Liu, P., Li, Y., Huang, Q., Chao, X., Zhong, M., Zhang, X., Yin, J., Li, L., Kang, X., Pang, S., Wang, W., Zhang, Y., & Ge, M. (2025). Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 8, 1-11.
Liu, Pai ; Li, YuXin ; Huang, Qishen et al. / Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces. In: npj Climate and Atmospheric Science. 2025 ; Vol. 8. pp. 1-11.
@article{9d0057e2001b4fd3809d8f764cc54356,
title = "Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces",
abstract = "Severe urban air pollution in China is driven by a synergistic conversion of SO2, NOx, and NH3 into fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Field studies indicated NO2 as an important oxidizer to SO2 in polluted atmospheres with low photochemical reactivity, but this rapid reaction cannot be explained by the aqueous reactive nitrogen chemistry in acidic urban aerosols. Here, using an aerosol optical tweezer and Raman spectroscopy, we show that the multiphase SO2 oxidation by NO2 is accelerated for two-order-of-magnitude by a copper catalyst. This reaction occurs on aerosol surfaces, is independent of pH between 3 and 5, and produces sulfate by a rate of up to 10 µg m-3air hr-1 when reactive copper reaches a millimolar concentration in aerosol water – typical of severe haze events in North China Plain. Since copper and NO2 are companion emitters in air pollution, they can act synergistically in converting SO2 into sulfate in China{\textquoteright}s haze.",
author = "Pai Liu and YuXin Li and Qishen Huang and Xinyue Chao and MingRui Zhong and Xiaowu Zhang and Jiayi Yin and Linfang Li and Xiyuan Kang and Shufeng Pang and Weigang Wang and Yunhong Zhang and Maofa Ge",
year = "2025",
month = feb,
day = "18",
language = "English",
volume = "8",
pages = "1--11",
journal = "npj Climate and Atmospheric Science",
issn = "2397-3722",
publisher = "Springer Nature",
}
Liu, P, Li, Y, Huang, Q, Chao, X, Zhong, M, Zhang, X, Yin, J, Li, L, Kang, X, Pang, S, Wang, W, Zhang, Y & Ge, M 2025, 'Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces', npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, vol. 8, pp. 1-11.
Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces. /
Liu, Pai; Li, YuXin; Huang, Qishen et al.
In:
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, Vol. 8, 18.02.2025, p. 1-11.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces
AU - Liu, Pai
AU - Li, YuXin
AU - Huang, Qishen
AU - Chao, Xinyue
AU - Zhong, MingRui
AU - Zhang, Xiaowu
AU - Yin, Jiayi
AU - Li, Linfang
AU - Kang, Xiyuan
AU - Pang, Shufeng
AU - Wang, Weigang
AU - Zhang, Yunhong
AU - Ge, Maofa
PY - 2025/2/18
Y1 - 2025/2/18
N2 - Severe urban air pollution in China is driven by a synergistic conversion of SO2, NOx, and NH3 into fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Field studies indicated NO2 as an important oxidizer to SO2 in polluted atmospheres with low photochemical reactivity, but this rapid reaction cannot be explained by the aqueous reactive nitrogen chemistry in acidic urban aerosols. Here, using an aerosol optical tweezer and Raman spectroscopy, we show that the multiphase SO2 oxidation by NO2 is accelerated for two-order-of-magnitude by a copper catalyst. This reaction occurs on aerosol surfaces, is independent of pH between 3 and 5, and produces sulfate by a rate of up to 10 µg m-3air hr-1 when reactive copper reaches a millimolar concentration in aerosol water – typical of severe haze events in North China Plain. Since copper and NO2 are companion emitters in air pollution, they can act synergistically in converting SO2 into sulfate in China’s haze.
AB - Severe urban air pollution in China is driven by a synergistic conversion of SO2, NOx, and NH3 into fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Field studies indicated NO2 as an important oxidizer to SO2 in polluted atmospheres with low photochemical reactivity, but this rapid reaction cannot be explained by the aqueous reactive nitrogen chemistry in acidic urban aerosols. Here, using an aerosol optical tweezer and Raman spectroscopy, we show that the multiphase SO2 oxidation by NO2 is accelerated for two-order-of-magnitude by a copper catalyst. This reaction occurs on aerosol surfaces, is independent of pH between 3 and 5, and produces sulfate by a rate of up to 10 µg m-3air hr-1 when reactive copper reaches a millimolar concentration in aerosol water – typical of severe haze events in North China Plain. Since copper and NO2 are companion emitters in air pollution, they can act synergistically in converting SO2 into sulfate in China’s haze.
M3 - Article
SN - 2397-3722
VL - 8
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
JF - npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
ER -
Liu P, Li Y, Huang Q, Chao X, Zhong M, Zhang X et al. Sulfate formation through copper-catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 at aerosol surfaces. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science. 2025 Feb 18;8:1-11.
