Sulfate (SO₄^2-) aerosol imparts numerous influences on the atmosphere, climate and earth. However, current models generally fail to accurately predict sulfate production because of incomplete knowledge of chemical formation pathways of sulfate. A mass-independent oxygen isotopic composition (Δ¹⁷O) has been suggested to be a useful tool to identify sulfate aerosol formation pathways. In this review, we focus on Δ¹⁷O in sulfate aerosol, which brings new insight into sulfate formation, sulfur cycle and atmospheric chemistry. The basic definitions and concepts of Δ¹⁷O as well as its ubiquity in nature are presented. The analytical methods utilized for studying oxygen isotopic composition of sulfate aerosol and sources of mass-independent sulfate oxygen isotopic composition are manifested. Observations of Δ¹⁷O in sulfate aerosol are discussed, which generally exhibits a seasonal trend with minimum values ranging from 0.4‰ to 0.9‰ in summer and maximum values in a range of 1.6‰-3.4‰ in winter among year-long measurements. Moreover, Δ¹⁷O in sulfate aerosol shows regional characteristics in which non-sea-salt sulfate aerosol in the most reported marine boundary layers possesses high values about 7‰. Stratospheric volcanic sulfate has Δ¹⁷O values high up to 4.8‰. Δ¹⁷O in sulfate aerosol represents good observational constraint on atmospheric and climatic models, and thus enable quantitative assessments of the relative importance of different formation pathways of sulfate aerosol.

硫酸盐（SO ₄ ^2-）气溶胶会对大气，气候和地球产生许多影响。然而，由于对硫酸盐的化学形成途径的不完全了解，当前的模型通常不能准确地预测硫酸盐的产生。的质量无关的氧同位素组成（Δ ¹⁷ O）已被建议是识别硫酸盐气溶胶的形成途径的有用工具。在这次审查中，我们侧重于Δ ¹⁷ Ø在硫酸盐气溶胶，这带来了新的洞察形成硫酸，硫循环和大气化学。基本定义和Δ的概念¹⁷介绍了O及其在自然界中的普遍存在。证明了用于研究硫酸盐气溶胶氧同位素组成的分析方法和质量无关的硫酸盐氧同位素组成的来源。Δ的观察¹⁷ ○在硫酸盐气溶胶被长达一年的测量中所讨论的，其通常表现出范围为1.6‰，最小值在夏天为0.4‰至0.9‰和最大值季节性趋势-3.4‰在冬季。此外，Δ ¹⁷ ○在硫酸盐气溶胶显示区域特性，其中在最报道海洋边界层非海盐硫酸盐气溶胶具有高值约7‰。平流层火山硫酸盐具有Δ ^17个O值高达4.8‰。Δ ¹⁷硫酸盐气溶胶中的O代表了对大气和气候模型的良好观测约束，因此可以定量评估硫酸盐气溶胶不同形成途径的相对重要性。