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Title: Laboratory investigations of the alpha-pinene/ozone gas-phase reaction

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5024394

In order to provide more insight into terpene photooxidation or ozonolysis reaction mechanisms, a radiotracer technique was developed. This technique was applied to an investigation of the /sup 14/C-alpha-pinene/ozone reaction. In the first phase of the research, the carbon distribution at the conclusion of the ozonolysis reaction was determined by separating carbon-14-labelled gaseous products from labelled aerosols, and counting each phase by liquid scintillation methods. The resulting carbon balance was 38% to 60% filtered aerosols, 6% to 20% gas phase compounds, and 11% to 29% products absorbed on the reaction chamber walls. Recoveries of the alpha-pinene carbon-14 ranging from 79% to 97% were achieved using this method. The alpha-pinene concentrations in these experiments were close to ambient (1 part per billion), yet the carbon balance was similar to that observed at much higher concentrations (>1 part per million). In the second phase of the alpha-pinene study, both gas and aerosol products of the ozonolysis reaction were collected on cartridges impregnated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, then analyzed by HPLC. In the final experiments, alpha-pinene aerosol was reacted with a silylating agent to improve the detection of organic acids and alcohols. The gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of the silylated aerosol products showed evidence of dimer/polymer formation occurring in the ozonolysis reaction.

Research Organization:
Washington State Univ., Pullman (USA)
OSTI ID:
5024394
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English