CAREER: Impacts of the Chemical and Physical Properties of Surfactants on the Hygroscopic Growth of Atmospheric Aerosol Particles

本CAREER项目主要研究大气气溶胶中的表面活性剂化合物及其对颗粒吸湿增长的影响。利用高分辨率化学和物理分析的实地收集和实验室实验将用于评估表面活性剂分子组成和相关特性对大气颗粒吸湿增长的影响。表面活性剂对颗粒吸湿增长的影响是非线性的，并依赖于表面活性剂的分子组成、结构和临界胶束浓度。实验计划将解决以下问题：（1）大气气溶胶颗粒中表面活性剂的组成、结构和界面性质是什么？这些表面活性剂特性如何作为颗粒尺寸和空气质量来源区域（例如，自然的、人为的、海洋的、年代久远的影响）？(2)表面活性剂的结构、组成和界面性质对亚微米和超微米气溶胶颗粒的吸湿增长有什么影响？作为格鲁吉亚海岸斯基德韦海洋学研究所两次实地活动的一部分，将在两个季节对收集的气溶胶颗粒进行化学和物理测量，以掌握季节变化。还将进行实验室实验，以测量模型实验室产生的气溶胶颗粒的吸湿性增长，以直接确定表面活性剂部分的影响。多元统计将用于确定不同颗粒类型的表面活性剂特性。教育和推广计划包括与高中学生合作收集当地空气质量测量结果，开发新的实验室课程，通过测量气溶胶化学来探索分析化学原理，并进行第一-一年的研究研讨会课程和本科生的夏季研究经验。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来提供支持。

This CAREER project focuses on the study of surfactant compounds in atmospheric aerosol and their effects on particle hygroscopic growth. Field collections and laboratory experiments using high resolution chemical and physical analyses will be used to assess the influence of surfactant molecular composition and associated properties on the hygroscopic growth of atmospheric particles. Hygroscopic growth can alter particle size and composition, both of which are important determinants in the influence of aerosol particles on visibility and human health.The effect of surfactants on particle hygroscopic growth is expected to be nonlinear and dependent on the surfactant molecular composition, structure, and critical micelle concentration. The experimental plan will address the following questions: (1) What are the compositions, structures, and interfacial properties of surfactants in atmospheric aerosol particles? How do these surfactant characteristics vary as a function of particle size and air mass source region (e.g., natural, anthropogenic, marine, aged influences)? (2) What effects do surfactant structure, composition, and interfacial properties have on the hygroscopic growth of submicron and supermicron aerosol particles? Chemical and physical measurements of aerosol particles collected as part of two field campaigns at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, on the coast of Georgia, will be made during two seasons to capture seasonal variability. Laboratory experiments will also be conducted to measure the hygroscopic growth of model laboratory-generated aerosol particles to determine the influence of the surfactant fraction directly. Multivariate statistics will be used to determine the surfactant properties in different particle types.The education and outreach plan includes working with high school students to collect local air quality measurements, developing a new laboratory course to explore the principles of analytical chemistry through measurements of aerosol chemistry, and conducting a first-year research seminar course and a summer research experience for undergraduate students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.