Research Area

• Atmospheric chemistry and air quality
• Atmospheric heterogeneous/multiphase chemistry
• Cloud-aerosol-gas interactions
• Oxidation of VOCs and SOA formation

Research Interest

Photochemical smog and haze are the two major regional air pollution problems in many developed and developing regions. Although the problem has long been recognized, the sources and formation mechanisms of the air pollution are more complex than previously understood and significant knowledge gaps still exist. Dr. Wang’s research is trying to understand the complicated air pollution matrix via field monitoring, lab experiments, and modeling approaches, and to conduct cutting-edge fundamental research on atmospheric chemistry.

Dr. Wang’s research aims to improve the knowledge of the sources, speciation, and oxidation process of the VOCs, and further evaluate the roles of different oxidation mechanism (e.g., various radicals, gas/multi-phases reactions, etc.) in O3 and SOA formation. Meanwhile, his research also tries to investigate the interactions among clouds, gasses and aerosols, and evaluate the role of the heterogeneous and multiphase chemical processes in the atmospheric chemistry and air quality.

Recent Publications

• Xu, Y., Hui, L., Zheng, P., Liu, G., Yu, J. Z., and Wang, Z.*: Monitoring techniques of airborne carbonyl compounds: Principles, performance and challenges, TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 169, 117395, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117395
• Feng, X., Guo, J., Wang, Z.*, Gu, D., Ho, K.-F., Chen, Y., Liao, K., Cheung, V., Louie, P. K. K., Leung, K., Yu, J. Z., Fung, J., and Lau, A.: Investigation of the multi-year trend of surface ozone and ozone-precursor relationship in Hong Kong, Atmospheric Environment, 120139, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.120139
• Yan, C., Tham, Y. J., Nie, W., Xia, M., Wang, H., Guo, Y., Ma, W., Zhan, J., Hua, C., Li, Y., Deng, C., Li, Y., Zheng, F., Chen, X., Li, Q., Zhang, G., Mahajan, A. S., Cuevas, C. A., Huang, D. D., Wang, Z., Sun, Y., Saiz-Lopez, A., Bianchi, F., Kerminen, V.-M., Worsnop, D. R., Donahue, N. M., Jiang, J., Liu, Y., Ding, A., and Kulmala, M.: Increasing contribution of nighttime nitrogen chemistry to wintertime haze formation in Beijing observed during covid-19 lockdowns, Nature Geoscience, 2023.   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01285-1
• Hui, L., Feng, X., Yuan Q., Chen, Y., Yang, X., Zheng, P., S.C. Lee, and Wang, Z.*: Abundant oxygenated volatile organic compounds and their contribution to photochemical pollution in subtropical Hong Kong, Environ. Pollut., 335,122287, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122287
• Xu, Y., Feng, X., Chen, Y., Zheng, P., Hui, L., Chen, Y., Yu, J. Z., and Wang, Z.*: Development of an enhanced method for atmospheric carbonyls and characterizing their roles in photochemistry in subtropical Hong Kong, Sci. Total Environ., 165135, 2023.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165135
• Zheng, P., Chen, Y., Wang, Z.*, Liu, Y., Pu, W., Yu, C., Xia, M., Xu, Y., Guo, J., Guo, Y., Tian, L., Qiao, X., Huang, D. D., Yan, C., Nie, W., Worsnop, D. R., Lee, S., and Wang, T.: Molecular characterization of oxygenated organic molecules and their dominating roles in particle growth in hong kong, Environ. Sci. Technol., 57, 7764-7776, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c09252
• Li F, Huang D D, Nie W, Tham Y, Lou S, Li Y, Tian L, Liu Y, Zhou M, Wang H, Qiao L, Wang H, Wang, Z*, Huang C*, Li Y.* Observation of Nitrogen Oxide-Influenced Chlorine Chemistry and Source Analysis of Cl2 in the Yangtze River Delta, China, Atmos. Environ., 306, 119829, 2023.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.119829
• Guo, J., Zhang, X.*, Gao, Y., Wang, Z., Zhang, M., Xue, W., Herrmann, H., Brasseur, G. P., Wang, T., and Wang, Z.*. The evolution of ozone pollution in China: what track will it follow? Environ. Sci. Technol., 57, 109-117, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c08205
• Chen, Y., Tan, Y., Zheng, P., Wang, Z.*, Zou Z., Ho, K-F, Lee, S.*, Wang, T.. Effect of NO2 on nocturnal chemistry of isoprene: gaseous oxygenated products and secondary organic aerosol formation, Sci. Total Environ., 842, 156908, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156908
• Niu, Y., Zhu, B., He. L., Wang, Z.*, Lin, X., Tang, M., Huang XF*. Fast nocturnal heterogeneous chemistry in a coastal background atmosphere and its implications for daytime photochemistry. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., e2022JD036716, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD036716
• Nie, W.#, Yan, C. #, Huang, D. #, Wang, Z.# (#equal first authors), Liu, Y., Qiao, X., Guo, Y., Tian, L., Zheng, P., Xu, Z., Li, Y., Xu, Z., Qi, X., Sun, P., Wang, J., Zheng, F., Li, X., Yin, R., Dallenbach, K. R., Bianchi, F., Petäjä, T., Zhang, Y., Wang, M., Schervish, M., Wang, S., Qiao, L., Wang, Q., Zhou, M., Wang, H., Yu, C., Yao, D., Guo, H., Ye, P., Lee, S., Li, Y. J., Liu, Y., Chi, X., Kerminen, V.-M., Ehn, M., Donahue, N. M., Wang, T., Huang, C., Kulmala, M., Worsnop, D., Jiang, J.*, and Ding, A.*: Secondary organic aerosol formed by condensing anthropogenic vapours over China’s megacities, Nature Geoscience, 15, 255-261, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00922-5
