title: Organic aerosol molecular composition and gas-particle partitioning coefficients at a Mediterranean site (Corsica).
abstract: Molecular speciation of atmospheric organic matter was investigated during a short summer field campaign performed in a citrus fruit field in northern Corsica (June 2011). Aimed at assessing the performance on the field of newly developed analytical protocols, this work focuses on the molecular composition of both gas and particulate phases and provides an insight into partitioning behavior of the semi-volatile oxygenated fraction. Limonene ozonolysis tracers were specifically searched for, according to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data previously recorded for smog chamber experiments. A screening of other oxygenated species present in the field atmosphere was also performed. About sixty polar molecules were positively or tentatively identified in gas and/or particle phases. These molecules comprise a wide range of branched and linear, mono and di-carbonyls (C3-C7), mono and di-carboxylic acids (C3-C18), and compounds bearing up to three functionalities. Among these compounds, some can be specifically attributed to limonene oxidation and others can be related to α- or β-pinene oxidation. This provides an original snapshot of the organic matter composition at a Mediterranean site in summer. Furthermore, for compounds identified and quantified in both gaseous and particulate phases, an experimental gas/particle partitioning coefficient was determined. Several volatile products, which are not expected in the particulate phase assuming thermodynamic equilibrium, were nonetheless present in significant concentrations. Hypotheses are proposed to explain these observations, such as the possible aerosol viscosity that could hinder the theoretical equilibrium to be rapidly reached.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), 60 550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France; LISA, UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossignol
authors.affiliation: CEREA, Joint LaboratoryEcole des Ponts ParisTech/EDF R&D, Université Paris-Est, 77455 Marne la Vallée, France.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Couvidat
authors.affiliation: Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), 60 550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rio
authors.affiliation: Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), 60 550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fable
authors.affiliation: Qualitair Corse, Lieu-dit Lergie RN 200, 20250 Corte, France.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grignion
authors.affiliation: Qualitair Corse, Lieu-dit Lergie RN 200, 20250 Corte, France.
authors.lastname: Savelli
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), 20230 San Giuliano, Corse, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pailly
authors.affiliation: Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), 60 550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leoz-Garziandia
authors.affiliation: LISA, UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France. Electronic address: jean-francois.doussin@lisa.u-pec.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Doussin
authors.affiliation: Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), 60 550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiappini
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D053138:Cyclohexenes / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005602:France; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000077222:Limonene; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012905:Smog / Q000032:analysis; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D005740:Gases; D039821:Monoterpenes; D012905:Smog; D013729:Terpenes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; C010789:beta-pinene; D000077222:Limonene
keywords: Carbonyls; Carboxylic acids; Gas–particle partitioning; Mediterranean area; Secondary organic aerosol