Production of aldehydes as primary emissions and from secondary atmospheric reactions of alkenes and alkanes during the night and early morning hours

• Published in: Atmospheric environment. Part A, General topics General topics, 1993, Vol.27 (1), p.21-32
• Main Author: Altshuller, A.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution
• ISSN: 0960-1686
• DOI: 10.1016/0960-1686(93)90067-9

The production of C 1C 4 saturated aldehydes has been calculated within the stable boundary layer between 2100 and 0900 h from the reactions of alkenes and alkanes with O 3, NO 3 and OH radicals. These results are compared with those available on the primary emissions of aldehydes from vehicular exhausts. For current gasoline-fueled vehicles, the secondary atmospheric production of aldehydes from the hydrocarbons emitted will usually predominate over direct emissions of aldehydes during the 2100-0900 h period. Therefore, in making assumptions about initial morning atmospheric loadings of aldehydes for purposes of model predictions as to O 3 and other products, use of only an aldehyde emission inventory is inadequate. If the future population of vehicles should include a large fraction of vehicles powered with methanol and natural gas, primary aldehyde emissions, especially emissions of formaldehyde, may predominate over secondary production of aldehydes during the 2100-0900 h period.