Organic aggregate formation in aerosols and its impact on the physicochemical properties of atmospheric particles

Fatty acid salts and “humic” materials, found in abundance in atmospheric particles, are both anionic surfactants. Such materials are known to form organic aggregates or colloids in solution at very low aqueous concentrations. In a marine aerosol, micelle aggregates can form at a low fatty acid salt molality of 10−3 m. In other types of atmospheric particles, such as biomass burning, biogenic, soil dust, and urban aerosols, “humic-like” materials exist in sufficient quantities to form micelle-like aggregates in solution. I show micelle formation limits the ability of surface-active organics in aerosols to reduce the surface tension of an atmospheric particle beyond about 10 dyne cm−1. A general phase diagram is presented for anionic surfactants to explain how surface-active organics can change the water uptake properties of atmospheric aerosols. Briefly such molecules can enhance and reduce water uptake by atmospheric aerosols at dry and humid conditions, respectively. This finding is consistent with a number of unexplained field and laboratory observations. Dry electron microscope images of atmospheric particles often indicate that organics may coat the surface of particles in the atmosphere. The surfactant phase diagram is used to trace the particle path back to ambient conditions in order to determine whether such coatings can exist on wet ambient aerosols. Finally, I qualitatively highlight how organic aggregate formation in aerosols may change the optical properties and chemical reactivity of atmospheric particles.