Reactivity studies of organic substances towards hydroxyl radicals under atmospheric conditions

Variation of the Distribution of Atmospheric n-Alkanes Emitted by Different Fuels’ Combustion

This study presents the emission profiles of n-alkanes for different vehicular sources in two Brazilian cities. Atmospheric particulate matter was collected in São Paulo (Southeast) and in Salvador (Northeast) to determine n-alkanes. The sites were impacted by bus emissions and heavy and light-duty vehicles. The objective of the present study is to attempt to differentiate the profile of n-alkane emissions for particulate matter (PM) collected at different sites. PM concentrations ranged between 73 and 488 µg m−3, and the highest concentration corresponded to a tunnel for light and heavy duty vehicles. At sites where diesel-fueled vehicles are dominant, the n-alkanes show a unimodal distribution, which is different from the bimodal profile observed in the literature. Carbon preference index values corresponded to anthropogenic sources for most of the sites, as expected, but Cmax varied comparing to literature and a source signature was difficult to observe. The main sources to air pollution were indicated by principal component analysis (PCA). For PCA, a receptor model often used as an exploratory tool to identify the major sources of air pollutant emissions, the principal factors were attributed to mixed sources and to bus emissions. Chromatograms of four specific samples showed distinct profiles of unresolved complex mixtures (UCM), indicating different contributions of contamination from petroleum or fossil fuel residues, which are unable to resolve by gas chromatography. The UCM area seemed higher in samples collected at sites with the abundance of heavy vehicles.

Radical intermediates in the addition of OH to propene: photolytic precursors and angular momentum effects

We investigate the photolytic production of two radical intermediates in the reaction of OH with propene, one from addition of the hydroxyl radical to the terminal carbon and the other from addition to the center carbon. In a collision-free environment, we photodissociate a mixture of 1-bromo-2-propanol and 2-bromo-1-propanol at 193 nm to produce these radical intermediates. The data show two primary photolytic processes occur: C-Br photofission and HBr photoelimination. Using a velocity map imaging apparatus, we measured the speed distribution of the recoiling bromine atoms, yielding the distribution of kinetic energies of the nascent C3H6OH radicals + Br. Resolving the velocity distributions of Br((2)P(1/2)) and Br((2)P(3/2)) separately with 2 + 1 REMPI allows us to determine the total (vibrational + rotational) internal energy distribution in the nascent radicals. Using an impulsive model to estimate the rotational energy imparted to the nascent C3H6OH radicals, we predict the percentage of radicals having vibrational energy above and below the lowest dissociation barrier, that to OH + propene; it accurately predicts the measured velocity distribution of the stable C3H6OH radicals. In addition, we use photofragment translational spectroscopy to detect several dissociation products of the unstable C3H6OH radicals: OH + propene, methyl + acetaldehyde, and ethyl + formaldehyde. We also use the angular momenta of the unstable radicals and the tensor of inertia of each to predict the recoil kinetic energy and angular distributions when they dissociate to OH + propene; the prediction gives an excellent fit to the data.

Atmospheric chemistry of acetylacetone

A kinetic study on the reactions of the OH radical and ozone with acetylacetone (AcAc) has been performed in a 1080 L quartz glass reaction chamber using in situ FTIR spectroscopy analysis. Temperature dependent rate coefficients for the reaction of AcAc with the OH radical were determined over the temperature range 285-310 K using the relative kinetic method. The following Arrhenius expression was derived: k = 3.35 x 10(-12) exp((983 +/- 130)/T) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), where the indicated error is the two least-squares deviation. A rate coefficient (in units of cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1)) of (1.03 +/- 0.31) x 10(-18) has been obtained at (298 +/- 3) K for the reaction of ozone with AcAc. A product investigation on the gas-phase reaction of OH radical with AcAc was conducted in a 405 L borosilicate glass chamber using in situ FTIR spectroscopy to monitor reactants and products. Methylglyoxal, acetic acid, peroxy acetic nitrate (PAN) were positively identified as products with molar yields of (20.8 +/- 4.5)%, (16.9 +/- 3.4)%, and (2.0 +/- 0.5)%, respectively. From the residual infrared spectrum the main products are attributed to 2,3,4-pentantrione (CH3-CO-CO-CO-CH3) and its hydrated analogue pentan-2,3-dione-4-diol (CH3-CO-CO-C(OH)2-CH3). Based on the observed products, a simplified mechanism for the reaction of the OH radical with AcAc is proposed.

Product study of the OH, NO3, and O3 initiated atmospheric photooxidation of propyl vinyl ether

A product study is reported on the gas-phase reactions of OH and NO3 radicals and ozone with propyl vinyl ether (PVE). The experiments were performed in a 405 L borosilicate glass chamber in synthetic air at 298 +/- 3 K using long path in situ FTIR spectroscopy for the analysis of the reactants and products. In the presence of NO(x) (NO + NO2) the main products for the OH-radical initiated oxidation of PVE were propylformate and formaldehyde with molar formation yields of 78.6 +/- 8.8% and 75.9 +/- 8.4%, respectively. In the absence of NO(x) propylformate and formaldehyde were formed with molar formation yields of 63.0 +/- 9.0% and 61.3 +/- 6.3%, respectively. In the reaction of NO3 radicals with PVE propylformate 52.7 +/- 5.9% and formaldehyde 55.0 +/- 6.3% were again observed as major products. The ozonolysis of PVE led to the production of propylformate, formaldehyde, hydroxyperoxymethyl formate (HPMF; HC(O)OCH2OOH), and CO with molar formation yields of 89.0 +/- 11.4%, 12.9 +/- 4.0%, 13.0 +/- 3.4%, and 10.9 +/- 2.6%, respectively. The formation yield of OH radicals in the ozonolysis of PVE was estimated to be 17 +/- 9%. Simple atmospheric degradation mechanisms are postulated to explain the formation of the observed products.

Kinetic Study of the Gas-Phase Reactions of OH and NO3 Radicals and O3 with Selected Vinyl Ethers

Kinetic studies on the gas-phase reactions of OH and NO3 radicals and ozone with ethyl vinyl ether (EVE), propyl vinyl ether (PVE) and butyl vinyl ether (BVE) have been performed in a 405 L borosilicate glass chamber at 298 +/- 3 K in synthetic air using in situ FTIR spectroscopy to monitor the reactants. Using a relative kinetic method rate coefficients (in units of cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1)) of (7.79 +/- 1.71) x 10(-11), (9.73 +/- 1.94) x 10(-11) and (1.13 +/- 0.31) x 10(-10) have been obtained for the reaction of OH with EVE, PVE and BVE, respectively, (1.40 +/- 0.35) x 10(-12), (1.85 +/- 0.53) x 10(-12) and (2.10 +/- 0.54) x 10(-12) for the reaction of NO3 with EVE, PVE and BVE, respectively, and (2.06 +/- 0.42) x 10(-16), (2.34 +/- 0.48) x 10(-16) and (2.59 +/- 0.52) x 10(-16) for the ozonolysis of EVE, PVE and BVE, respectively. Tropospheric lifetimes of EVE, PVE and BVE with respect to the reactions with reactive tropospheric species (OH, NO3 and O3) have been estimated for typical OH and NO3 radical and ozone concentrations.