Environmental Studies and Forestry

Large contribution of fossil-derived components to aqueous secondary organic aerosols in China

B. Xu, G. Zhang, et al.

This groundbreaking research conducted by Buqing Xu, Gan Zhang, Örjan Gustafsson, and their colleagues unveils the significant role of fossil emissions in the creation of aqueous-phase secondary organic aerosols (aqSOA). With over half of the aqSOA molecules hailing from fossil-derived sources, their findings challenge the assumption of aqSOA being primarily biogenic, revealing critical implications for air quality and climate change.