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Abstract. As Na + , Mg 2+ , and Cl − are major ionic constituents of seawater, NaCl-MgCl 2 mixture particles might represent sea-spray aerosols (SSAs) better than pure NaCl. However, there have been very few hygroscopic studies of pure MgCl 2 and NaCl-MgCl 2 mixture aerosol particles despite the MgCl 2 moiety playing a major role in the hygroscopic behavior of nascent SSAs. Laboratorygenerated pure MgCl 2 and NaCl-MgCl 2 mixture aerosol particles with 12 mixing ratios (0.01 ≤ mole fraction of NaCl (X NaCl ) ≤ 0.9) were examined systematically by optical microscopy (OM), in situ Raman micro-spectrometry (RMS), and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDX) elemental X-ray mapping to observe their hygroscopic behavior, derive the experimental phase diagrams, and obtain the chemical micro-structures. Dry-deposited MgCl 2 q 6H 2 O particles exhibited a deliquescence relative humidity (DRH) of ∼ 33.0 % and an efflorescence RH (ERH) of 10.8-9.1 %, whereas the nebulized pure MgCl 2 and MgCl 2 -dominant particles of X NaCl = 0.026 (eutonic) and 0.01 showed single-stage transitions at DRH of ∼ 15.9 % and ERH of 10.1-3.2 %. The characteristic OHstretching Raman signatures indicated the crystallization of MgCl 2 q 4H 2 O at low relative humidities (RHs), suggesting that the kinetic barrier to MgCl 2 q 6H 2 O crystallization is not overcome in the timescale of the dehydration measurements. The NaCl-MgCl 2 mixture particles of 0.05 ≤ X NaCl ≤ 0.9 generally showed two-stage deliquescence: first at the mutual DRH (MDRH) of ∼ 15.9 %; and second with the complete dissolution of NaCl at the second DRHs depending on the mixing ratios, resulting in a phase diagram composed of three distinct phases. During dehydration, most particles of 0.05 ≤ X NaCl ≤ 0.9 exhibited two-stage efflorescence: first, by the homogeneous nucleation of NaCl; and second, at mutual ERH (MERH) of ∼ 10.4-2.9 %, by the crystallization of the MgCl 2 q 4H 2 O moiety, also resulting in three distinct phases. Interestingly, particles of X NaCl = 0.1 and 0.2 frequently showed three different types of mutual deliquescence behaviors. The first type exhibited an MDRH at ∼ 15.9 %. The second exhibited the first MDRH at ∼ 15.9 %, efflorescence to MgCl 2 q 6H 2 O (confirmed by in situ RMS) at RH of ∼ 16.1-25.0 %, and a second MDRH at ∼ 33.0 %. The third showed an MDRH at ∼ 33.0 %. Some particles of X NaCl = 0.1 and 0.2 also exhibited higher MERHs = 15.2-11.9 % and 23.7-15.3 %, respectively, forming MgCl 2 q 6H 2 O. These observations suggest that the presence of sufficient condensed water and optimally sized crystalline NaCl (X NaCl = 0.1 and 0.2) acting as heterogeneous nucleation seeds helps overcome the kinetic barrier, leading to the structural growth and crystallization of MgCl 2 q 6H 2 O. SEM/EDX elemental X-ray mapping showed that the effloresced NaCl-rich particles contain homogeneously crystallized NaCl in the center, surrounded by MgCl 2 q 4H 2 O. The observation of an aqueous phase over a wider RH range for NaCl-MgCl 2 mixture ...

