Organic Aerosol Formation during the Atmospheric Degradation of Toluene

Organic aerosol formation during the atmospheric oxidation of toluene was investigated using smog chamber systems. Toluene oxidation was initiated by the UV irradiation of either toluene/air/NO x or toluene/air/CH3ONO/NO mixtures. Aerosol formation was monitored using scanning mobility particle size...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2001-04, Vol.35 (7), p.1358-1366
Main Authors: Hurley, Michael D, Sokolov, Oleg, Wallington, Timothy J, Takekawa, Hideto, Karasawa, Masayoshi, Klotz, BjÖrn, Barnes, Ian, Becker, Karl H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerosols
Air Pollutants - chemistry
Air pollution
Applied sciences
Atmospheric pollution
Chemical composition and interactions. Ionic interactions and processes
Earth, ocean, space
Environmental impact
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Meteorology
Organic Chemicals
Oxidants, Photochemical - chemistry
Oxidation-Reduction
Ozone
Ozone - chemistry
Pollutants
Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution
Pollution
Smog
Toluene - chemistry
Ultraviolet Rays
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Summary:Organic aerosol formation during the atmospheric oxidation of toluene was investigated using smog chamber systems. Toluene oxidation was initiated by the UV irradiation of either toluene/air/NO x or toluene/air/CH3ONO/NO mixtures. Aerosol formation was monitored using scanning mobility particle sizers and toluene loss was monitored by in-situ FTIR spectroscopy or GC-FID techniques. The experimental results show that the reaction of OH radicals, NO3 radicals and/or ozone with the first generation products of toluene oxidation are sources of organic aerosol during the atmospheric oxidation of toluene. The aerosol results fall into two groups, aerosol formed in the absence and presence of ozone. An analytical expression for aerosol formation is developed and values are obtained for the yield of the aerosol species. In the absence of ozone the aerosol yield, defined as aerosol formed per unit toluene consumed once a threshold for aerosol formation has been exceeded, is 0.075 ± 0.004. In the presence of ozone the aerosol yield is 0.108 ± 0.004. This work provides experimental evidence and a simple theory confirming the formation of aerosol from secondary reactions.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es0013733