World news – Scientists discover three liquid phases in aerosol particles

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April 12, 2021

from the University of British Columbia

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have discovered three liquid phases in aerosol particles that are changing our understanding of air pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere.

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While aerosol particles are known to contain up to two liquid phases, the discovery of an additional liquid phase can be important to provide more accurate atmospheric models and climate predictions. The study was published in PNAS today.

« We have shown that certain types of aerosol particles in the atmosphere, including those likely to be common in cities, often have three different liquid phases. » says Dr. Allan Bertram, professor in the chemistry department. « These properties play a role in air quality and the climate. We hope these results improve the models used in air quality and climate policy. »

Aerosol particles fill the atmosphere and play a crucial role in air quality . These particles contribute to poor air quality and absorb and reflect solar radiation, which affects the climate system. How these particles behave, however, remains uncertain. Before 2012, it was often assumed in models that aerosol particles contained only one liquid phase.

In 2012, researchers from the University of British Columbia and Harvard University made the first observations of two liquid phases in particles from the atmosphere. More recently, UBC researchers hypothesized that if the particles consisted of low polarity material, medium polarity material, and salt water, three liquid phases could form in atmospheric particles.

To test this, we a solvatochromic dye – a dye that changes color depending on the polarity of its surroundings – is injected into particles containing a mixture of all three of these components. Although the solvatochromic dye technique is widely used in biology and chemistry, it has not been used to characterize the phase behavior of atmospheric aerosols. Notably, three different colors were observed in these particles, confirming the presence of three liquid phases.

The scientists were also able to study the properties of particles that contained three phases, including how well these particles acted as seeds for clouds and how quickly gases enter and exit the particles.

The study focused on particles, the mixtures of lubricating oil from gas vehicles, oxidized organic material from burning fossil fuels and trees, and inorganic material from burning fossil fuels Contain fuels. Depending on the properties of the lubricating oil and the oxidized organic material, a different number of liquid phases occur, which leads to different effects on air quality and the climate.

« From what we have shown, we have our understanding of atmospheric Aerosols are improving. This should lead to better predictions of air quality and climate and better predictions of what will happen in the next 50 years, « says Dr. Bertram. « When guidelines are built based on a model with high uncertainties, the guidelines have high uncertainties. I hope we can improve this. »

Given the urgency of climate goals, policies based on accurate atmospheric modeling diminish , the possibility of using resources and finances on the wrong strategies and goals.

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