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Title: Mechanism of the hydroxyl radical oxidation of methacryloyl peroxynitrate (MPAN) and its pathway toward secondary organic aerosol formation in the atmosphere

Journal Article · · Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CP02001H· OSTI ID:1418487
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [1];  [6];  [7]
  1. California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
  2. California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
  3. Univ. of Copenhagen (Denmark). The Niels Bohr Inst., Dept. of Chemistry
  4. Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
  5. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). W.R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Science Lab.
  6. California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Division of Engineering and Applied Science
  7. California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, and Division of Engineering and Applied Science

Methacryloyl peroxynitrate (MPAN), the acyl peroxynitrate of methacrolein, has been suggested to be an important secondary organic aerosol (SOA) precursor from isoprene oxidation. Yet, the mechanism by which MPAN produces SOA through reaction with the hydroxyl radical (OH) is unclear. We systematically evaluate three proposed mechanisms in controlled chamber experiments and provide the first experimental support for the theoretically-predicted lactone formation pathway from the MPAN + OH reaction, producing hydroxymethyl-methyl-α-lactone (HMML). The decomposition of the MPAN–OH adduct yields HMML + NO3 (~75%) and hydroxyacetone + CO + NO3 (~25%), out-competing its reaction with atmospheric oxygen. The production of other proposed SOA precursors, e.g., methacrylic acid epoxide (MAE), from MPAN and methacrolein are negligible (<2%). Furthermore, we show that the beta-alkenyl moiety of MPAN is critical for lactone formation. Alkyl radicals formed cold via H-abstraction by OH do not decompose to HMML, even if they are structurally identical to the MPAN–OH adduct. The SOA formation from HMML, from polyaddition of the lactone to organic compounds at the particle interface or in the condensed phase, is close to unity under dry conditions. However, the SOA yield is sensitive to particle liquid water and solvated ions. In hydrated inorganic particles, HMML reacts primarily with H2O to produce the monomeric 2-methylglyceric acid (2MGA) or with aqueous sulfate and nitrate to produce the associated organosulfate and organonitrate, respectively. 2MGA, a tracer for isoprene SOA, is semivolatile and its accommodation in aerosol water decreases with decreasing pH. Conditions that enhance the production of neutral 2MGA suppress SOA mass from the HMML channel. In conclusion, considering the liquid water content and pH ranges of ambient particles, 2MGA will exist largely as a gaseous compound in some parts of the atmosphere.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0006626; AGS-1240604
OSTI ID:
1418487
Journal Information:
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP, Vol. 17, Issue 27; ISSN 1463-9076
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 93 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Development of a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) method for the chemical characterization of water-soluble isoprene epoxydiol (IEPOX)-derived secondary organic aerosol journal January 2018
Organosulfates in the Midwestern United States: abundance, composition and stability journal January 2019
Examining the effects of anthropogenic emissions on isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol formation during the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) at the Look Rock, Tennessee ground site journal January 2015
Aqueous-phase mechanism for secondary organic aerosol formation from isoprene: application to the southeast United States and co-benefit of SO 2 emission controls journal January 2016
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of atmospheric organosulfates in Centreville, Alabama journal January 2017
Molecular composition and volatility of isoprene photochemical oxidation secondary organic aerosol under low- and high-NO x  conditions journal January 2017
The secondary formation of organosulfates under interactions between biogenic emissions and anthropogenic pollutants in summer in Beijing journal January 2018
Source apportionment of fine particulate matter in Houston, Texas: insights to secondary organic aerosols journal January 2018
Chemical composition of isoprene SOA under acidic and non-acidic conditions: effect of relative humidity journal January 2018
Assessing the role of anthropogenic and biogenic sources on PM1 over southern West Africa using aircraft measurements journal January 2018
Different roles of water in secondary organic aerosol formation from toluene and isoprene journal January 2018
Impact of anthropogenic emissions on biogenic secondary organic aerosol: observation in the Pearl River Delta, southern China journal January 2019
Importance of biogenic volatile organic compounds to acyl peroxy nitrates (APN) production in the southeastern US during SOAS 2013 journal January 2019
Biogenic emissions and land–atmosphere interactions as drivers of the daytime evolution of secondary organic aerosol in the southeastern US journal January 2019
Low-volatility compounds contribute significantly to isoprene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) under high-NOx conditions journal January 2019
A new model mechanism for atmospheric oxidation of isoprene: global effects on oxidants, nitrogen oxides, organic products, and secondary organic aerosol journal January 2019
The Caltech Photooxidation Flow Tube reactor: design, fluid dynamics and characterization journal January 2017
A steady-state continuous flow chamber for the study of daytime and nighttime chemistry under atmospherically relevant NO levels journal January 2018
Molecular characterization of alkyl nitrates in atmospheric aerosols by ion mobility mass spectrometry journal January 2019
Chemistry and deposition in the Model of Atmospheric composition at Global and Regional scales using Inversion Techniques for Trace gas Emissions (MAGRITTE v1.1) – Part 1: Chemical mechanism journal January 2019
Examining the effects of anthropogenic emissions on isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol formation during the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) at the Look Rock, Tennessee, ground site journal January 2015
Source apportionment of fine particulate matter in Houston, Texas: Insights to secondary organic aerosols journal April 2018
Assessing the role of anthropogenic and biogenic sources on PM₁ over southern West Africa using aircraft measurements text January 2018