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Title: Effect of Hydrophilic Organic Seed Aerosols on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Ozonolysis of α-Pinene

Abstract

Gas-particle partitioning theory is widely used in atmospheric models to predict organic aerosol loadings. This theory predicts that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yield of an oxidized VOC product will increase as the mass loading of preexisting organic aerosol increases. In a previous study, we showed that the presence of model hydrophobic primary organic aerosol (POA) had no detectable effect on the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields from ozonolysis of {alpha}-pinene, suggesting that the condensing SOA compounds form a separate phase from the preexisting POA. However, non-polar, hydrophobic POA may gradually become polar and hydrophilic as it undergoes oxidative aging while POA formed from biomass burning is already somewhat polar and hydrophilic. In this study, we investigate the effects of model hydrophilic POA such as fulvic acid, adipic acid and citric acid on the gas-particle partitioning of SOA from {alpha}-pinene ozonolysis. The results show that only citric acid seed significantly enhances the absorption of {alpha}-pinene SOA into the particle-phase. The other two POA seed particles have negligible effect on the {alpha}-pinene SOA yields, suggesting that {alpha}-pinene SOA forms a well-mixed organic aerosol phase with citric acid while a separate phase with adipic acid and fulvic acid. This finding highlights the needmore » to improve the thermodynamics treatment of organics in current aerosol models that simply lump all hydrophilic organic species into a single phase, thereby potentially introducing an erroneous sensitivity of SOA mass to emitted POA.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1038649
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-78982
Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X; ESTHAG; KP1701000; TRN: US201208%%740
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Environmental Science and Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 45; Journal Issue: 17; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; ABSORPTION; ADIPIC ACID; AEROSOLS; AGING; BIOMASS; CITRIC ACID; FULVIC ACIDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; SEEDS; SENSITIVITY; THERMODYNAMICS; VOLATILE MATTER

Citation Formats

Song, Chen, Zaveri, Rahul A, Shilling, John E, Alexander, M L, and Newburn, Matthew K. Effect of Hydrophilic Organic Seed Aerosols on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Ozonolysis of α-Pinene. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1021/es201225c.
Song, Chen, Zaveri, Rahul A, Shilling, John E, Alexander, M L, & Newburn, Matthew K. Effect of Hydrophilic Organic Seed Aerosols on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Ozonolysis of α-Pinene. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es201225c
Song, Chen, Zaveri, Rahul A, Shilling, John E, Alexander, M L, and Newburn, Matthew K. 2011. "Effect of Hydrophilic Organic Seed Aerosols on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Ozonolysis of α-Pinene". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es201225c.
@article{osti_1038649,
title = {Effect of Hydrophilic Organic Seed Aerosols on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Ozonolysis of α-Pinene},
author = {Song, Chen and Zaveri, Rahul A and Shilling, John E and Alexander, M L and Newburn, Matthew K},
abstractNote = {Gas-particle partitioning theory is widely used in atmospheric models to predict organic aerosol loadings. This theory predicts that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yield of an oxidized VOC product will increase as the mass loading of preexisting organic aerosol increases. In a previous study, we showed that the presence of model hydrophobic primary organic aerosol (POA) had no detectable effect on the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields from ozonolysis of {alpha}-pinene, suggesting that the condensing SOA compounds form a separate phase from the preexisting POA. However, non-polar, hydrophobic POA may gradually become polar and hydrophilic as it undergoes oxidative aging while POA formed from biomass burning is already somewhat polar and hydrophilic. In this study, we investigate the effects of model hydrophilic POA such as fulvic acid, adipic acid and citric acid on the gas-particle partitioning of SOA from {alpha}-pinene ozonolysis. The results show that only citric acid seed significantly enhances the absorption of {alpha}-pinene SOA into the particle-phase. The other two POA seed particles have negligible effect on the {alpha}-pinene SOA yields, suggesting that {alpha}-pinene SOA forms a well-mixed organic aerosol phase with citric acid while a separate phase with adipic acid and fulvic acid. This finding highlights the need to improve the thermodynamics treatment of organics in current aerosol models that simply lump all hydrophilic organic species into a single phase, thereby potentially introducing an erroneous sensitivity of SOA mass to emitted POA.},
doi = {10.1021/es201225c},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1038649}, journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
issn = {0013-936X},
number = 17,
volume = 45,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Tue Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}