Aerosol pollutants from cooking may last longer in the atmosphere – new study
New insights into the behaviour of aerosols from cooking emissions and sea spray reveal that particles may take up more water than previously thought.
This could potentially change how long the particles remain in the atmosphere, according to research led by the University of Birmingham. Researchers in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences found pollutants that form nanostructures could absorb substantially more water than simple models have previously suggested. Taking on water means the droplets become heavier and will eventually be removed from the atmosphere when they fall as rain.
The team, also involving researchers from the University of Bath, used facilities at Diamond Light Source, to study the water uptake of oleic acid, a molecule commonly found in emissions from cooking and in spray from the ocean’s surface. They used a technique called Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) to chart the relationship between the structure inside the particle and both its ability to absorb water and its reactivity.
Working at Diamond’s I22 beamline with the I22 team and experts from the Central Laser Facility operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, the team also studied changes in the structures of polluting particles, caused by changes in humidity. They showed that as molecules react with ozone in the atmosphere and break down, they can also reform into different 3-D structures with varying abilities to absorb water and to react with other chemicals.
The findings, published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, suggest these combined effects work to keep oleic acid particles circulating in the atmosphere for longer.
As we develop our understanding of how these particles behave in the atmosphere, we will be able to design more sophisticated strategies for the control of air pollution.
“As we develop our understanding of how these particles behave in the atmosphere, we will be able to design more sophisticated strategies for the control of air pollution,” said lead researcher Professor Christian Pfrang. “For example, protecting harmful emissions from degrading in the atmosphere could allow them to travel and disperse further through the atmosphere, thus substantially increasing the pollutant’s reach.”
He added: “Our results show that aerosols exist in a really dynamic state, with complex structures being formed as well as being destroyed. Each of these states allows polluting molecules to linger in the atmosphere for longer. To reduce exposure to pollutants from cooking, people should consider making more use of extractor fans and ensuring that kitchens are well ventilated to allow aerosol particles to escape rapidly.”
Notes for editors
Notes for editors
- For media enquiries please contact Beck Lockwood, Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0)781 3343348.
- Pfrang et al (2024). ‘Experimental observation of the impact of nanostructure on hygroscopicity and reactivity of fatty acid atmospheric aerosol proxies.’ Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
- The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries.
- The Central Laser Facility (CLF) operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) is one of the world's leading laser facilities, providing scientists from the UK and Europe with an unparalleled range of state-of-the-art laser technology.
The wide-ranging applications include experiments in physics, chemistry and biology, accelerating subatomic particles to high energies, probing chemical reactions on the shortest timescales and studying biochemical and biophysical process critical to life itself. - Diamond Light Source provides industrial and academic user communities with access to state-of-the-art analytical tools to enable world-changing science. Shaped like a huge ring, it works like a giant microscope, accelerating electrons to near light speeds, to produce a light 10 billion times brighter than the Sun, which is then directed off into 33 laboratories known as ‘beamlines’.
In addition to these, Diamond offers access to several integrated laboratories including the world-class Electron Bio-imaging Centre (eBIC) and the Electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC). Diamond serves as an agent of change, addressing 21st century challenges such as disease, clean energy, food security and more. Since operations started, more than 16,000 researchers from both academia and industry have used Diamond to conduct experiments, with the support of approximately 760 world-class staff. Almost 12,000 scientific articles have been published by our users and scientists.
Funded by the UK Government through the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and by the Wellcome Trust, Diamond is one of the most advanced scientific facilities in the world, and its pioneering capabilities are helping to keep the UK at the forefront of scientific research. Diamond was set-up as an independent not for profit company through a joint venture, between the UKRI’s Science and Technology Facilities Council and one of the world’s largest biomedical charities, the Wellcome Trust - each respectively owning 86% and 14% of the shareholding.