Ozone Reduction Research Articles

Impact of the Indian Ocean Dipole Mode on Planetary Boundary Layer Ozone in China

AbstractThe Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) mode exerts distinct impacts on the climate in China and can further affect tropospheric ozone. Using long‐term GEOS‐Chem simulations, we found distinct changes in planetary boundary layer ozone throughout China during positive and negative phases of IOD. In summer, ozone shows synchronized increases except in southern China during positive IOD; the ozone increases are dominated by chemical production and transport in northern and western China, respectively. The increased precursor from biogenic emissions contributed to ozone chemical formation in the northern region, and the increased precipitation and decreased solar radiation hindered ozone production in southern China. Ozone changes show good symmetry over most regions during negative IOD. In autumn, the ozone reduction in southern China shares the same reason as summer, while the chemical increase over northern China is affected more by changes in solar radiation and relative humidity than in the precursor emission.

Arctic halogens reduce ozone in the northern mid-latitudes

While the dominant role of halogens in Arctic ozone loss during spring has been widely studied in the last decades, the impact of sea-ice halogens on surface ozone abundance over the northern hemisphere (NH) mid-latitudes remains unquantified. Here, we use a state-of-the-art global chemistry-climate model including polar halogens (Cl, Br, and I), which reproduces Arctic ozone seasonality, to show that Arctic sea-ice halogens reduce surface ozone in the NH mid-latitudes (47°N to 60°N) by ~11% during spring. This background ozone reduction follows the southward export of ozone-poor and halogen-rich air masses from the Arctic through polar front intrusions toward lower latitudes, reducing the springtime tropospheric ozone column within the NH mid-latitudes by ~4%. Our results also show that the present-day influence of Arctic halogens on surface ozone destruction is comparatively smaller than in preindustrial times driven by changes in the chemical interplay between anthropogenic pollution and natural halogens. We conclude that the impact of Arctic sea-ice halogens on NH mid-latitude ozone abundance should be incorporated into global models to improve the representation of ozone seasonality.

Uncertainties of biogenic VOC emissions caused by land cover data and implications on ozone mitigation strategies for the Yangtze river Delta region

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) play a crucial role in ground-level ozone formation, yet emission quantification faces considerable uncertainties stemming from input data. Land cover data, which determines the distribution of growth forms, is an essential driving input of BVOC emissions. This study explores the uncertainty in BVOC emission estimates arising from using two land cover datasets, specifically the MODIS and ESA land cover data, and the implications for ozone mitigation strategies in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. By employing the MEGAN model for the year 2021, we estimated that ESA land cover data, with a finer 10 m resolution, yields a total BVOC emission estimate of 2299 Gg, which is over 52.9% higher than the MODIS dataset with a resolution of 500 m, attributed to the higher tree coverage (33.9% in ESA vs. 17.6% in MODIS) identified in the ESA dataset. We then simulated the ozone concentrations by both emission estimates with the WRF-CMAQ model. The elevated BVOC emissions based on the ESA data improved the underestimation of simulated isoprene concentrations and consequently resulted in more than 30% higher domain-averaged MDA8 ozone concentration compared to the MODIS-derived BVOC emission. Regarding ozone mitigation strategy, simulation with the ESA-based BVOC emissions results in 0.3–1.2 μg/m3 less ozone reductions compared to that with the MODIS-based emissions when reducing anthropogenic VOC emissions, but 0.7–2.9 μg/m3 higher ozone reductions when controlling anthropogenic NOx emissions. These disparities are more pronounced at the city level, highlighting the importance of accurate BVOC emission estimates for effective ozone control strategies.

Failure of the three-way catalyst (TWC) introduces “super emitters”

Vehicle exhaust is one of the major organic sources in urban areas. Old taxis equipped with failed three-way catalysts (TWCs) have been regarded as “super emitters”. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a regular substitution fuel for gasoline in taxis. The relative effect of fuel substitution and TWC failure has not been thoroughly investigated. In this work, vehicle exhausts from gasoline and CNG taxis with optimally functioning and malfunctioning TWCs are sampled by Tenax TA tubes and then analyzed by a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC×GC–MS). A total of 216 organics are quantified, including 80 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 132 intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs). Failure of TWC introduces super emitters with 30 – 70 times emission factors (EFs), 60 – 112 times ozone formation potentials (OFPs), and 34 – 92 times secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) more than normal vehicles. Specifically, for the taxi with failed TWC, the total organic EF of CNG is 16 times that of gasoline, indicating that the failure of TWC exceeds the emission reduction achieved by CNG-gasoline substitution. A significant but unbalanced reduction of ozone and SOA is observed after TWC, whereas a notable “enrichment” in IVOCs was observed. Naphthalene is a typical IVOC component strongly associated with CNG-gasoline substitution and TWC failure, which is lacking in current VOC measurement. We especially emphasize that there is an urgent need to scrap vehicles with failed TWCs in order to significantly reduce air pollution.

