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Revealing the impact of water-soluble formic and acetic acids on aerosol thermodynamic systems in a typical Chinese inland city
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DOI：10.1016/j.jes.2026.01.011.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Water-soluble formic acid and acetic acid (FA and AA) acidify aerosols through H+ release from carboxyl dissociation, while their conjugate bases (R-COO-) increase aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) by enhancing hygroscopicity and forming organic salts. This creates an antagonistic effect between proton release and ALWCdriven dilution that complicates its impact on aerosol thermodynamic systems prediction. Through comprehensive aerosol observations in Zhengzhou, China, combined with thermodynamic modeling, we demonstrate that FA and AA reduce aerosol pH primarily via dual H+ activity coefficient (Y-H(+)) regulation mechanisms: In dilute systems (Y-H(+) < 1), ALWC enhancement suppresses Y-H(+) through dilution effects, which combined with elevated m(H)(+) decreases pH. In concentrated systems (Y-H(+) > 1), gas-phase partitioning of inorganic ions (e.g., NO3-) reduces ionic strength, further lowering YH+, though the substantial increase in mH(+) outweighs this buffering to yield net acidification. Critically, these pH changes are governed by intrinsic aerosol properties, not FA and AA concentrations. Future work must integrate modified effective Henry's law constants with YH+-aware frameworks to accurately resolve organic acids' role in heavy pollution formation.
Keywords:
Water-soluble formic acid
Water-soluble acetic acid
Aerosol thermodynamic system
Activity coefficient
Henry's law constant
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