The impact of different nitrous acid sources in the air quality levels of the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Hydroxyl radical (OH) is a primary oxidant in the atmosphere and affects both gasphase pollutants and particulate matter levels. Nitrous acid (HONO) acts as an important source of OH in the urban atmosphere. Therefore it is important to account accu- 5 rately for HONO sources within air quality models in order to predict air pollution dynamics. HONO observations in urban areas are characterized by high concentrations at night and low concentrations around midday. Existing gas-phase chemical mechanisms do not reproduce the observed HONO levels, suggesting a lack of sources, such as direct emissions or heterogeneous reactions. Specific HONO emission rates, het10 erogeneous chemical mechanisms leading to its formation and related kinetics are still unclear. Therefore, most air quality models consider exclusively gas-phase chemistry related to HONO. This work applies the WRF-ARW/HERMES/CMAQ modeling system to quantify the effect of the addition of HONO sources in the predictability of HONO profiles, and its subsequent effect on secondary pollutants formation (mainly O3 and 15 PM2.5).