Data Resulting From the Study for Sulfate Explosive Growth in Wet Plumes

Sulfate aerosols are well known as an important atmospheric aerosol component, especially during haze periods. Their production pathway remians a mystery, and they are also referred to as “missing sulfate”. We show that sulfuric acid droplets are readily produced in wet plumes emitted from typical coal-fired stationary sources. The freshly formed sulfate originates from the condensation and absorption of SO2 and SO3 emitted from stacks when the discharged flue gas cools in ambient air. We discover that the fast-formed sulfate aerosols in the wet plumes from industrial stacks account for approximately 31.4% of the directly emitted sulfate aerosols in China. This study advances our understanding of industrial particulate emissions and their contribution to atmospheric sulfate.