Environment

Emerging Amines reshape the paradigm of urban atmospheric particle formation

Yongjian Lian, Xurong Bai, Ruoying Yuan, Wenli Xu, Hongjun Mao, Jianfei Peng, Shuai Jiang

Featured May 29, 2026

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Simply

Tiny new air particles, which affect climate and health, are mostly formed in cities not just by the usual chemical mix, but strongly by new amines released from carbon capture tech.

In depth

The paper challenges the prevailing view that sulfuric acid-dimethylamine (SA-DMA) nucleation dominates urban new particle formation (NPF). It systematically evaluates emerging amines from carbon capture processes, demonstrating that species like diethanolamine (DEA) and piperazine (PZ) can form more stable clusters with sulfuric acid and lead to significantly higher nucleation rates, especially in polluted urban environments. These findings suggest a need to revisit the current understanding of urban NPF.

Key Takeaways

1
Emerging amines (DEA, PZ) from carbon capture technologies are identified as dominant drivers of urban new particle formation (NPF), surpassing dimethylamine (DMA).
2
Quantum chemical calculations and cluster dynamics simulations reveal that DEA and PZ form more stable clusters with sulfuric acid due to enhanced hydrogen bonding and basicity.
3
The findings necessitate a revisiting of the urban NPF paradigm and highlight the previously unrecognized atmospheric consequences of expanding carbon capture technologies.

Conceptual Flow

HIGH LEVEL

Methodology: How New Particles Form

Scientists use computers to simulate how tiny air molecules stick together to form new particles, comparing old ideas with new chemicals.

Air Chemicals

Computer Simulation

New Particle Rates

Results: New Chemicals Make More Particles

The study found that certain new chemicals from carbon capture make many more tiny air particles than the old chemicals, especially in summer.

Old Chemicals

New Chemicals

Compare Particle Output

Few New Particles

Many New Particles