Articles | Volume 3, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-337-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-337-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Jun 2025
Research article |
| 16 Jun 2025
| 16 Jun 2025
Reactive oxygen species buildup in photochemically aged iron- and copper-doped secondary organic aerosol proxy
PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
Department of Environmental System Science, Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
now at: Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos, World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC), 7260 Davos, Switzerland
Alexandre Barth
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
Battist Utinger
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
Markus Kalberer
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
Markus Ammann
PSI Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
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Short summary
We report a substantial buildup of reactive molecules (due to sunlight) in organic particulate matter, causing adverse health effects. Metals, which occur naturally or are emitted by traffic, can complex with organic materials and initiate photochemical processes. At low humidity, organic particles may become highly viscous, which allows for the accumulation of reactive species. We found that copper acts as an reducing species to remove some of these harmful species from particles.
We report a substantial buildup of reactive molecules (due to sunlight) in organic particulate...
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