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Observation of gaseous and particulate products of monoterpene oxidation in forest atmospheres
Author(s) -
Yu Jianzhen,
Griffin Robert J.,
Cocker David R.,
Flagan Richard C.,
Seinfeld John H.,
Blanchard Pierrette
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl900169
Subject(s) - aerosol , monoterpene , isoprene , particulates , environmental chemistry , nova scotia , environmental science , chemistry , organic chemistry , geology , oceanography , copolymer , polymer
Atmospheric oxidation of biogenic hydrocarbons, such as monoterpenes, is estimated to be a significant source of global aerosol. Whereas laboratory studies have established that photochemical oxidation of monoterpenes leads to aerosol formation, there are limited field studies detecting such oxidation products in ambient aerosols. Drawing on prior results of monoterpene product analysis under controlled smog chamber conditions, we have identified organic aerosol components attributable to monoterpene oxidation in two forest atmospheres, Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada, and Big Bear, San Bernardino National Forest, California, U.S.A. The major identified aerosol products derived from α‐pinene and β‐pinene oxidation include pinic acid, pinonic acid, norpinonic acid and its isomers, hydroxy pinonaldehydes, and pinonaldehyde, concentrations of which in the aerosol phase are in the sub ng m −3 range. Identification of oxidation products in atmospheric aerosol samples serves as direct evidence for aerosol formation from monoterpenes under ambient conditions.