Research Progress on Bacteria-Reducing Pretreatment Technology of Meat.

Reducing the initial bacteria number from meat and extending its shelf life are crucial factors for ensuring product safety and enhancing economic benefits for enterprises. Currently, controlling enzyme activity and the microbial survival environment is a common approach to reducing the rate of deterioration in raw meat materials, thereby achieving the goal of bacteria reduction during storage and preservation. This review summarizes the commonly used technologies for reducing bacteria in meat, including slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW), organic acids, ozone (O3), ultrasound, irradiation, ultraviolet (UV), cold plasma, high-pressure processing (HPP), and biological bacterial reduction agents. This review outlines the mechanisms and main features of these technologies for reducing bacteria in meat processing. Additionally, it discusses the status of these technologies in meat storage and preservation applications while analyzing associated problems and proposing solutions. The aim is to provide valuable references for research on meat preservation technology.

Evolution of the Climate Forcing During the Two Years After the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai Eruption

AbstractWe calculate the climate forcing for the 2 ys after the 15 January 2022, Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai (Hunga) eruption. We use satellite observations of stratospheric aerosols, trace gases and temperatures to compute the tropopause radiative flux changes relative to climatology. Overall, the net downward radiative flux decreased compared to climatology. The Hunga stratospheric water vapor anomaly initially increases the downward infrared radiative flux, but this forcing diminishes as the anomaly disperses. The Hunga aerosols cause a solar flux reduction that dominates the net flux change over most of the 2 yrs period. Hunga induced temperature changes produce a decrease in downward long‐wave flux. Hunga induced ozone reduction increases the short‐wave downward flux creating small sub‐tropical increase in total flux from mid‐2022 to 2023. By the end of 2023, most of the Hunga induced radiative forcing changes have disappeared. There is some disagreement in the satellite measured stratospheric aerosol optical depth (SAOD) observations which we view as a measure of the uncertainty; however, the SAOD uncertainty does not alter our conclusion that, overall, aerosols dominate the radiative flux changes.

Nitrate pollution deterioration in winter driven by surface ozone increase

Recently, nitrate (NO3–) levels in winter pollution in eastern China have been increasing yearly and have become the main component of PM2.5. The factors contributing to this rise in surface NO3– concentrations remain unclear, complicating the development of targeted pollution control measures. This study utilizes observational data from Shanghai during the winter 2019, alongside box model simulations, to recreate the NO3− pollution event and identify the key factors in the growth process. The analysis demonstrated that a rise in winter ozone levels significantly promotes NO3– production by facilitating NOx conversion via gas-phase and heterogeneous reactions. These findings could explain the correlation between the synchronous increase of surface ozone and NO3− in recent years. Furthermore, simulation of control strategies for NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) identified an approach centered on ozone reduction as notably effective in mitigating winter NO3– pollution in the Yangtze River Delta.

Global impacts of an extreme solar particle event under different geomagnetic field strengths

Solar particle events (SPEs) are short-lived bursts of high-energy particles from the solar atmosphere and are widely recognized as posing significant economic risks to modern society. Most SPEs are relatively weak and have minor impacts on the Earth's environment, but historic records contain much stronger SPEs which have the potential to alter atmospheric chemistry, impacting climate and biological life. The impacts of such strong SPEs would be far more severe when the Earth's protective geomagnetic field is weak, such as during past geomagnetic excursions or reversals. Here, we model the impacts of an extreme SPE under different geomagnetic field strengths, focusing on changes in atmospheric chemistry and surface radiation using the atmosphere-ocean-chemistry-climate model SOCOL3-MPIOM and the radiation transfer model LibRadtran. Under current geomagnetic conditions, an extreme SPE would increase NOx concentrations in the polar stratosphere and mesosphere, causing reductions in extratropical stratospheric ozone lasting for about a year. In contrast, with no geomagnetic field, there would be a substantial increase in NOx throughout the entire atmosphere, resulting in severe stratospheric ozone depletion for several years. The resulting ground-level ultraviolet (UV) radiation would remain elevated for up to 6 y, leading to increases in UV index up to 20 to 25% and solar-induced DNA damage rates by 40 to 50%. The potential evolutionary impacts of past extreme SPEs remain an important question, while the risks they pose to human health in modern conditions continue to be underestimated.

