Organic aerosol formation from the reactive uptake of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) onto non-acidified inorganic seeds

Abstract

Abstract. The reactive partitioning of cis and trans β-IEPOX was investigated on hydrated inorganic seed particles, without the addition of acids. No organic aerosol (OA) formation was observed on dry ammonium sulfate (AS); however, prompt and efficient OA growth was observed for the cis and trans β-IEPOX on AS seeds with liquid water contents of 40–75% of the total particle mass. OA formation from IEPOX is a kinetically-limited process; thus the OA growth continues if there is a reservoir of gas-phase IEPOX. There appears to be no differences, within error, in the OA growth or composition attributable to the cis/trans isomeric structures. Reactive uptake of IEPOX onto hydrated AS seeds with added base (NaOH) also produced high OA loadings, suggesting the pH-dependence for OA formation from IEPOX is weak for AS particles. No OA formation, after particle drying, was observed on seed particles where Na+ was substituted for NH4+. The Henry's Law partitioning of IEPOX was measured on NaCl particles (ionic strength ~9 M) to be 3 × 107 M atm−1. A small quantity of OA was produced when NH4+ was present in the particles, but the chloride (Cl−) anion was substituted for sulfate (SO42−), suggesting differences in nucleophilic strength of the anions. Online time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry and offline filter analysis provide evidence of oxygenated hydrocarbons, organosulfates and, notably, amines in the particle organic composition. The results help explain the substantial quantities of ambient IEPOX-derived OA observed under neutralized conditions. Experiments and models aimed at understanding OA production from IEPOX, or other epoxides, should consider the NH4+ activity, in conjunction with H+ activity (i.e., particle acidity) and nucleophile activity.