Secondary organic material formed by methylglyoxal in aqueous aerosol mimics – Part 1: Surface tension depression and light-absorbing products

Abstract

Abstract. We show that methylglyoxal forms light-absorbing secondary organic material in aqueous ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate solutions mimicking tropospheric aerosol particles. The light-absorbing products form on the order of minutes, and solution composition continues to change over several days. The results suggest an aldol condensation pathway involving the participation of the ammonium ion. Aqueous solutions of methylglyoxal, with and without inorganic salts, exhibit surface tension depression. Methylglyoxal uptake could potentially change the optical properties, climate effects, and heterogeneous chemistry of the seed aerosol over its lifetime.