal SOA and HOA mixtures in atmospheric models.

[Occurrence Characteristics and Quality Estimation of Microplastics in Drainage Ditches in Hetao Irrigation District of Inner Mongolia].

Microplastic pollution due to land runoff has gained increasing attention as it is closely associated with human beings. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence characteristics of microplastics in drainage channel and main drainage channel in Hetao irrigation district of Inner Mongolia and estimated its quality. Through field sampling, the density separation of suspension method and microscope observation, Fourier infrared spectrum measurement, and proportional flow method, the abundance distribution, shape, color, particle size, and chemical composition of microplastics in the water body and sediment of the drainage channel and main drainage channel in the Hetao irrigation district were identified. The mass of microplastics transported in the main drainage channel was also estimated. The results showed that the value range of microplastic abundance in the water body of the drainage channel and the main drainage channel in Hetao irrigation district was 2880-11200 n ·m-3, and the value range of microplastic abundance in the sediment was 100-292 n ·kg-1. Fiber was the most common microplastic form, occupying 34.98%-70.39% and 42.24%-58.56% in the water and sediment, respectively. The color of microplastics was mainly transparent, which occupied 46.43%-61.51% and 40.41%-57.44% in the water and sediment, respectively. The largest particle size of microplastics was<0.5 mm, accounting for 46.43%-61.51% and 43.27%-54.79% in the water and sediment microplastics, respectively. It was concluded that polyethylene was the most common type (43%), followed by polystyrene (34%) and polypropylene (16%) using Fourier infrared spectroscopy. It was estimated that the main drainage channel in the Hetao irrigation district could transport 116.06 kg of microplastics into Lake Ulansuhai every day, and a serious microplastic pollution effect was generated due to the accumulation of microplastics in Lake Wulangsuhai. This study can provide reference for the pollution of microplastics in Hetao irrigation district of Inner Mongolia.

Resolving the mechanisms of hygroscopic growth and cloud condensation nuclei activity for organic particulate matter.

Hygroscopic growth and cloud condensation nuclei activation are key processes for accurately modeling the climate impacts of organic particulate matter. Nevertheless, the microphysical mechanisms of these processes remain unresolved. Here we report complex thermodynamic behaviors, including humidity-dependent hygroscopicity, diameter-dependent cloud condensation nuclei activity, and liquid-liquid phase separation in the laboratory for biogenically derived secondary organic material representative of similar atmospheric organic particulate matter. These behaviors can be explained by the non-ideal mixing of water with hydrophobic and hydrophilic organic components. The non-ideality-driven liquid-liquid phase separation further enhances water uptake and induces lowered surface tension at high relative humidity, which result in a lower barrier to cloud condensation nuclei activation. By comparison, secondary organic material representing anthropogenic sources does not exhibit complex thermodynamic behavior. The combined results highlight the importance of detailed thermodynamic representations of the hygroscopicity and cloud condensation nuclei activity in models of the Earth's climate system.