Wintertime subarctic new particle formation from Kola Peninsula sulfur emissions

Mikko Sipilä,Tuuli Lehmusjärvi,Erkki Siivola,Markku Kulmala,Petri Keronen,Lisa Beck,Tuija Jokinen,Janne Lampilahti,Katrianne Lehtipalo,Salla Kuittinen,Deniz Kemppainen,Nina Sarnela,Kimmo Neitola,Douglas R Worsnop,Pekka Rantala ,Pasi Aalto ,Ella‐Maria Duplissy ,Veli‐Matti Kerminen ,T V Laitinen ,Tuukka Petäj̈ä

doi:10.5194/acp-21-17559-2021

Abstract

Abstract. The metallurgical industry in the Kola Peninsula, north-west Russia, form, after Norilsk, Siberia, the second largest source of air pollution in the Arctic and subarctic domain. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from the ore smelters are transported to wide areas, including Finnish Lapland. We performed investigations on concentrations of SO2, aerosol precursor vapours, aerosol and ion cluster size distributions together with chemical composition measurements of freshly formed clusters at the SMEAR I station in Finnish Lapland relatively close (∼ 300 km) to the Kola Peninsula industrial sites during the winter 2019–2020. We show that highly concentrated SO2 from smelter emissions is converted to sulfuric acid (H2SO4) in sufficient concentrations to drive new particle formation hundreds of kilometres downwind from the emission sources, even at very low solar radiation intensities. Observed new particle formation is primarily initiated by H2SO4–ammonia (negative-)ion-induced nucleation. Particle growth to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) sizes was concluded to result from sulfuric acid condensation. However, air mass advection had a large role in modifying aerosol size distributions, and other growth mechanisms and condensation of other compounds cannot be fully excluded. Our results demonstrate the dominance of SO2 emissions in controlling wintertime aerosol and CCN concentrations in the subarctic region with a heavily polluting industry.

Highlights

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of the main air pollutants, influencing the acidification of soils and freshwaters, defoliation and reduced vitality of forests, atmospheric aerosol formation, and cloud properties and cause adverse health effects by air pollutants
The present analysis shows that the sulfuric acid–ammonia ion-induced nucleation can trigger new particle formation in the wintertime subarctic and boreal environment with a high level of anthropogenic SO2 pollution but a low UVradiation intensity
New particle formation was observed mostly, but not solely, with easterly winds and in air masses arriving from the direction of Kola Peninsula smelters

Summary

Introduction

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of the main air pollutants, influencing the acidification of soils and freshwaters, defoliation and reduced vitality of forests, atmospheric aerosol formation, and cloud properties and cause adverse health effects by air pollutants. Because of the severe environmental and health effects of SO2, efforts have been made in order to suppress its emissions to the atmosphere. The metallurgical industry with large-scale smelter complexes in the Kola Peninsula, north-west Russia, form the second largest source of air pollution in the Arctic and subarctic region. Smelters emit large quantities of SO2, metals and particulate matter to the atmosphere. These pollutants, especially SO2, have large impacts on both atmosphere and biosphere in the surrounding area, including the eastern parts of Finnish and Norwegian Lapland.

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Conclusion