Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
08:01
Sulfate Separation by Selective Crystallization with a Bis-iminoguanidinium Ligand
Published on: September 8, 2016
Sulfate Formation during Heatwaves: Perspective from Observation-Constrained Stabilized Criegee Intermediates.
Jingyi Guo1,2, Renzhi Hu1,3, Haotian Cai1,2
1Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|June 4, 2026
Summary
Stabilized Criegee intermediates (sCIs) significantly impact atmospheric sulfate production, especially during heatwaves. Neglecting sCI oxidation underestimates sulfate formation and regional oxidation capacity.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Kinetics
Background:
- Stabilized Criegee intermediates (sCIs) are products of alkene ozonolysis, but their atmospheric role is not well understood.
- Quantifying the contribution of sCIs to atmospheric oxidation and secondary sulfate formation is crucial for air quality modeling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify sCI concentrations and their source-sink processes in the Yangtze River Delta.
- To assess the impact of sCI oxidation on secondary sulfate production, particularly during heatwave conditions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an observation-constrained box model with the RACM2-LIM1 mechanism.
- Evaluated model reliability against observed OH concentrations and steady-state sCI estimates.
- Analyzed species-specific sCI behavior and their reactions with SO2 and water dimers.
Main Results:
- Simulated peak monomeric sCI concentrations ranged from 2.1 × 10^4 to 1.5 × 10^5 molecules cm^-3.
- CH2OO reacted mainly with water dimers, while other sCIs reacted with SO2.
- The sCI + SO2 pathway significantly contributed to H2SO4 production during heatwaves, even at night, increasing sulfate formation rates by 46.2%.
Conclusions:
- sCI oxidation is a critical, often underestimated, pathway for secondary sulfate production.
- Gas-phase oxidation dominates sulfate formation, with a humidity-dependent shift towards aqueous-phase oxidation.
- Accurate air quality models must incorporate sCI chemistry, especially under heatwave conditions, to correctly estimate sulfate production and oxidation capacity.
More Related Videos
09:16Synthesis of Terpolymers at Mild Temperatures Using Dynamic Sulfur Bonds in Poly(S-Divinylbenzene)
Published on: May 20, 2019
11:25Identification and Quantification of Decomposition Mechanisms in Lithium-Ion Batteries; Input to Heat Flow Simulation for Modeling Thermal Runaway
Published on: March 7, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:29Microbes and the Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur is a vital element in Earth's biogeochemical systems. It transitions through various inorganic states, including sulfate (SO₄²⁻), elemental sulfur (S⁰), and sulfide (S²⁻). Abiotic and biological mechanisms across oxic and anoxic environments intricately mediate these transformations. Sulfate, the most oxidized form of sulfur, is predominantly stored in rocks, marine sediments, and oceanic waters, acting as a long-term reservoir in the global sulfur cycle.In oxic environments,...
01:20Sulfur Assimilation
Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to become...
02:26Preparation and Reactions of Sulfides
Sulfides are the sulfur analog of ethers, just as thiols are the sulfur analog of alcohol. Like ethers, sulfides also consist of two hydrocarbon groups bonded to the central sulfur atom. Depending upon the type of groups present, sulfides can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical sulfides can be prepared via an SN2 reaction between 2 equivalents of an alkyl halide and one equivalent of sodium sulfide.
01:12Precipitation Processes
The experimental conditions in a gravimetric analysis should be optimized to maximize the particle size and purity of the obtained precipitate. Ideally, the concentration of the precipitating reagent should be low with effective stirring to maintain low relative supersaturation for the growth of large crystals. In homogeneous precipitation, the precipitant is slowly generated by a chemical reaction in the solution to avoid local reagent excesses. For example, urea decomposes gradually to...
01:17Precipitation and Co-precipitation
Precipitation and coprecipitation methods can be used to separate a mixture of ions in a solution. In qualitative inorganic analysis, ions that form sparingly soluble precipitates with the same reagent are separated based on the differences in solubility products. For example, consider the separation of Cu(II) and Fe(II) ions by precipitation as insoluble sulfides. First, copper(II) sulfide is precipitated by the addition of acidic H2S, where the dissociation of H2S is suppressed. Adding H2S...
01:27Diversity of Archaea III
Crenarchaeota, a prominent phylum of Archaea, is remarkable for its ability to thrive in extreme environments characterized by high temperatures and acidity. These microorganisms inhabit sulfuric hot springs, volcanic systems, and submarine hydrothermal vents, where temperatures often exceed 100°C. The unique adaptations of Crenarchaeota not only allow survival under such extreme conditions but also provide insights into the mechanisms of life in primordial Earth-like environments.Morphological...