• Liu, Q., Gao, Y., Huang, W., Ling, Z.*, Wang, Z.*, and Wang, X.: Carbonyl compounds in the atmosphere: A review of abundance, source and their contributions to O3 and SOA formation, Atmos. Research, 106184, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106184
• Chen, Y., Zheng, P., Wang, Z.*, Pu, W., Tan, Y., Yu, C., Xia, M., Wang, W., Guo, J., Huang, D., Yan, C., Nie, W., Ling, Z., Chen, Q., Lee, S., and Wang, T.: Secondary Formation and Impacts of Gaseous Nitro-Phenolic Compounds in the Continental Outflow Observed at a Background Site in South China, Environ. Sci. Technol., 56, 6933-6943, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c04596
• Xia, M., Wang, T.*, Wang, Z., Chen, Y., Peng, X., Huo, Y., Wang, W., Yuan, Q., Jiang, Y., Guo, H., Lau, C., Leung, K., Yu, A., and Lee, S.: Pollution-Derived Br2 Boosts Oxidation Power of the Coastal Atmosphere, Environ. Sci. Technol., 56: 12055-12065, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c02434
• Guo, J., Wang, Z., Cui, Y., and Zhang, X*: Assessment of the H2O2 budget at an urban site concerning the HO2 underprediction and the vertical transport from residual layers, Atmospheric Environment, 118952, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.118952
• Yu, C., Wang, Z.*, Ma, Q., Xue, L., George, C., and Wang, T.*: Measurement of heterogeneous uptake of NO2 on inorganic particles, sea water and urban grime, Journal of Environmental Sciences, 106, 124-135, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2021.01.018
• Ling, Z., Xie, Q., Shao, M., Wang, Z.*, Wang, T., Guo, H., and Wang, X.*: Formation and sink of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in a polluted subtropical environment: observation-based photochemical analysis and impact evaluation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 11451-11467, 2020. https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/20/11451/2020/
• Yu C, Wang, Z.*, Xia M, Fu X, Wang W, Tham Y, Chen T, Zheng P, Li H, Shan Y, Wang X, Xue L, Zhou Y, Yue D, Ou Y, Gao J, Lu K, Brown S, Zhang Y, Wang T*. Heterogeneous N2O5 reactions on atmospheric aerosols at four Chinese sites: Improving model representation of uptake parameters, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 4367-4378, 2020. https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/20/4367/2020/
• Li T, Wang, Z.*, Wang Y, Wu, C., Liang, Y., Xia, M., Yu, C., Yun, H., Wang, W., Wang, Y., Guo, J., Herrmann, H., and Wang, T.: Chemical characteristics of cloud water and the impacts on aerosol properties at a subtropical mountain site in Hong Kong SAR, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 391-407, 2020. https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/20/391/2020/
• W. Zhao, Wang, Z.*, S. Li, L. Li, L. Wei, Q. Xie, S. Yue, T. Li, Y. Liang, Y. Sun, Z. Wang, X. Li, K. Kawamura, T. Wang, P. Fu.*. Water-soluble low molecular weight organics in cloud water at Mt. Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong. Sci. Total Environ., 697, 134095, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134095
• Chang D., Wang, Z.*, Guo, J., Li, T., Liang, Y., Kang, L., Xia M., Wang, Y., Yu, C., Yun, H., Yue, D., and Wang, T.: Characterization of organic aerosols and their precursors in southern China during a severe haze episode in January 2017, Sci. Total Environ., 691, 101-111, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.123
• He, Z., Wang, X., Ling, Z.*, Zhao, J., Guo, H., Shao, M., and Wang, Z.*: Contributions of different anthropogenic volatile organic compound sources to ozone formation at a receptor site in the Pearl River Delta region and its policy implications, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 8801-8816, 2019. https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/19/8801/2019/
• Guo, J., Wang, Z.*, Wang, T., and Zhang X..: Theoretical evaluation of different factors affecting the HO2 uptake coefficient driven by aqueous-phase first-order loss reaction, Sci. Total Environ., 683, 146-153, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.237
• Ling Z., He Z., Wang Z.*, Shao M., Wang X.*: Sources of methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone and their contributions to methylglyoxal and formaldehyde at a receptor site of the Pearl River Delta, J. Environ Sci., 79, 1-10, 2019. (Cover article) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2018.12.001
• Wang, W., Wang, Z.*, Yu, C., Xia, M., Peng, X., Zhou, Y., Yue, D., Ou, Y., and Wang, T. *: An in-situ flow-tube system for direct measurement of N2O5 heterogeneous uptake coefficients in polluted environments, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 5643-5655, 2018. https://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/11/5643/2018/
• Tham, Y. J., Wang, Z.*, Li, Q., Wang, W., Wang, X., Lu, K., Ma, N., Yan, C., Kecorius, S., Wiedensohler, A., Zhang, Y., and Wang, T.*: Heterogeneous N2O5 uptake coefficient and production yield of ClNO2 in polluted northern China: Roles of aerosol water content and chemical composition, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 13155-13171, 2018. https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/13155/2018/
• Wang, Z. *, Wang, W., Tham, Y. J., Li, Q., Wang, H., Wen, L., Wang, X., and Wang, T.*: Fast heterogeneous N2O5 uptake and ClNO2 production in power plant and industrial plumes observed in the nocturnal residual layer over the North China Plain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12361-12378, 2017. https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/12361/2017/