Shen Yanan, Zhang Qixin, Xu Yilun, Li Menghan, Thiemens Mark H
School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Dec 17;121(51):e2408199121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2408199121. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
The observation of mass-independent sulfur isotope fractionations (S-MIF) in Archean-Paleoproterozoic rocks has been instrumental in constraining oxygen levels on early Earth. The S-MIF effect, experimentally demonstrated to result from photochemical reactions, has now been observed in coal combustion, expanding our understanding of this phenomenon. Our study reveals that the negative ΔS anomalies produced by coal combustion are consistent with similar anomalies observed in present-day sulfate aerosols in Beijing, China, and the black crust sulfates formed on building stones, monument walls, and sculptures in Europe that contribute to carbonate stone deterioration and cultural heritage damage. This finding provides independent evidence for a critical role of atmospheric sulfate from coal combustion in maintaining isotopic balance and offers an effective method for tracing sulfate aerosol sources. These insights are vital for developing more effective regulatory policies to control air pollution and protect public health. Given that coal energy production remains a significant issue in climate science, accurately mapping the global distribution of its by-products is imperative.
在太古宙-古元古代岩石中观察到的质量无关硫同位素分馏（S-MIF）有助于限制早期地球的氧气水平。S-MIF效应已通过实验证明是由光化学反应产生的，现在在煤炭燃烧中也观察到了，这扩展了我们对这一现象的理解。我们的研究表明，煤炭燃烧产生的负ΔS异常与在中国北京现今硫酸盐气溶胶中观察到的类似异常以及在欧洲建筑物石材、纪念碑墙壁和雕塑上形成的黑皮硫酸盐一致，这些硫酸盐会导致碳酸盐石材劣化和文化遗产受损。这一发现为煤炭燃烧产生的大气硫酸盐在维持同位素平衡中的关键作用提供了独立证据，并提供了一种追踪硫酸盐气溶胶来源的有效方法。这些见解对于制定更有效的监管政策以控制空气污染和保护公众健康至关重要。鉴于煤炭能源生产在气候科学中仍然是一个重要问题，准确绘制其副产品的全球分布至关重要。
