Formation of In‐Cloud Aqueous‐Phase Secondary Organic Matter and Related Characteristic Molecules

Abstract

AbstractThe formation process of in‐cloud aqueous‐phase secondary organic matter (aqSOM) and its characteristics are unclear. Herein, water‐soluble inorganic ions, oxalate, and water‐soluble organic carbon (WSOC) were determined in cloud water and aerosol (PM2.5) samples simultaneously collected at a remote mountain site in southern China during spring 2018 and winter 2020. The molecular compositions of water‐soluble organic matter (WSOM) in cloud water and aerosols were analyzed by a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer in negative electrospray ionization (ESI‐) mode. The results showed that the mean concentration of WSOC was 6.27–8.54 mg C L−1 in cloud water and 0.60–1.37 μg C m−3 in aerosols. The strong correlation observed between WSOM and aqueous secondary matter (e.g., NO3− and oxalate), the positive matrix factorization results, and the elevated WSOM/K+ ratios observed in cloud water suggested enhanced aqSOM formation in cloud water. According to random forest analysis, the factors related to in‐cloud WSOM variation mainly included secondary ions, K+, cloud water pH, and atmospheric NOx. Additionally, 37 characteristic in‐cloud aqSOM molecules, classified as ‐Ox, ‐NOx, ‐N2Ox, and ‐N1‐2OxS, mainly consisting of dicarboxylic acids, nitrophenols, and dinitrophenols, were identified using linear discriminant analysis effect size (LefSe). The characteristic N‐ and S‐containing molecules in in‐cloud aqSOM with carbon numbers >10 had low or extremely low volatility; therefore, they might contribute to secondary organic aerosol formation after droplet evaporation. The results revealed the modifying effects of in‐cloud processes on aerosol organic composition at the molecular level and could improve our understanding of aerosol–cloud interactions.