Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are significant organic pollutants in the atmosphere, in which they transform with reactive atmospheric species to yield oxygenated polycyclic aromatic compounds (OPAC). This PAH transformation is dependent on atmospheric conditions and events such as rain, snow, fog, etc. Especially fog, with its abundance of air/water surface, provides a unique setting for the transformation of PAH.Two field campaigns were conducted in the central valley of California in order to study the processing of PAH and OPAC during a fog event. Different atmospheric matter, such as fog water, gas phase, and particulates were sampled during, before and after a fog event. The evaluation of the concentrations of PAH and their respective oxidation products in the sampled atmospheric matter provides substantial information on the fate of polycyclic aromatic compounds during a fog event.

PAH and OPAC processing during a fog event

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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