The study of atmospheric chemistry goes back to the 18th Century, at a time when the principal issue was identifying the major chemical components of the atmosphere, N2, O2, H2O, CO2, and the noble gases. We now know that the atmosphere contains a myriad of trace species, some present at a level as low as 1 part per trillion parts of air. The role of trace species is responsible for phenomena ranging from urban photochemical smog, to stratospheric ozone depletion, to climate change. The atmospheric chemical cycles of the trace species are linked together in a complex way. Atmospheric particles (aerosols) arise directly from emissions as well as the chemical conversion of volatile organic compounds to particles. Aerosol-cloud relationships play an essential role in climate. The mechanisms of atmospheric oxidation of organic species play a key role in atmospheric chemistry, leading to a myriad of world-wide components. Aerosol constituents of the atmosphere comprise common substances such as sulfates, nitrates, ammonium, chloride, as well as a plethora of oxidized organic aerosols. Total aerosol concentrations worldwide range from as low as 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter in a region like northern Finland to values exceeding 80 micrograms per cubic meter in the most polluted urban regions of the planet. Secondary organic aerosols (SOA), those generated chemically in the atmosphere, include biogenic and anthropogenic particles, the latter, for example, from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and cooking, as well as natural emissions such as dust, sea spray, and volcanoes. Laboratory studies serve as essential means to unravel the mechanisms of atmospheric chemistry. Moreover, the advent of ever-powerful instrumentation has become essential in the study of atmospheric chemistry. Here we present a brief overview of current challenges in studies of atmospheric chemistry and physics.

Atmospheric chemistry and physics: Air pollution to climate change

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.