Hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) Formation during Summertime Fog in an Arctic Oil Field

Hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) is produced in the aqueous-phase reaction of formaldehyde (HCHO) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and has been proposed as a significant contributor to midlatitude wintertime pollution events. In this work, we report HMS detection within submicrometer atmospheric aerosols dur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Science & Technology Letters
Main Authors: Liu, Jun, Gunsch, Matthew J., Moffett, Claire E., Xu, Lu, El Asmar, Rime, Zhang, Qi, Watson, Thomas B., Allen, Hannah M., Crounse, John D., St. Clair, Jason, Kim, Michelle, Wennberg, Paul O., Weber, Rodney J., Sheesley, Rebecca J., Pratt, Kerri A.
Language:unknown
Published: 2022
Subjects:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Arctic
Fairbanks
Anchorage
Beaufort Sea
Online Access:http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1812493
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1812493
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00357
Description
Summary:Hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) is produced in the aqueous-phase reaction of formaldehyde (HCHO) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and has been proposed as a significant contributor to midlatitude wintertime pollution events. In this work, we report HMS detection within submicrometer atmospheric aerosols during frequent late summer, regional fog events in an Arctic oil field. The number fraction of individual particles containing HMS increased during fog periods, consistent with aqueous-phase formation. The single-particle mass spectra showed the primary particle signature (oil field emissions), plus secondary oxidized organics and sulfate, consistent with aqueous-phase processing. HMS mass concentrations ranged from below the ion chromatography limit of detection (0.3 ng/m 3 ) to 1.6 ng/m 3 , with sulfate concentrations of 37-222 ng/m 3 . HCHO and SO 2 measurements suggest that the fog HMS production rate is ~10 times higher in the oil fields than in the upwind Beaufort Sea. Aqueous-phase reactions of local oil field emissions during frequent summertime regional fog events likely have downwind impacts on Arctic aerosol composition. The potential for fog-based HMS production was estimated to be an order of magnitude higher in Fairbanks and Anchorage, AK, than in the oil fields and may explain the missing organosulfate source contributing to Fairbanks air quality.

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