Pyruvic acid in the boreal forest: gas-phase mixing ratios and impact on radical chemistry

Abstract

Pyruvic acid (CH3C(O)C(O)OH, 2-oxopropanoic acid) is an organic acid of biogenic origin that plays a crucial role in plant metabolism, is present in tropospheric air in both gas-phase and aerosol-phase, and is implicated in the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Up to now, only a few field studies have reported mixing ratios of gas-phase pyruvic acid, and its tropospheric sources and sinks are poorly constrained. We present the first measurements of gas-phase pyruvic acid in the boreal forest as part of the IBAIRN (Influence of Biosphere–Atmosphere Interactions on the Reactive Nitrogen budget) field campaign in Hyytiälä, Finland, in September 2016. The mean pyruvic acid mixing ratio during IBAIRN was 96 pptv, with a maximum value of 327 pptv. From our measurements we estimated the overall pyruvic acid source strength and quantified the contributions of isoprene oxidation and direct emissions from vegetation in this monoterpene-dominated forested environment. Further, we discuss the relevance of gas-phase pyruvic acid for atmospheric chemistry by investigating the impact of its photolysis on acetaldehyde and peroxy radical production rates. Our results show that, based on our present understanding of its photochemistry, pyruvic acid is an important source of acetaldehyde in the boreal environment, exceeding ethane and propane oxidation by factors of ∼10 and ∼20.