Role of chemical production and depositional losses on formaldehyde in the Community Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Multiphase Mechanism (CRACMM)

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is an important air pollutant with direct cancer risk and ozone-forming potential. HCHO sources are complex because HCHO is both directly emitted and produced from oxidation of most gas-phase reactive organic carbon. We update the secondary production of HCHO in the Community Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Multiphase Mechanism (CRACMM) in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Production of HCHO from isoprene and monoterpenes is increased, correcting an underestimate in the current version. Simulated June-August surface HCHO during peak photochemical production (11:00-15:00 LT, local time) increased by 0.6 ppb (32 %) over the southeastern USA and by 0.2 ppb (13 %) over the contiguous USA. The increased HCHO compares more favorably with satellite-based observations from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) and from aircraft-based observations. Evaluation against hourly surface observations indicates a missing nighttime sink that can be improved by increased nighttime deposition, which reduces June-August nocturnal (20:00-04:00 LT) surface HCHO by 1.1 ppb (36 %) over the southeastern USA and 0.5 ppb (29 %) over the contiguous USA. The ability of CRACMM to capture peak levels of HCHO at midday is improved, particularly at sites in the northeastern USA, while peak levels at sites in the southeastern USA are improved, although still lower than observed. Using established risk assessment methods, lifetime exposure of the population in the contiguous USA (~320 million) to ambient HCHO levels predicted here may result in 6200 lifetime cancer cases, with 40 % from controllable anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides and reactive organic compounds. Chemistry updates will be available in CRACMM version 2 (CRACMM2) in CMAQv5.5.

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Publication Details

Journal
Atmospheric chemistry and physics
Published
2024-11-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12903-2024
Citations
15
Primary Topic
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
5.64

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article

Role of chemical production and depositional losses on formaldehyde in the Community Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Multiphase Mechanism (CRACMM)

Jesse Owen Bash, Colleen B. Baublitz, Forwood Wiser, Alan Fried et al.
15 citations
Atmospheric chemistry and physics
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
5.64
article

Role of chemical production and depositional losses on formaldehyde in the Community Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Multiphase Mechanism (CRACMM)

Jesse Owen Bash, Colleen B. Baublitz, Forwood Wiser, Alan Fried, V. Faye McNeill, Havala O. T. Pye, Andrew Whitehill, Barron H. Henderson, Jason M. St. Clair, T. Nash Skipper, Asher P. Mouat, Ivan R. Piletic, Glenn M. Wolfe, Bryan K. Place, Emma L. D’Ambro, Thomas Frost Hanisco, Rebecca H. Schwantes, Jennifer Kaiser
article en
15 citations

Abstract

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is an important air pollutant with direct cancer risk and ozone-forming potential. HCHO sources are complex because HCHO is both directly emitted and produced from oxidation of most gas-phase reactive organic carbon. We update the secondary production of HCHO in the Community Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Multiphase Mechanism (CRACMM) in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Production of HCHO from isoprene and monoterpenes is increased, correcting an underestimate in the current version. Simulated June-August surface HCHO during peak photochemical production (11:00-15:00 LT, local time) increased by 0.6 ppb (32 %) over the southeastern USA and by 0.2 ppb (13 %) over the contiguous USA. The increased HCHO compares more favorably with satellite-based observations from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) and from aircraft-based observations. Evaluation against hourly surface observations indicates a missing nighttime sink that can be improved by increased nighttime deposition, which reduces June-August nocturnal (20:00-04:00 LT) surface HCHO by 1.1 ppb (36 %) over the southeastern USA and 0.5 ppb (29 %) over the contiguous USA. The ability of CRACMM to capture peak levels of HCHO at midday is improved, particularly at sites in the northeastern USA, while peak levels at sites in the southeastern USA are improved, although still lower than observed. Using established risk assessment methods, lifetime exposure of the population in the contiguous USA (~320 million) to ambient HCHO levels predicted here may result in 6200 lifetime cancer cases, with 40 % from controllable anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides and reactive organic compounds. Chemistry updates will be available in CRACMM version 2 (CRACMM2) in CMAQv5.5.

Atmospheric chemistry and physicsVol. 24(22)
Environmental Protection Agency (US), Goddard Space Flight Center (US), Georgia Institute of Technology (US), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US), Research Triangle Park Foundation (US), Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (US), University of Colorado Boulder (US), SciGlob (United States) (US), Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Columbia University (US), University of Maryland, Baltimore County (US)
U.S. Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Office of Research and Development, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Climate Program Office
Clean water and sanitation
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
5.64
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