Ultrafast Aqueous-Phase Oxidation of Atmospheric VOCs in Charged Microdroplet

Atmospheric chemistry plays an important role in shaping oxidative stress and transformingthe species in the air. While extensive research has been conducted on gas-phase volatileorganic compounds (VOCs) oxidation, missing sinks are key to air pollution and climatechange modeling. Recent evidence suggests that charged microdroplets naturally occur inthunderstorms, sea spray aerosols, cloud droplets, and indoor air. This provides a high electricfield where reactions can proceed orders of magnitude faster than bulk solution, while theircontribution to VOC oxidation remains underexplored. This proposal focuses on the oxidationof VOCs in charged microdroplets using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as a model oxidant,mimicking the role of charged microdroplets in reactive-chlorine oxidation. By employingelectrospray mass spectrometry and radical trapping techniques, we will elucidate charged andinterfacial mechanisms that enhance reaction rates and drive secondary organic aerosols (SOA)formation to shed new light on microdroplet-driven oxidation as a missing pathway in outdoorand indoor air chemistry. This research will result in a journal publication and establish afoundation for future GRF funding applications, expanding our knowledge of aqueous-phaseoxidation processes in outdoor and indoor air, improving our understanding of PM2.5 formation,air pollution mitigation strategies, and climate interactions.