Interfacial Electric Fields Drive Fast Hydroxyl Radical Production in Black-Carbon-Bearing Microdroplets

Yangyang Liu1, Le Yang1, Qiuyue Ge1

  • 1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Air Quality and Environmental Health, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, IRDR International Center of Excellence on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, Peoples' Republic of China.

Summary

Black carbon (BC) aerosols act as potent atmospheric photocatalysts, generating hydroxyl radicals (•OH) via a novel electric field mechanism. This significantly boosts atmospheric oxidative capacity and secondary aerosol formation.

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