Comprehensive Assessment of Environmental Factors Influencing Crop Yields: Ozone, CO2, And Aerosols

The research explored how air pollution, particularly high ozone levels, negatively impacts sensitive crops like wheat, rice, and soybeans, posing significant threats to global food security. It emphasized the long-overlooked destructive effects of ozone and emphasized the immediate need for strategies to counter these impacts amid climate change. Furthermore, the study examined the crucial role of increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels on C4 crops, essential for global food security and biofuel production. Contrary to expectations, it challenged the belief that C4 crops inherently benefit from elevated CO2 levels in terms of enhanced photosynthesis. The study urged more experiments under changing climate conditions to refine predictions regarding crop yields. It emphasized the importance of focusing on ozone reduction, understanding how C4 crops respond to increased CO2, and assessing aerosol effects on specific crops. These insights aim to inform policies and strategies that can safeguard food security amidst rapid global economic growth and the challenges posed by climate changet.

Significant reductions of urban daytime ozone by extremely high concentration NOX from ship’s emissions: A case study

In this paper, a four nested Weather Research and Forecasting-Community Multiscale Air Quality (WRF-CMAQ) model was applied to analyze ozone (O3) concentration reductions under the influence of extremely high NOx concentrations emitted from ships at the Hankou Jiangtan (HJ) station adjacent to the Yangtze River in Wuhan, China. By adding NO emissions along the waterway for the sensitivity experiments, the model successfully reproduced two cases of high NOx concentrations on April 9 and April 28, 2020, and one case of persistent and extremely high NOx concentrations on the night of May 3, 2020. During daytime, strong photochemical reactions generated new O3, while the high concentration NOx from ship emissions continuously reduced O3 through catalytic cycling. This led to the O3 concentrations at the HJ station being consistently lower than the surrounding stations in the afternoon, with the high NOx plume dropping O3 concentrations by 51 ppb in 1 h, and NO2 concentrations up to 110 ppb. The presence of large amounts of fresh NO (up to 265 ppb) in the ship emission plumes rapidly reduces O3 concentrations through titration reactions during night, resulting in a wide area of low O3 concentrations (2–4 ppb) over a long period of time. This study demonstrates that the pollution and impact of emissions from ships traveling in waterways on the atmosphere of the surrounding area cannot be ignored.

Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compounds Distribution in Downtown Ansan Near Industrial Complexes

There are four industrial complexes located around Ansan City, which is one of the areas with the highest VOCs emissions in Gyeonggi region based on the emissions provided by the clean policy support system (CAPSS), Korea. In this study, proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) was used to determine the distribution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urban areas near industrial complexes in Ansan City in 2023 (May to June). The PTR-TOF-MS was operated over the mass range of 10-400amu at a drift tube pressure of 2.3mbar and temperature 80<sup>o</sup>C (E/N ~ 130Td) that enabled the collection of VOC data at 0.1Hz resolution. The mixing ratio calculations for methanol, acetaldehyde, acetonitrile, acetone, acetic acid, dimethyl sulfide, isoprene, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), benzene, toluene, styrene, xylene, trimethylbenzene and pinene reported in this study were done using the sensitivity factors obtained from the PTR-TOF-MS calibrations. As a result of the intensive measurement in springtime, among the substances constituting VOCs, methanol was the most abundant with 16.27±7.13 ppb, followed by acetone, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), toluene, and xylene. VOCs compositions were dominated by oxidized VOCs, with CxHyO1 at 74%, CxHyO2 at 11%, aromatic CxHy at 10.5%, and CxHyN at 3.1%, respectively. As a result of the diurnal variations and conditional probability function (CPF) analysis, it was found that toluene and MEK were locally greatly influenced by industrial complexes distributed around Ansan City. Related with the ozone creating contribution, the ratio of VOCs to nitrogen oxide (NOx) was 6.5 (1.4 to 18.2), which appeared in the NOx-limited (4:1) and the VOCs-limited (15:1). Therefore it is suggested that the management of emission source NOx and VOCs are very important for the reduction of ozone in Ansan.