Abstract. NaCl in fresh sea-salt aerosol (SSA) particles can partially or fully react with atmospheric NO x /HNO 3 , so internally mixed NaCl and NaNO 3 aerosol particles can co-exist over a wide range of mixing ratios. Laboratorygenerated, micrometer-sized NaCl and NaNO 3 mixture particles at 10 mixing ratios (mole fractions of NaCl (X NaCl ) = 0.1 to 0.9) were examined systematically to observe their hygroscopic behavior, derive experimental phase diagrams for deliquescence and efflorescence, and understand the efflorescence mechanism. During the humidifying process, aerosol particles with the eutonic composition (X NaCl = 0.38) showed only one phase transition at their mutual deliquescence relative humidity (MDRH) of 67.9 (±0.5) %. On the other hand, particles with other mixing ratios showed two distinct deliquescence transitions; i.e., the eutonic component dissolved at MDRH, and the remainder in the solid phase dissolved completely at their DRHs depending on the mixing ratios, resulting in a phase diagram composed of four different phases, as predicted thermodynamically. During the dehydration process, NaCl-rich particles (X NaCl > 0.38) showed a two stage efflorescence transition: the first stage was purely driven by the homogeneous nucleation of NaCl and the second stage at the mutual efflorescence RH (MERH) of the eutonic components, with values in the range of 30.0-35.5 %. Interestingly, aerosol particles with the eutonic composition (X NaCl = 0.38) also showed two-stage efflorescence, with NaCl crystallizing first followed by heterogeneous nucleation of the remaining NaNO 3 on the NaCl seeds. NaNO 3 -rich particles (X NaCl ≤ 0.3) underwent singlestage efflorescence transitions at ERHs progressively lower than the MERH because of the homogeneous nucleation of NaCl and the almost simultaneous heterogeneous nucleation of NaNO 3 on the NaCl seeds. SEM/EDX elemental mapping indicated that the effloresced NaCl-NaNO 3 particles at all mixing ratios were composed of a homogeneously crystallized NaCl moiety in the center, surrounded either by the eutonic component (for X NaCl > 0.38) or NaNO 3 (for X NaCl ≤ 0.38). During the humidifying or dehydration process, the amount of eutonic composed part drives particle/droplet growth or shrinkage at the MDRH or MERH (second ERH), respectively, and the amount of pure salts (NaCl or NaNO 3 in NaCl-or NaNO 3 -rich particles, respectively) drives the second DRHs or first ERHs, respectively. Therefore, their behavior can be a precursor to the optical properties and direct radiative forcing for these atmospherically relevant mixture particles representing the coarse, reacted inorganic SSAs. In addition, the NaCl-NaNO 3 mixture aerosol particles can maintain an aqueous phase over a wider RH range than pure NaCl particles as SSA surrogate, making their heterogeneous chemistry more probable.

Abstract. Two aerosol samples collected at King Sejong Korean scientific research station, Antarctica, on 9 December 2011 in the austral summer (sample S1) and 23 July 2012 in the austral winter (sample S2), when the oceanic chlorophyll a levels on the collection days of the samples were quite different, by  ∼  19 times (2.46 vs. 0.13 µg L−1, respectively), were investigated on a single-particle basis using quantitative energy-dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis (ED-EPMA), called low-Z particle EPMA, Raman microspectrometry (RMS), and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) imaging techniques to obtain their characteristics based on the elemental chemical compositions, molecular species, and mixing state. X-ray analysis showed that the supermicron summertime and wintertime Antarctic aerosol samples have different elemental chemical compositions, even though all the individual particles analyzed were sea spray aerosols (SSAs); i.e., the contents of C, O, Ca, S, and Si were more elevated, whereas Cl was more depleted, for sample S1 than for sample S2. Based on qualitative analysis of the chemical species present in individual SSAs by the combined application of RMS and ATR-FTIR imaging, different organic species were observed in samples S1 and S2; i.e., Mg hydrate salts of alanine were predominant in samples S1 and S2, whereas Mg salts of fatty acids internally mixed with Mg hydrate salts of alanine were significant in sample S2. Although CaSO4 was observed significantly in both samples S1 and S2, other inorganic species, such as Na2SO4, NaNO3, Mg(NO3)2, SiO2, and CH3SO3Mg, were observed more significantly in sample S1, suggesting that those compounds may be related to the higher phytoplankton activity in summer.

The influence of six collecting substrates with different physical properties on the hygroscopicity measurement of inorganic aerosol particle surrogates and the potential applications of these substrates were examined experimentally. Laboratory-generated single salt particles, such as NaCl, KCl, and (NH4)2SO4, 1-5 μm in size, were deposited on transmission electron microscopy grids (TEM grids), parafilm-M, Al foil, Ag foil, silicon wafer, and cover glass. The particle hygroscopic properties were examined by optical microscopy. Contact angle measurements showed that parafilm-M is hydrophobic, and cover glass, silicon wafer, Al foil, and Ag foil substrates are hydrophilic. The observed deliquescence relative humidity (DRH) values for NaCl, KCl, and (NH4)2SO4 on the TEM grids and parafilm-M substrates agreed well with the literature values, whereas the DRHs obtained on the hydrophilic substrates were consistently ∼1-2% lower, compared to those on the hydrophobic substrates. The water layer adsorbed on the salt crystals prior to deliquescence increases the Gibb's free energy of the salt crystal-substrate system compared to the free energy of the salt droplet-substrate system, which in turn reduces the DRHs. The hydrophilic nature of the substrate does not affect the measured efflorescence RH (ERH) values. However, the Cl(-) or SO4(2-) ions in aqueous salt droplets seem to have reacted with Ag foil to form AgCl or Ag2SO4, respectively, which in turn acts as seeds for the heterogeneous nucleation of the original salts, leading to higher ERHs. The TEM grids were found to be most suitable for the hygroscopic measurements of individual inorganic aerosol particles by optical microscopy and when multiple analytical techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, TEM-EDX, and/or Raman microspectrometry, are applied to the same individual particles.

