Chemistry of Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Reactions of Monoterpenes with OH Radicals in the Presence of NOx

The oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are emitted to the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources, leads to the formation of ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles that impact air quality and climate. In the study reported here, we investigated the products of the reactions of five biogenic monoterpenes with OH radicals (an important daytime oxidant) under conditions that mimic the chemistry that occurs in polluted air, and developed mechanisms to explain their formation. Experiments were conducted in an environmental chamber, and information on the identity of gas-phase molecular products was obtained using online mass spectrometry, while liquid chromatog-raphy and two methods of functional group analysis were used to characterize the SOA composition. The gas-phase products of the reactions were similar to those formed in our previous studies of the reactions of these monoterpenes with NO3 radicals (an important nighttime oxidant), in that they all contained various combinations of nitrate, carbonyl, hydroxyl, ester, and ether groups. But in spite of this, less SOA was formed in OH/NOx reactions and it was composed of monomers, while SOA formed in NO3 radical reactions consisted of acetal and hemiacetal oligomers formed by particle-phase accretion reactions. In addition, it appeared that some monomers underwent particle-phase hydrolysis, whereas oligomers did not. These differences are due primarily to the arrangement of hydroxyl, carbonyl, nitrate, and ether groups in the monomers, which can in turn be explained by differences in OH and NO3 radical reaction mechanisms. The results provide insight into the impact of VOC structure on the amount and composition of SOA formed by atmospheric oxidation, which influence important aerosol properties such as volatility and hygroscopicity.

Automated summary

The oxidation of VOCs leads to the formation of ozone and SOA particles, which have significant impacts on air quality and climate. This study investigates the reactions of five biogenic monoterpenes with OH radicals and develops mechanisms to explain their formation. The results provide insights into the impact of VOC structure on the amount and composition of SOA formed by atmospheric oxidation, which influence aerosol properties.