Mn single atoms for one-electron photoozonation of aqueous organics

Photocatalytic ozonation offers a potential approach for highly efficient organic degradation by in-situ generation of reactive •OH via electron reduction of ozone. Herein, we synthesized a Mn single atom photocatalyst for promoting the •OH generation from O3 activation under visible light irradiation. Theoretical calculation and experimental studies reveal that Mn single atoms on carbon nitride significantly promote the excitation and transfer of photo-generated electrons, making charge carriers enriched around MnN4 sites and shortening their migration path to participate in surface reactions. Meanwhile, Mn single atoms serve as adsorption and catalytic sites for O3, favoring a fast one-electron-reduction reaction kinetics. More importantly, the trade-off between the number of available electrons and active sites in photocatalytic performance was observed from regulating the density of Mn single atoms. This work offers an intriguing regulation strategy for enriching surface charges on single atom catalyst interface toward efficient •OH production and removal of aqueous organics.

Photochemical Mechanism and Control Strategy Optimization for Summertime Ozone Pollution in Yining City

To explore the formation mechanism of the ozone （O3） and emission reduction strategy in a northwestern city， an extensive field campaign was conducted in summertime in 2021 in Yining City， in which the 0-D box model incorporating the latest explicit chemical mechanism （MCMv3.3.1） was applied for the first time to quantify the O3-NOx-VOCs sensitivity and formulate a precise O3 control strategy in this city. The results showed that： ① the three indicators ［i.e.， O3 formation potential （OFP）， ·OH reaction rate （k·OH）， and relative incremental reactivity （RIR）］ jointly indicated that alkenes， oxygenated volatile organic compounds （OVOCs）， and aromatics were the highest contributors among anthropogenic volatile organic compounds （AVOC） to O3 formation， and the contribution of biogenic volatile organic compounds （BVOC） also could not be ignored. Additionally， the results based on RIR calculation implied that that the acetaldehyde， ethylene， and propylene were the most sensitive individual VOCs species in Yining City. ② The in-situ photochemical O3 variations were primarily influenced by the local photochemical production and export process horizontally to downwind areas or vertically to the upper layer， and the reaction pathways of HO2·+ NO and ·OH + NO2 contributed the most to the gross Ox photochemical production （60%） and photochemical destruction production （53%）， respectively. Hence， the reduction in local emissions for O3 precursors was more essential to alleviate O3 pollution in this city. ③ The outcome based on RIR（NOx） / RIR（AVOC） and EKMA jointly suggested that the photochemical regime in this city can be considered a transitional regime that was also nearly a VOCs-limited regime. Detailed mechanism modeling based on multiple scenarios further suggested that the NOx and VOCs synergic emission reduction strategies was helpful to alleviate O3 pollution. These results are useful to provide policy-related guidance for other cities facing similar O3 pollution in northwest China.

Electric field-enhanced heterogeneous catalytic ozonation (EHCO) process for sulfadiazine removal: The role of cathodic reduction

In this work, an electric field-enhanced heterogeneous catalytic ozonation (EHCO) was systematically investigated using a prepared FeOx/PAC catalyst. The EHCO process exhibited high sulfadiazine (SDZ) and TOC removal efficiency compared with electrocatalysis (EC) and heterogeneous catalytic ozonation (HCO) process. Almost 100% of SDZ was removed within 2 min, and the TOC removal reached approximately 85% within 60 min. Quenching experiments and EPR analysis suggested that the prominent SDZ and TOC removal performance is supported by the enhanced ·OH generation ability. Further study proved that H2O2 formed by O2 electrochemical reduction, peroxone reaction and electrochemical reduction of ozone contributed to improving ·OH generation. Furthermore, the EHCO system showed satisfactory stability and recyclability compared to conventional HCO systems, and the SDZ and TOC removal rates were maintained at ≥95% and ≥70% in 16 consecutive recycles, respectively. Meanwhile, XPS analysis and Boehm's titration for the FeOx/PAC catalyst used in HCO and EHCO process confirmed that the external electron supply could restrain the oxidation of surface functional groups of PAC and maintain a balance of the Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio, which proved the critical role of cathode reduction in catalyst in situ regeneration during long consecutive recycles. In addition, the EHCO system could achieve more than 80% SDZ removal within 2 min in different water matrices. These results confirmed that the EHCO process has a wide application perspective for refractory organics removal in actual wastewater.

