Formaldehyde, other carbonyl compounds and amines are common pollutants emitted from industrial sources in urban atmosphere. These compounds have been reported to form novel organic species in secondary aerosols in the atmosphere through a process known as the Mannich reaction. Here we report a laboratory study of the reactions among carbonyl and amine precursor compounds in the bulk phase to determine if the anticipated Mannich-type products form. The reactions are performed under various temperatures ranging from 0�C to 55�C using low concentrations of inorganic or organic acids as the catalyst. The products are characterized by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for structure elucidation.  Preliminary results suggest that Mannich-type products form under certain conditions, which can be a potential pathway for secondary organic aerosol formation in the atmosphere.

Exploring the formation of novel nitrogen-containing compounds in the urban atmosphere by laboratory experiments

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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