Organic aerosol yields from α-pinene oxidation: bridging the gap between first-generation yields and aging chemistry

Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Nov 20;46(22):12347-54. doi: 10.1021/es302060y. Epub 2012 Oct 31.

Abstract

Secondary organic aerosol formation from volatile precursors can be thought of as a succession of generations of reaction products. Here, we constrain first-generation SOA formation from the α-pinene + OH reaction and also study SOA formation from α-pinene ozonolysis carried out without an OH scavenger. SOA yields from OH oxidation of α-pinene are significantly higher than SOA yields from ozonolysis including an OH scavenger, and the SOA mass yields for unscavenged ozonolysis generally fall within the range of mass yields for α-pinene ozonolysis under various conditions. Taken together, first-generation product yields parametrized with a volatility basis set fit provide a starting point for atmospheric models designed to simulate both the production and subsequent aging of SOA from this important terpene.

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols / chemistry
  • Air Pollutants / chemistry*
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Hydroxyl Radical / chemistry
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Monoterpenes / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Ozone / chemistry*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants
  • Bicyclic Monoterpenes
  • Monoterpenes
  • Hydroxyl Radical
  • Ozone
  • alpha-pinene