Air quality improvements can strengthen China's food security.

Air pollution exerts crucial influence on crop yields and impacts regional and global food supplies. Here we employ a statistical model using satellite-based observations and flexible functional forms to analyse the synergistic effects of reductions in ozone and aerosols on China's food security. The model consistently shows that ozone is detrimental to crops, whereas aerosol has variable effects. China's maize, rice and wheat yields are projected to increase by 7.84%, 4.10% and 3.43%, respectively, upon reaching two air quality targets (60 μg m-3 for peak-season ozone and 35 μg m-3 for annual fine particulate matter). Average calories produced from these crops would surge by 4.51%, potentially allowing China to attain grain self-sufficiency 2 years earlier than previously estimated. These results show that ozone pollution control should be a high priority to increase staple crop edible calories, and future stringent air pollution regulations would enhance China's food security.

Insights into soil NO emissions and the contribution to surface ozone formation in China

Abstract. Elevated ground-level ozone concentrations have emerged as a major environmental issue in China. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) is a key precursor to ozone formation. Although control strategies aimed at reducing NOx emissions from conventional combustion sources are widely recognized, soil NOx emissions (mainly as NO) due to microbial processes have received little attention. The impact of soil NO emissions on ground-level ozone concentration is yet to be evaluated. This study estimated soil NO emissions in China using the Berkeley–Dalhousie Soil NOx Parameterization (BDSNP) algorithm. A typical modeling approach was used to quantify the contribution of soil NO emissions to surface ozone concentration. The brute-force method (BFM) and the Ozone Source Apportionment Technology (OSAT) implemented in the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) were used. The total soil NO emissions in China for 2018 were estimated to be 1157.9 Gg N, with an uncertainty range of 715.7–1902.6 Gg N. Spatially, soil NO emissions are mainly concentrated in Central China, North China, Northeast China, the northern Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and the eastern Sichuan Basin, with distinct diurnal and monthly variations that are mainly affected by the temperature and timing of fertilizer application. Both the BFM and OSAT results indicate a substantial contribution of soil NO emissions to the maximum daily 8 h (MDA8) ozone concentrations by 8.0–12.5 µg m−3 on average for June 2018, with the OSAT results being consistently higher than the BFM results. The results also showed that soil NO emissions led to a relative increase in ozone exceedance days by 10.5 %–43.5 % for selected regions. Reducing the soil NO emissions resulted in a general decrease in monthly MDA8 ozone concentrations, and the magnitude of ozone reduction became more pronounced as reductions increased. However, even with complete reductions in soil NO emissions, approximately 450.3 million people are still exposed to unhealthy ozone levels, necessitating multiple control policies at the same time. This study highlights the importance of soil NO emissions for ground-level ozone concentrations and the potential for reducing NO emissions as a future control strategy for ozone mitigation in China.

Stratospheric Climate Anomalies and Ozone Loss Caused by the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai Volcanic Eruption

AbstractThe Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) volcanic eruption in January 2022 injected unprecedented amounts of water vapor (H2O) and a moderate amount of the aerosol precursor sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the Southern Hemisphere (SH) tropical stratosphere. The H2O and aerosol perturbations have persisted during 2022 and early 2023 and dispersed throughout the atmosphere. Observations show large‐scale SH stratospheric cooling, equatorward shift of the Antarctic polar vortex and slowing of the Brewer‐Dobson circulation. Satellite observations show substantial ozone reductions over SH winter midlatitudes that coincide with the largest circulation anomalies. Chemistry‐climate model simulations forced by realistic HTHH inputs of H2O and SO2 qualitatively reproduce the observed evolution of the H2O and aerosol plumes over the first year, and the model exhibits stratospheric cooling, circulation changes and ozone effects similar to observed behavior. The agreement demonstrates that the observed stratospheric changes are caused by the HTHH volcanic influences.

