Impact of fuel uses in the formation and prevention of global secondary organic aerosol

This study estimates global anthropogenic and biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosols (a-SOA and b-SOA) and the contributions of four fuel sectors (Solid Biofuel, Coal, Liquid Oil and Natural Gas, and Process and non -combustion emissions (in metal production, chemical industry, manure management)) to their formation. The global landscape was divided into eleven domains (North America; South America; Europe; North Africa and the Middle East; Equatorial Africa; South of Africa; Russia and Central Asia; Eastern Asia; South Asia; Southeast Asia, and Australia). WRF-Chem model coupled with emission inventories as model inputs, atmospheric reactions from the RACM gas-phase mechanism, and the secondary organic aerosol module (SORGAM) were employed for estimating a-SOA and b-SOA for the year 2018. At the global scale, SOA contribution was dominated by liquid oil and natural gas emissions (38%), process and non-combustion emissions (24%), and solid biofuels (22%). Over 54% of SOA formations can be effectively prevented by eliminating emissions from the combustion of fossil fuel (liquid oil + natural gas and coal). However, the relative equilibrium between these fuels differed at the domain levels.

Automated summary

This study estimates the contributions of different fuel sectors to the formation of anthropogenic and biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosols (a-SOA and b-SOA) globally. The results show that liquid oil and natural gas emissions, process and non-combustion emissions, and solid biofuels are the dominant contributors to SOA formation at the global scale. Eliminating emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels can effectively prevent over 54% of SOA formations.