Rates, Products and Hygroscopicity of Hydroxyl Radical (OH)-Initiated Oxidation Reactions of Organic Aerosols and Films

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This project involves investigations designed to better understand the fate of organic material present in tropospheric aerosols. This will be accomplished through carefully designed laboratory studies that examine the processes initiated by hydroxyl radical (OH) reactions which could transform condensed phase organic compounds. Experiments will quantify the kinetics of the OH reactions with organic films and organic aerosols of a range of sizes. The kinetics of the reaction of nitric oxide (NO) with the oxidized surfaces will also be determined. The products of these chemical reactions in the gas and condensed phases will be identified. Finally, the uptake of water by the oxidized surfaces will be measured. Aerosol Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry (Aerosol CIMS) and Dual Quartz Crystal Microbalances (Dual-QCM) will be the analytical techniques employed in these studies.This research will provide new information on multiphase chemical reactivity that can be incorporated into models of the chemistry of troposphere. This will improve the representation of these processes, and allow better assessment of human impact on the earth system. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in this research, both through direct involvement and through activities incorporated into coursework by the investigator.