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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Characterization of secondary organic aerosol from photooxidation of isoprene and alpha-pinene with mass spectrometric approaches

Objective

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and give rise to secondary aerosols, which have effects on climate and human health. A considerable lack of knowledge exists concerning the formation of new particles from BVOCs and the organic chemical composition of natural aerosols.

The objectives of the current proposal include the identification of particulate-phase oxidation products of isoprene and alpha-pinene, comprising humic-like substances, and development and deployment of novel analytical techniques and procedures thereby.

Characterization of the chemical structures of particulate-phase oxidation products of isoprene and alpha-pinene can provide important fundamental insights into formation mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol (i.e. homogeneous/heterogeneous/mixed phase processes).

For reaching the objectives we will examine archived and newly collected aerosol samples from both laboratory experiments and field campaigns at forested European sites, which exhibit large concentrations of the 2- methyltetrols and 2-methylglyceric acid (these are recently discovered particulate-phase photo-oxidation products of isoprene).

Unknown compounds that occur at important levels in gas or liquid chromatograms of the sample extracts will be structurally characterised, whereby extensive use will be made of gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry in the electron and chemical ionization modes and liquid chromatography/ linear ion trap mass spectrometry using electrospray ionization in the positive and negative ion modes.

For the structural elucidations, the mass spectral data will be interpreted in detail and use will be made of deuterium labelling, collisional activation and accurate mass measurements.

In the case of unknowns occurring at significant concentrations in forest aerosol, the proposed structures will be supported by organic synthesis and comparison of their chromatographic and mass spectrometric properties.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP6-2005-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Coordinator

UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN
EU contribution
No data
Total cost
No data