Characteristic organic functional group compositions can be used to identify aerosols by source type, including fuel combustion, terrestrial vegetation, and ocean bubble bursting. Each of these sources often accounts for more than a third of organic mass, some of which is secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from gas-phase precursors. Atmospheric SOA associated with combustion sources is consistent with both alkane and aromatic precursors.  Low organonitrate group concentrations are found in humid ambient conditions. The remote forest observations have ratios of carboxylic acid, organic hydroxyl, and non-acid carbonyl groups similar to those observed for isoprene and monoterpene chamber studies, but in biogenic aerosols transported downwind of urban areas the formation of esters replaces the acid and hydroxyl groups and leaves only non-acid carbonyl groups. Forest fires include biogenic emissions that produce SOA with organic components similar to isoprene and monoterpene chamber studies, also resulting in non-acid carbonyl groups in SOA.

Separating secondary organic aerosols by source types

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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