Potential drivers of the recent large Antarctic ozone holes

The past three years (2020–2022) have witnessed the re-emergence of large, long-lived ozone holes over Antarctica. Understanding ozone variability remains of high importance due to the major role Antarctic stratospheric ozone plays in climate variability across the Southern Hemisphere. Climate change has already incited new sources of ozone depletion, and the atmospheric abundance of several chlorofluorocarbons has recently been on the rise. In this work, we take a comprehensive look at the monthly and daily ozone changes at different altitudes and latitudes within the Antarctic ozone hole. Following indications of early-spring recovery, the October middle stratosphere is dominated by continued, significant ozone reduction since 2004, amounting to 26% loss in the core of the ozone hole. We link the declines in mid-spring Antarctic ozone to dynamical changes in mesospheric descent within the polar vortex, highlighting the importance of continued monitoring of the state of the ozone layer.

The atmospheric oxidizing capacity in China – Part 1: Roles of different photochemical processes

Abstract. Atmospheric oxidation capacity (AOC) characterizes the ability of the atmosphere to scavenge air pollutants. However, the processes involved in China, where anthropogenic emissions have changed dramatically in the past decade, are not fully understood. A detailed analysis of different parameters that determine the AOC in China is presented on the basis of numerical simulations performed with the regional chemical–meteorological Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). The model shows that the aerosol effects related to extinction and heterogeneous processes produce a decrease in surface ozone of approximately 8–10 ppbv in NOx-limited rural areas and an increase of 5–10 ppbv in VOC-limited urban areas. In this latter case, the ozone increase is noticeable for aerosol concentrations ranging from 20 to 45 µg m−3 in July 2018. The ozone reduction in NOx-sensitive regions is due to the combined effect of nitrogen dioxide and peroxy radical uptake on particles and of the light extinction by aerosols, which affects the photodissociation rates. The ozone increase in VOC-sensitive areas is attributed to the uptake of NO2 by aerosols, which is offset by the reduced ozone formation associated with HO2 uptake and with aerosol extinction. Our study concludes that more than 90 % of the daytime AOC is due to the reaction of the hydroxyl radical with VOCs and carbon monoxide. In urban areas, during summertime, the main contributions to daytime AOC are the reactions of OH with alkene (30 %–50 %), oxidized volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) (33 %–45 %), and carbon monoxide (20 %–45 %). In rural areas, the largest contribution results from the reaction of OH with alkenes (60 %). Nocturnal AOC is dominantly attributed to the reactions with the nitrate radical (50 %–70 %). Our results shed light on the contribution of aerosol-related NOx loss and the high reactivity of alkenes for photochemical pollution. With the reduction in aerosols and anthropogenic ozone precursors, the chemistry of nitrogen and temperature-sensitive VOCs will become increasingly important. More attention needs to be paid to the role of photodegradable OVOCs and nocturnal oxidants in the formation of secondary pollutants.

Atmospheric impacts of chlorinated very short-lived substances over the recent past – Part 2: Impacts on ozone

Abstract. Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer remains an ongoing environmental issue, with increasing stratospheric chlorine from very short-lived substances (VSLS) recently emerging as a potential but uncertain threat to its future recovery. Here the impact of chlorinated VSLS (Cl-VSLS) on past ozone is quantified, for the first time, using the UM–UKCA (Unified Model–United Kingdom Chemistry and Aerosol) chemistry-climate model. Model simulations nudged to reanalysis fields show that in the second decade of the 21st century Cl-VSLS reduced total column ozone by, on average, ∼ 2–3 DU (Dobson unit) in the springtime high latitudes and by ∼0.5 DU in the annual mean in the tropics. The largest ozone reductions were simulated in the Arctic in the springs of 2011 and 2020. During the recent cold Arctic winter of 2019/20 Cl-VSLS resulted in local ozone reductions of up to ∼7 % in the lower stratosphere and of ∼7 DU in total column ozone by the end of March. Despite nearly doubling of Cl-VSLS contribution to stratospheric chlorine over the early 21st century, the inclusion of Cl-VSLS in the nudged simulations does not substantially modify the magnitude of the simulated recent ozone trends and, thus, does not help to explain the persistent negative ozone trends that have been observed in the extra-polar lower stratosphere. The free-running simulations, on the other hand, suggest Cl-VSLS-induced amplification of the negative tropical lower-stratospheric ozone trend by ∼20 %, suggesting a potential role of the dynamical feedback from Cl-VSLS-induced chemical ozone loss. Finally, we calculate the ozone depletion potential of dichloromethane, the most abundant Cl-VSLS, at 0.0107. Our results illustrate a so-far modest but nonetheless non-negligible role of Cl-VSLS in contributing to the stratospheric ozone budget over the recent past that if continues could offset some of the gains achieved by the Montreal Protocol.