This study used online observation instruments to analyze and compare the chemical composition of PM1 and PM2.5 during a heavy pollution event in Zhengzhou in 2021.Differences in the sources of PM1 and PM2.5,and the formation mechanisms of secondary inorganic aerosols,were investigated using a positive matrix factorization model,potential source contribution function,thermodynamic modeling,and chemical reaction rate equations.The results showed that the main components of both PM1and PM2.5were nitrate and organic matter,with higher concentrations in PM1(35.1%and 23.6%)than in PM2.5(26.3%and 18.2%).Compared to PM25,PM1 had larger contributions from secondary sources(37.7%),biomass buming(10.5%),industrial emissions(5.2%),and vehicle emissions(37.0%),while coal combustion(9.3%)and dust(0.4%)contributed less.Additionally,the impact of transport on PM1 was greater than on PM2.5.The dominant pathway for aqueous-phase sulfate formation in both PM1 and PM2.5 was H2O2 oxidation,with transition-metal ion catalysis playing a greater role in PM1 and O3 oxidation being more significant in PM2.5.Nitrate formation in PM1 appeared to be more influenced by gas-phase reactions,and high gas-particle partitioning of NH3 was likely at low aerosol water content in PM1.