The SDU-C Atmospheric Simulation Chamber for Multiphase Chemistry-An Initial Study on Methylglyoxal SOA
Abstract
Atmospheric simulation chambers are controlled experimental platforms used for studying atmospheric processes under near-realistic conditions. Here, a new facility specifically designed for research on tropospheric multiphase chemistry is presented. After introducing the facility and its characteristics, the effects of initial methylglyoxal (MGLY) concentration, seed acidity, and relative humidity (RH) on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from MGLY photooxidation in a coupled gas–particle system are examined. The Shandong University atmospheric simulation chamber (SDU-C), located on Qingdao Campus, China, is a fully computer-controlled, collapsible 18 m3 cylindrical chamber made of a 0.7 mm thick Teflon film, with a diameter of 3 m and a height of 2.4 m. Characterization experiments determined the SDU-C light intensity and wall-loss rates of NO2, NO, O3, and seed particles. The NO2 photolysis frequency, J(NO2), was (4.5 ± 0.02) ×10–4·s–1, while the wall-loss rates for NO, NO2, O3, and seed particles were (1.6 ± 0.1) ×10–6·s–1, (6.6 ± 1.4) ×10–6·s–1, (4.2 ± 0.7) ×10–6·s–1, and (4.4 ± 0.4) ×10–5·s–1, respectively. As its first application, a series of MGLY photooxidation experiments were conducted with gas-phase oxidation initiated by OH radicals. Results showed that the initial MGLY uptake and photooxidation-driven SOA formation increased with higher initial MGLY concentration [MGLY]0, seed acidity, and RH. At 11% RH with neutral seeds, particle mass increased from 0.4 to 26.9 and 31.4 μg·m–3 as the initial MGLY concentration increased from 72 to 144 and 216 ppb, respectively. After ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation, SOA mass reached 43.2 μg·m–3 for super acidic seeds at 50% RH and 216 ppb MGLY. Most particle-phase MGLY exists as oligomers (>95%), with higher [MGLY]0 and RH, while strong acidity raises monomer levels. Overall, the characterization findings and first application indicate that SDU-C offers a reliable experimental platform for exploring atmospheric multiphase chemistry, gas–particle partitioning, and SOA formation under controlled conditions.
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BibTeX
@article{ali2026sduc,
title = {{The SDU-C Atmospheric Simulation Chamber for Multiphase Chemistry-An Initial Study on Methylglyoxal SOA}},
author = {M. Ali and H. Tian and Y. Wei and L. He and L. Wen and M. Mekic and T. Schaefer and S. Wang and X. Sun and M. Song and J. Wang and Y. Zhang and L. Xue and L. Du and Y. Zeng and C. George and A. Mellouki and J. Chen and H. Herrmann},
journal = {ACS Earth and Space Chemistry},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1021/acsearthspacechem.6c00209},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05763754v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The SDU-C Atmospheric Simulation Chamber for Multiphase Chemistry-An Initial Study on Methylglyoxal SOA
AU - M. Ali
AU - H. Tian
AU - Y. Wei
AU - L. He
AU - L. Wen
AU - M. Mekic
AU - T. Schaefer
AU - S. Wang
AU - X. Sun
AU - M. Song
AU - J. Wang
AU - Y. Zhang
AU - L. Xue
AU - L. Du
AU - Y. Zeng
AU - C. George
AU - A. Mellouki
AU - J. Chen
AU - H. Herrmann
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - ACS Earth and Space Chemistry
DO - 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.6c00209
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05763754v1
AB - Atmospheric simulation chambers are controlled experimental platforms used for studying atmospheric processes under near-realistic conditions. Here, a new facility specifically designed for research on tropospheric multiphase chemistry is presented. After introducing the facility and its characteristics, the effects of initial methylglyoxal (MGLY) concentration, seed acidity, and relative humidity (RH) on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from MGLY photooxidation in a coupled gas–particle system are examined. The Shandong University atmospheric simulation chamber (SDU-C), located on Qingdao Campus, China, is a fully computer-controlled, collapsible 18 m3 cylindrical chamber made of a 0.7 mm thick Teflon film, with a diameter of 3 m and a height of 2.4 m. Characterization experiments determined the SDU-C light intensity and wall-loss rates of NO2, NO, O3, and seed particles. The NO2 photolysis frequency, J(NO2), was (4.5 ± 0.02) ×10–4·s–1, while the wall-loss rates for NO, NO2, O3, and seed particles were (1.6 ± 0.1) ×10–6·s–1, (6.6 ± 1.4) ×10–6·s–1, (4.2 ± 0.7) ×10–6·s–1, and (4.4 ± 0.4) ×10–5·s–1, respectively. As its first application, a series of MGLY photooxidation experiments were conducted with gas-phase oxidation initiated by OH radicals. Results showed that the initial MGLY uptake and photooxidation-driven SOA formation increased with higher initial MGLY concentration [MGLY]0, seed acidity, and RH. At 11% RH with neutral seeds, particle mass increased from 0.4 to 26.9 and 31.4 μg·m–3 as the initial MGLY concentration increased from 72 to 144 and 216 ppb, respectively. After ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation, SOA mass reached 43.2 μg·m–3 for super acidic seeds at 50% RH and 216 ppb MGLY. Most particle-phase MGLY exists as oligomers (>95%), with higher [MGLY]0 and RH, while strong acidity raises monomer levels. Overall, the characterization findings and first application indicate that SDU-C offers a reliable experimental platform for exploring atmospheric multiphase chemistry, gas–particle partitioning, and SOA formation under controlled conditions.
SN - 2472-3452
ER -