Volatile Organic Compounds and Oxidation Capacity of the Atmosphere in the Brazilian Amazon during the GoAmazon2014/5 Campaign

Abstract:

Atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have key environmental and biological roles, and can influence atmospheric chemistry, secondary aerosol formation, and also regional climate. The GoAmazon2014/5 campaign included measurements of VOCs in pristine to polluted air of the Amazon basin, depending upon the influences from the pollution plumes originating in the city of Manaus, Brazil. Observations at the T3 site in Manacapuru during the second Intensive Operating Period (dry season, August-October 2014) using a Switchable Reagent Ion (SRI)-ToF-MS will be presented to investigate isoprene oxidation processes in a wide spectrum of anthropogenic influences. The SRI capability was utilized to quantify ratios of Methyl Vinyl Ketone (MVK) to Methacrolein (MACR) in order to assess photochemical age of air masses at T3 and examine isoprene peroxy radical reaction pathways as a function of NO levels. Given recently identified ISOPOOH interference to MVK and MACR measurements, the current analysis focus on high NOx conditions when the contribution of ISOPOOH was small. In addition, the results will be critically compared with previously reported relationships between MVK, MACR and isoprene to explore potential systematic analytical interferences that may affect regional OH level estimations. These OH estimates will be evaluated using in-situ OH observations.