Importance of biogenic volatile organic compounds to acyl peroxy nitrates (APN) production in the southeastern US during SOAS 2013

S. Toma; S. Bertman; C. Groff; F. Xiong; P. B. Shepson; P. B. Shepson; P. Romer; K. Duffey; P. Wooldridge; R. Cohen; K. Baumann; E. Edgerton; A. R. Koss; A. R. Koss; A. R. Koss; J. de Gouw; A. Goldstein; W. Hu; W. Hu; J. L. Jimenez; J. L. Jimenez

doi:10.5194/acp-19-1867-2019

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Feb 2019)

Importance of biogenic volatile organic compounds to acyl peroxy nitrates (APN) production in the southeastern US during SOAS 2013

S. Toma,
S. Bertman,
C. Groff,
F. Xiong,
P. B. Shepson,
P. B. Shepson,
P. Romer,
K. Duffey,
P. Wooldridge,
R. Cohen,
K. Baumann,
E. Edgerton,
A. R. Koss,
A. R. Koss,
A. R. Koss,
J. de Gouw,
A. Goldstein,
W. Hu,
W. Hu,
J. L. Jimenez,
J. L. Jimenez

Affiliations

S. Toma: Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
S. Bertman: Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
C. Groff: Departments of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
F. Xiong: Departments of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
P. B. Shepson: Departments of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
P. B. Shepson: Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
P. Romer: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
K. Duffey: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
P. Wooldridge: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
R. Cohen: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
K. Baumann: Atmospheric Research & Analysis, Inc., Cary, NC, USA
E. Edgerton: Atmospheric Research & Analysis, Inc., Cary, NC, USA
A. R. Koss: NOAA ESRL Chemical Sciences Division, Boulder, CO, USA
A. R. Koss: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
A. R. Koss: now at: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
J. de Gouw: NOAA ESRL Chemical Sciences Division, Boulder, CO, USA
A. Goldstein: Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
W. Hu: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
W. Hu: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
J. L. Jimenez: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
J. L. Jimenez: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1867-2019
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 19
pp. 1867 – 1880

Abstract

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Gas-phase atmospheric concentrations of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), peroxypropionyl nitrate (PPN), and peroxymethacryloyl nitrate (MPAN) were measured on the ground using a gas chromatograph electron capture detector (GC-ECD) during the Southern Oxidants and Aerosols Study (SOAS) 2013 campaign (1 June to 15 July 2013) in Centreville, Alabama, in order to study biosphere–atmosphere interactions. Average levels of PAN, PPN, and MPAN were 169, 5, and 9 pptv, respectively, and the sum accounts for an average of 16 % of NOy during the daytime (10:00 to 16:00 local time). Higher concentrations were seen on average in air that came to the site from the urban NOx sources to the north. PAN levels were the lowest observed in ground measurements over the past two decades in the southeastern US. A multiple regression analysis indicates that biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) account for 66 % of PAN formation during this study. Comparison of this value with a 0-D model simulation of peroxyacetyl radical production indicates that at least 50 % of PAN formation is due to isoprene oxidation. MPAN has a statistical correlation with isoprene hydroxynitrates (IN). Organic aerosol mass increases with gas-phase MPAN and IN concentrations, but the mass of organic nitrates in particles is largely unrelated to MPAN.

Published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

ISSN: 1680-7316 (Print); 1680-7324 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/

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