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  4. Ozone Initiates Human-Derived Emission of Nanocluster Aerosols
 
research article

Ozone Initiates Human-Derived Emission of Nanocluster Aerosols

Yang, Shen  
•
Licina, Dusan  
•
Weschler, Charles J.
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November 2, 2021
Environmental Science & Technology

Nanocluster aerosols (NCAs, particles <3 nm) are important players in driving climate feedbacks and processes that impact human health. This study reports, for the first time, NCA formation when gas-phase ozone reacts with human surfaces. In an occupied climate-controlled chamber, we detected NCA only when ozone was present. NCA emissions were dependent on clothing coverage, occupant age, air temperature, and humidity. Ozone-initiated chemistry with human skin lipids (particularly their primary surface reaction products) is the key mechanism driving NCA emissions, as evidenced by positive correlations with squalene in human skin wipe samples and known gaseous products from ozonolysis of skin lipids. Oxidation by OH radicals, autoxidation reactions, and human-emitted NH3 may also play a role in NCA formation. Such chemical processes are anticipated to generate aerosols of the smallest size (1.18-1.55 nm), whereas larger clusters result from subsequent growth of the smaller aerosols. This study shows that whenever we encounter ozone indoors, where we spend most of our lives, NCAs will be produced in the air around us.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1021/acs.est.1c03379
Web of Science ID

WOS:000714110200026

Author(s)
Yang, Shen  
Licina, Dusan  
Weschler, Charles J.
Wang, Nijing
Zannoni, Nora
Li, Mengze
Vanhanen, Joonas
Langer, Sarka
Wargocki, Pawel
Williams, Jonathan
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Date Issued

2021-11-02

Publisher

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

Published in
Environmental Science & Technology
Volume

55

Issue

21

Start page

14536

End page

14545

Subjects

Engineering, Environmental

•

Environmental Sciences

•

Engineering

•

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

•

ozone chemistry

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indoor air

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human skin lipids

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particle formation

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molecular clusters

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secondary organic aerosol

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particle-size magnifier

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methanesulfonic-acid

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skin lipids

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ammonia

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environments

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autoxidation

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temperature

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chemistry

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oxidation

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
HOBEL  
Available on Infoscience
December 4, 2021
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/183658
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