Size‐Resolved Mixing States and Sources of Amine‐Containing Particles in the East China Sea

Abstract

Abstract Single‐particle aerosol mass spectrometry was employed during a cruise campaign from 3 to 27 June 2017 to investigate the mixing states and sources of amine‐containing particles in the East China Sea. A total of 271,160 particles were successfully identified, and 19,861 of these particles contained amines. Monomethylamine (MMA), trimethylamine (TMA), and diethylamine (DEA) were the most abundant amines. They accounted for 50%, 16%, and 29%, respectively, of the amine‐containing particles. The size distributions (mean ± geometric standard deviation) of the MMA‐, TMA‐, and DEA‐containing particles peaked at 0.58 ± 0.12, 0.56 ± 0.10, and 0.40 ± 0.10 μm, respectively. Using an adaptive resonance theory neural network algorithm, four major clusters of amine‐containing particles were categorized: carbon‐rich particles, K‐rich particles, Na‐rich particles, and metal‐rich particles. The MMA‐containing particles contained abundant elemental carbon‐, K‐, Mn‐, and Fe‐rich particles, which exhibit higher concentrations in land air masses, indicating that the MMA mainly originated from terrestrial anthropogenic sources. The TMA‐containing particles contained abundant organic and elemental carbon‐, EC‐, K‐, and V‐rich particles. High concentrations of TMA‐containing particles were measured near ports, indicating the significant contribution of the ports. The DEA‐containing particles contained abundant organic and elemental carbon‐, K‐, Mn‐, Cu‐, and Na‐rich particles, and high concentrations of DEA‐containing particles were observed in remote marine areas, suggesting that both terrestrial anthropogenic and marine sources are important contributors to DEA‐containing particles.