Research suggests that the contribution of atmospheric aerosol particles to global warming and cooling makes their formation and chemical reactions a worthy field of study. Aerosol particles containing photosensitizer compounds are able to initiate the oxidation of gas phase volatile organic compounds, changing the aerosol’s chemical properties and contributing to growth of the particle. Particles were collected and chemically analyzed to confirm the presence of known compounds in an atmospheric chamber, and to define new compounds generated during the reaction. Elucidating the conditions under which this aerosol growth occurs as a result of photosensitization is critical in understanding the variability of this mechanism in the atmosphere. Results of early experiments indicate reaction sensitivity to relative humidity. Further work might consider the change in chemical properties of the aerosol following photosensitization, since oxidation of hydrocarbons adds to aerosol growth in the presence of imidazoles. Additional studies examine atmospherically relevant reactions, like the reaction of glyoxal and ammonia, yielding light-absorbing imidazole-2-carboxaldehyde. Investigation of reaction progress and product identification via NMR kinetics studies and UV-Vis spectroscopy allows for determination of the importance of self-reaction of glyoxal via oligomerization and the presence of cross reactions that can occur between glyoxal and other species in solution.

Chemistry of imidazole forming reactions and reactive uptake of hydrocarbons

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.