The Influence of Heterogeneous Processes on the Physicochemical Properties of Atmospheric Aerosols

Abstract

With the rapid development of the world economy, complex air pollution has increasingly become a serious threat; for example, with haze events occurring frequently in various regions of the globe. Recent evidence has indicated that secondary aerosols play an important role in haze formation, and that heterogeneous processes are among the main forces driving their explosive growth. In this regard, this paper reviews recent advances in the understanding of the impact of heterogeneous processes on haze chemistry, including the impact on NO 2 chemistry, marine aerosols, and the hygroscopicity and optical properties of atmospheric aerosols. It is distinguished from past reviews on this topic by focusing mainly on new insights from the past five years. We summarize the main findings of the impacts of heterogeneous processes on NO 2 chemistry, marine aerosols, and the physicochemical properties of atmospheric aerosols, and propose several future research directions.

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