Recently, ambient sea spray aerosols (SSAs) have been reported to undergo reactions with dicarboxylic acids (DCAs). Several studies have examined the hygroscopic behavior and chemical reactivity of aerosols generated from NaCl-DCA mixture solutions, but the results have varied, especially for the NaCl-malonic acid (NaCl-MA) mixture system. In this work, in situ Raman microspectrometry (RMS) was used to simultaneously monitor the change in chemical composition, size, and phase as a function of the relative humidity, for individual aerosols generated from NaCl-MA solutions, during two hygroscopic measurement cycles, which were performed first through the dehydration process, followed by a humidification process, in each cycle. In situ RMS analysis for the aerosols showed that the chemical reaction between NaCl and MA occurred rapidly in the time scale of 1 h and considerably in the aqueous phase, mostly during the first dehydration process, and the chemical reaction occurs more rapidly when MA is more enriched in the aerosols. For example, the reaction between NaCl and MA for aerosols generated from solutions of NaCl:MA = 2:1 and 1:2 occurred by 81% and 100% at RH = 42% and 45%, respectively, during the first dehydration process. The aerosols generated from the solution of NaCl:MA = 2:1 revealed single efflorescence and deliquescence transitions repeatedly during two hygroscopic cycles. The aerosols from NaCl:MA = 1:1 and 1:2 solutions showed just an efflorescence transition during the first dehydration process and no efflorescence and deliquescence transition during the hygroscopic cycles, respectively. The observed different hygroscopic behavior was due to the different contents of NaCl, MA, and monosodium malonate in the aerosols, which were monitored real-time by in situ RMS.

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Two aerosol samples collected at King Sejong Korean scientific research station, Antarctica on Dec. 9, 2011 in the austral summer (sample S1) and July 23, 2012 in the austral winter (sample S2), when the oceanic chlorophyll-a levels were quite different, by ~19 times (2.46 vs. 0.13 μg/L, respectively), were investigated on a single particle basis using quantitative energy-dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis (ED-EPMA), called low-Z particle EPMA, Raman microspectrometry (RMS), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) imaging techniques to obtain their characteristics based on the elemental chemical compositions, molecular species, and mixing state. X-ray analysis showed that the supermicron summertime and wintertime Antarctic aerosol samples have different elemental chemical compositions, even though all the individual particles analyzed were sea spray aerosols (SSAs); i.e., the contents of C, O, Ca, S, and Si were more elevated, whereas Cl was more depleted, for sample S1 having a much higher chlorophyll-a level than for sample S2. Based on qualitative analysis of the chemical species present in individual SSAs by the combined application of RMS and ATR-FTIR imaging, different organic species were encountered in samples S1 and S2; i.e., Mg hydrate salts of alanine were predominant in samples S1 and S2, whereas Mg salts of fatty acids internally mixed with Mg hydrate salts of alanine were significant in sample S2. Although CaSO<sub>4</sub> was encountered significantly in both samples S1 and S2, other inorganic species, such as Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, NaNO<sub>3</sub>, Mg(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, SiO<sub>2</sub>, and CH<sub>3</sub>SO<sub>3</sub>Mg, were encountered more significantly in sample S1, suggesting that those compounds may be related to the higher phytoplankton activity in summer.</p>

A 109 Cd radioisotope-induced energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) study has been performed on samples of cauliflower consisting of the flower, the leaves and the associated root soil. The cauliflowers are collected from farms near the main dumping site of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the city of Kolkata, India, and also from uncontaminated farms about 50 km away from the city. The systematic investigation is primarily aimed at achieving two correlated objectives. Firstly, a unified calibration approach is undertaken for the study tool viz., EDXRF spectrometer, through the use of same instrumental scattering constants for quantification in widely differing matrices like soil and plant. Quality control was done by quantitative reproduction of National Institute of Standards and Technology-Standard Reference Materials (NIST-SRMs). Subsequently, the second objective is to comparatively study elemental uptake in the cauliflower samples from contaminated and uncontaminated farms using the same calibration. This study suggests that the elemental concentrations in the root soils and leaves of the samples vary from farm to farm, whereby the concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb in root soils of MSW-contaminated farms are higher by almost an order of magnitude compared to uncontaminated farms. But the most notable feature of this study is the strikingly similar elemental concentrations in the edible flower part of all samples irrespective of the soil type. Plots of the ratio of concentrations of elements in leaf to soil and in flower to leaf, observed from the present EDXRF study suggests that a preferential uptake of elements takes place at different stages.