In the case of NaNO3 and NaCl, airborne salt particles from the ocean and alkaline lakes, the effect of inorganic salt particles with and without organic coating resulting from the low volatility products of the reaction of α-pinene with ozone at room temperature at 1 atm in air on light scattering was reported. Light scattering at 450 nm, 550 nm and 700 nm was measured by using TSI 3563 integrating nephelometer on particles whose size distribution was independently determined by using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). The measured values were compared with the calculated results through Mie theory. The results show that as salt takes up low volatility organics in the atmosphere and the geometric mean diameter increases, the effect on light scattering may be well predicted from the change in size distribution under conditions when the organic coating is small relative to the core size. However, for a given particle diameter, light scattering decreases as the relative contribution of the organic component increases. Thus, light scattering by salt particles with a specific size distribution will be reduced when organics comprise a significant portion of the particles. This will lessen their impact on the visual range compared to pure salt particles, but also lead to less counterbalancing of the troposphere warming due to greenhouse gases.