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PM_2.5 samples were collected at an urban and a suburban site in Nanjing, China in 2001. They were analyzed for inorganic ions, elemental carbon, organic carbon (OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and individual WSOC and nonpolar organic species. Sulfate and organic matter were the two most abundant constituents in these samples. Sulfate accounted for an average of 23% (urban site) and 30% (suburban site) of the identified aerosol mass. Organic matter accounted for an average of 37% (urban) and 28% (suburban) of the identified aerosol mass. WSOC was a significant portion of OC, accounting for about one-third of OC at the urban site and 45% of OC at the suburban site. The suburban–urban gradient in the WSOC/OC ratio also reflected that the aerosol OC was more aged at the suburban location. The correlations of WSOC with sulfate and nitrate suggest that the WSOC fraction was …