Identification of polymers as major components of atmospheric organic aerosols.
Results from photooxidation of aromatic compounds in a reaction chamber show that a substantial fraction of the organic aerosol mass is composed of polymers. This polymerization results from reactions of carbonyls and their hydrates. After aging for more than 20 hours, about 50% of the particle mass consists of polymers with a molecular mass up to 1000 daltons. This results in a lower volatility of this secondary organic aerosol and a higher aerosol yield than a model using vapor pressures of individual organic species would predict.
Kalberer
M
M
Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8053 Zurich, Switzerland. kalberer@org.chem.ethz.ch
Paulsen
D
D
Sax
M
M
Steinbacher
M
M
Dommen
J
J
Prevot
A S H
AS
Fisseha
R
R
Weingartner
E
E
Frankevich
V
V
Zenobi
R
R
Baltensperger
U
U