Kinetics of oxygenated product formation during the heterogeneous oxidation of organic aerosol

Abstract:

Oxidation of organic aerosols can lead to changes in their atmospheric lifetime, optical properties and health effects. Whereas much is known about the rates of reaction and subsequent branching ratios of gas-phase organic species, much less is known about their condensed phase counterparts. The determination of the kinetics and abundances of the oxidation products associated with condensed phase reactions is needed to understand the oxidation reaction pathways and their branching ratios. The Vacuum Ultraviolet Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (VUV-AMS) at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been useful in determining the reaction rate constants for a number of condensed phase organic compounds with oxidants such as OH and O₃. The relatively soft ionization in the VUV-AMS leads to substantially less fragmentation than other AMS instruments that use electron impact ionization, and therefore preserves a greater amount of molecular information about parent molecules. Previously, ketones formed from the heterogenous oxidation of model organic compounds have been identified and their formation kinetics quantified. However, other possible products, such as alcohols and organic peroxides, have not previously been identified in the VUV-AMS mass spectra or characterized as these are subject to greater fragmentation. Here, we present a method in which the fragmentation pattern is specified for each alcohol isomer formed from the oxidation of two model organic compounds, bis-2-ethylhexl sebacate and squalane. From this we are able to define unique m/z fragments for each isomer from which we derive information about alcohol and abundances. This study demonstrates additional methods for the analysis of mass spectra obtained with the VUV-AMS as well as provides insights into condensed phase oxidation kinetics.