Gas Phase and Heterogeneous Tropospheric Chemistry

9702791 Andino该项目将作为NSF CAREER Program的一部分进行。科学计划主要集中在两个方面：1)氢氧自由基与含氧有机化合物（如饱和醇和醚）反应的气相研究（包括反应动力学和产物测定）；2)在氯化物、硝酸盐或硫酸盐颗粒存在下，对羟基自由基与四种低分子量碳氢化合物（甲烷、正丁烷、正壬烷和叔丁醇）的动力学进行异质研究。本研究将利用玻璃封闭的光化学反应室，并结合傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）和气相色谱-串联质谱（GC-MS/MS）来测量室内的化学反应物和产物。补充从头算计算将进行，以确定可能的反应途径。这些气相和非均相研究将通过提供关于含氧有机化合物的光化学和气体颗粒对反应动力学的影响的基本信息，提高城市空气质量模型的准确性。在教育计划方面，研究者将通过在课堂设置中加入建模活动来改进大气化学的教学方法。PI计划开发的环境工程课程集中在解决问题的各个方面，包括：理解问题，描述问题的组成部分，提出解决方案，并执行解决方案。此外，PI还概述了一项招聘计划，以吸引和留住环境科学和工程专业代表性不足的学生。

9702791 Andino The project will be conducted as part of the NSF CAREER Program. The science plan is focused on two areas: 1) gas-phase studies (including reaction kinetics and product determinations) of the hydroxyl radical reactions with oxygenated organic compounds (e.g., saturated alcohols and ethers); and 2) heterogeneous studies of the kinetics of the hydroxyl radical with four low molecular weight hydrocarbons (methane, n-butane, n-nonane and tert-butyl alcohol) in the presence of chloride, nitrate, or sulfate particles. This research will utilize a glass-enclosed photochemical reaction chamber and a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for measurements of the chemical reactants and products within the chamber. Complementary ab initio calculations will be performed to identify likely reaction pathways. These gas-phase and the heterogeneous studies will improve the accuracy of urban air quality models by providing essential information about the photochemistry of oxygen-containing organic compounds and the gas-particle effects on reaction kinetics. For the educational plan, the investigator will improve teaching methods for atmospheric chemistry by incorporating modeling activities within the classroom setting. The environmental engineering courses the PI plans to develop are centered on aspects of problem-solving including: understanding a problem, describing its components, proposing a solution(s), and executing the solution. In addition, the PI has outlined a recruitment program to attract and retain underrepresented students in environmental science and engineering.