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Short-term exposure to ammonium sulfate modifies ice nucleation by alpha-alumina but not organic monolayers or microplastics.
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When tiny dust particles get coated with ammonium sulfate (a common air pollutant), they freeze water more easily, which affects how clouds form. This matters because understanding these freezing changes helps scientists predict weather patterns and evaluate whether these particles could be used to fight climate change.
Accurate predictions of ice cloud formation require understanding how ammonium sulfate affects the freezing behavior of ice-nucleating substances (INSs). This knowledge is also essential for evaluating the reliability of a freezing assay used to identify ice-nucleating mineral dusts in atmospheric samples. Here, we used a droplet freezing technique to investigate the effects of short-term exposure (minutes) to ammonium sulfate on six INSs: two α-alumina samples (submicrometer, < 1 µm, and supermicrometer, > 1 µm), two alcohol monolayers (CHOH and CHOH), and two microplastics (polyethylene terephthalate and low-density polyethylene). Exposure to ammonium sulfate did not change the ice-nucleating properties of the alcohol monolayers or microplastics. In contrast, submicrometer α-alumina exhibited enhanced ice-nucleating ability following ammonium sulfate exposure, while the supermicrometer α-alumina showed no change, despite similar bulk composition. This size-dependent response is consistent with differences in surface hydroxy protonation states. More deprotonated, negatively charged surface hydroxy groups can attract ammonium cations, modifying interfacial hydrogen-bonding networks and stabilizing nascent ice clusters. These findings should be considered when evaluating submicrometer α-alumina for stratospheric aerosol injection as a solar management strategy. In addition, our results support the use of ammonium sulfate-based freezing assays for identifying ice-nucleating mineral components in atmospheric samples.
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Short−Term Exposure to Ammonium Sulfate Modifies Ice Nucleation by Alpha-Alumina but Not Organic Monolayers or Microplastics
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Using a droplet freezing assay, researchers found that short-term exposure to ammonium sulfate did not significantly alter the ice nucleation behavior of organic monolayers or microplastics, but did modify ice nucleation by alpha-alumina particles, with implications for atmospheric ice cloud formation predictions.
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Scientists discovered that some microplastic particles can trigger ice crystal formation in clouds, a process that influences weather patterns and rainfall. However, when the plastics were exposed to UV light and ozone (simulating atmospheric aging), their ice-forming ability decreased, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the atmosphere may behave differently from fresh particles.
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