Title: Real-time measurements of chemical compositions of secondary organic aerosol and analysis of reaction mechanisms using Single Aerosol Laser Mass Spectrometer

Authors: Liqing Hao, Zhenya Wang, Mingqiang Huang, Li Fang, Weijun Zhang

Addresses: Laboratory of Environmental Spectroscopy, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China. ' Laboratory of Environmental Spectroscopy, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei230031, PR China. ' Laboratory of Environmental Spectroscopy, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei230031, PR China. ' Laboratory of Environmental Spectroscopy, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei230031, PR China. ' Laboratory of Environmental Spectroscopy, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei230031, PR China

Abstract: A home-made Single Aerosol Laser Mass Spectrometer (SALMS) was utilised to provide on-line measurements of the sizes and molecular compositions of Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOAs) from irradiating toluene in the smog chamber. Results demonstrate that variations in reaction conditions make a little difference in the size and chemical composition distributions of SOAs. According to the reaction mechanisms, some aromatic ring-retaining and ring-opening products have been tentatively identified. Compounds from the H-abstraction pathways contribute more to the aromatic ring-reserved products. Those ring opening products could be produced from OH-addition pathways via two important intermediate species 6-oxo-2,4-heptadienal and 5-methyl-6-oxo-2,4-hexadienal isomers.

Keywords: irradiating toluene; SOA; secondary organic aerosols; SALMS; single aerosol laser mass spectrometry; reaction mechanisms; smog chamber experiments; chemical compositions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2009.027150

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2009 Vol.39 No.1/2, pp.168 - 186

Published online: 16 Jul 2009 *

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