Laboratory studies of oxidation of primary emissions: Oxidation of organic molecular markers and secondary organic aerosol production

Particulate matter (PM) is solid particles and liquid droplets of complex composition suspended in the atmosphere. In 1997, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM was modified to include new standards for fine particulate (particles smaller than 2.5mum, PM2.5) because of their association with adverse health effects, mortality and visibility reduction. Fine PM may also have large impacts on the global climate. Chemically, fine particulate is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic material, from both natural and anthropogenic sources. A large fraction of PM2.5 is organic.;The first objective was to investigate heterogeneous oxidation of condensed-phase molecular markers for two major organic source categories, meat-cooking emissions and motor vehicle exhaust. Effective reaction rate constants of key molecular markers were measured over a range of atmospherically relevant experimental conditions, including a range of concentrations and relative humidities, and with SOA condensed on the particles. Aerosolized meat grease was reacted with ozone to investigate the oxidation of molecular markers for meat-cooking emissions. Aerosolized motor oil, which is chemically similar to vehicle exhaust aerosol and contains the molecular markers used in source apportionment, was reacted with the hydroxyl radical (OH) to investigate oxidation of motor vehicle molecular markers.;All molecular markers of interest - oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and cholesterol for meat-cooking emissions, and hopanes and steranes for vehicle exhaust - reacted at rates that are significant for time scales on the order of days assuming typical summertime oxidant concentrations. Experimental conditions influenced the reaction rate constants. For both systems, experiments conducted at high relative humidity (RH) had smaller reaction rate constants than those at low RH. SOA coating slowed the reaction rate constants for meat-cooking markers, but had no effect on the oxidation of vehicle markers. Aerosol composition is a key influence on reaction rate constants, perhaps more significant than external influences. Alkenoic acid concentrations in the meat grease particles appear to influence cholesterol oxidation rates. Also, the reaction rate constants for new motor oil were faster than those of the more viscous used motor oil.;The measured reaction rate constants were used to oxidize source profiles that were subsequently run in the Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) model. Oxidizing the molecular markers in the meat-cooking profile led to unrealistically high meat-cooking aerosol contributions to the total organic carbon (OC), often more than 100%. This suggests that there is either unaccounted for sources of meat-cooking molecular markers in the ambient samples, or there is some property of atmospheric aerosols that significantly inhibits reaction that was not captured in this study. Oxidation of motor vehicle profiles led to both higher estimates of total vehicle OC and a quadrupling of gasoline OC, while the diesel contribution changed very little. The increase in gasoline OC changes gasoline vehicle emissions from a relatively minor source to a major one. Thus, oxidation of molecular markers can have a significant impact on receptor model predictions.;The second objective was to investigate SOA formation from the photo-oxidation of whole diesel exhaust. Diluted exhaust from a diesel engine was photo-oxidized in a smog chamber to investigate SOA production. Photochemical oxidation rapidly produced significant SOA, almost doubling the organic aerosol contribution of primary emissions after several hours of processing. Less than 10% of the SOA mass could be explained using a SOA model and the measured oxidation of known precursors, such as light aromatics. However, the ultimate yield of SOA is uncertain because it is sensitive to treatment of particle and vapor losses to the chamber walls. Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) mass spectra reveal that the organic aerosol becomes progressively more oxidized throughout the experiments. The data provide strong evidence that oxidation of a wide array of precursors that are currently not accounted for in existing models contribute to ambient SOA formation.;Results from this study have the potential to influence the way organic aerosols are treated in models. We provide evidence that two key assumptions used in models - that POA is non-reactive and that SOA is formed primarily from high volatility precursors - may not be valid. These assumptions can lead to the underestimation of important sources of OC. For example, assuming POA is non-reactive can lead to an underestimation of source contributions in receptor models, and assuming SOA is formed primarily from high-volatility precursors may overlook a major source of SOA. Our improved understanding of organic aerosol can be used to improve model estimates and better regulate emission sources.