Methyl-nitrocatechols: atmospheric tracer compounds for biomass burning secondary organic aerosols.
Detailed chemical analysis of wintertime PM₁₀ collected at a rural village site in Germany showed the presence of a series of compounds that correlated very well with levoglucosan, a known biomass burning tracer compound. Nitrated aromatic compounds with molecular formula C₇H₇NO₄ (M(w) 169) correlated particularly well with levoglucosan, indicating that they originated from biomass burning as well. These compounds were identified as a series of methyl-nitrocatechol isomers (4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol, 3-methyl-5-nitrocatechol, and 3-methyl-6-nitrocatechol) based on the comparison of their chromatographic and mass spectrometric behaviors to those from reference compounds.Aerosol chamber experiments suggest that m-cresol, which is emitted from biomass burning at significant levels, is a precursor for the detected methyl-nitrocatechols. The total concentrations of these compounds in the wintertime PM₁₀were as high as 29 ng m⁻³, indicating the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) originating from the oxidation of biomass burning VOCs contributed non-negligible amounts to the regional organic aerosol loading.
Leibniz-Institut für Troposphärenforschung (IfT), Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
Yoshiteru
Y
Iinuma
Olaf
O
Böge
Ricarda
R
Gräfe
Hartmut
H
Herrmann
D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D018533:Biomass; D002396:Catechols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D003408:Cresols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D017745:Incineration; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D012621:Seasons
C087486:4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol; D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D002396:Catechols; D003408:Cresols; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D052638:Particulate Matter; C506350:nitrocatechol; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; C077977:cresol