Gas-Phase Reaction of Hydroxyl Radical with p-Cymene over an Extended Temperature Range.

The kinetics of the reaction of OH radicals with p-cymene has been studied in the temperature range of 243-898 K using a flow reactor combined with a quadrupole mass spectrometer: OH + p-cymene → products. The reaction rate constant was determined as a result of absolute measurements, from OH decay kinetics in excess of p-cymene and employing the relative rate method with OH reactions with n-pentane, n-heptane,1,3-dioxane, HBr, and Br2 as the reference ones. For the rate coefficient of the H atom abstraction channel, the expression k1b = (3.70 ± 0.42) × 10(-11) exp[-(772 ± 72)/T] was obtained over the temperature range of 381-898 K. The total rate constant (addition + abstraction) determined at T = 243-320 K was k1 = (1.82 ± 0.48) × 10(-12) exp[(607 ± 70)/T] or, in a biexponential form, k1 = k1a + k1b = 3.7 × 10(-11) exp(-772/T) + 6.3 × 10(-13) exp(856/T), independent of the pressure between 1 and 5 Torr of helium. In addition, our results indicate that the reaction pathway involving alkyl radical elimination upon initial addition of OH to p-cymene is most probably unimportant.

Investigation of the photochemical reactivity of soot particles derived from biofuels toward NO2. A kinetic and product study.

In the current study, the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 with soot and biosoot surfaces was investigated in the dark and under illumination relevant to atmospheric conditions (J(NO2) = 0.012 s(-1)). A flat-flame burner was used for preparation and collection of soot samples from premixed flames of liquid fuels. The biofuels were prepared by mixing 20% v/v of (i) 1-butanol (CH3(CH2)3OH), (ii) methyl octanoate (CH3(CH2)6COOCH3), (iii) anhydrous diethyl carbonate (C2H5O)2CO and (iv) 2,5 dimethyl furan (CH3)2C4H2O additive compounds in conventional kerosene fuel (JetA-1). Experiments were performed at 293 K using a low-pressure flow tube reactor (P = 9 Torr) coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The initial and steady-state uptake coefficients, γ0 and γ(ss), respectively, as well as the surface coverage, N(s), were measured under dry and humid conditions. Furthermore, the branching ratios of the gas-phase products NO (∼80-100%) and HONO (<20%) were determined. Soot from JetA-1/2,5-dimethyl furan was the most reactive [γ0 = (29.1 ± 5.8) × 10(-6), γ(ss)(dry) = (9.09 ± 1.82) × 10(-7) and γ(ss)(5.5%RH) = (14.0 ± 2.8)(-7)] while soot from JetA-1/1-butanol [γ0 = (2.72 ± 0.544) × 10(-6), γ(ss)(dry) = (4.57 ± 0.914) × 10(-7), and γ(ss)(5.5%RH) = (3.64 ± 0.728) × 10(-7)] and JetA-1/diethyl carbonate [γ0 = (2.99 ± 0.598) × 10(-6), γ(ss)(dry) = (3.99 ± 0.798) × 10(-7), and γ(ss)(5.5%RH) = (4.80 ± 0.960) × 10(-7)] were less reactive. To correlate the chemical reactivity with the physicochemical properties of the soot samples, their chemical composition was analyzed employing Raman spectroscopy, NMR, and high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller adsorption isotherms and the particle size distributions were determined employing a Quantachrome Nova 2200e gas sorption analyzer. The analysis of the results showed that factors such as (i) soot mass collection rate, (ii) porosity of the particles formed, (iii) aromatic fraction, and (iv) pre-existence of nitro-containing species in soot samples (formed during the combustion process) can be used as indicators of soot reactivity with NO2.

Mineral oxides change the atmospheric reactivity of soot: NO2 uptake under dark and UV irradiation conditions.

The heterogeneous reactions between trace gases and aerosol surfaces have been widely studied over the past decades, revealing the crucial role of these reactions in atmospheric chemistry. However, existing knowledge on the reactivity of mixed aerosols is limited, even though they have been observed in field measurements. In the current study, the heterogeneous interaction of NO2 with solid surfaces of Al2O3 covered with kerosene soot was investigated under dark conditions and in the presence of UV light. Experiments were performed at 293 K using a low-pressure flow-tube reactor coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The steady-state uptake coefficient, γ(ss), and the distribution of the gas-phase products were determined as functions of the Al2O3 mass; soot mass; NO2 concentration, varied in the range of (0.2-10) × 10(12) molecules cm(-3); photon flux; and relative humidity, ranging from 0.0032% to 32%. On Al2O3/soot surfaces, the reaction rate was substantially increased, and the formation of HONO was favored compared with that on individual pure soot and pure Al2O3 surfaces. Uptake of NO2 was enhanced in the presence of H2O under both dark and UV irradiation conditions, and the following empirical expressions were obtained: γ(ss,BET,dark) = (7.3 ± 0.9) × 10(-7) + (3.2 ± 0.5) × 10(-8) × RH and γ(ss,BET,UV) = (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10(-6) + (4.0 ± 0.9) × 10(-8) × RH. Specific experiments, with solid sample preheating and doping with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), showed that UV-absorbing organic compounds significantly affect the chemical reactivity of the mixed mineral/soot surfaces. A mechanistic scheme is proposed, in which Al2O3 can either collect electrons, initiating a sequence of redox reactions, or prevent the charge-recombination process, extending the lifetime of the excited state and enhancing the reactivity of the organics. Finally, the atmospheric implications of the observed results are briefly discussed.

Kinetics of the reactions of soot surface-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with O3.

The kinetics of the heterogeneous reactions of O(3) with 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present on laboratory generated kerosene soot surface was studied at T=255-330 K in a low pressure flow reactor combined with an electron-impact mass spectrometer. The kinetics of soot-bound PAHs consumption in reaction with O(3) was monitored using off-line HPLC measurements of their concentrations in soot samples as a function of time of exposure to O(3). Concentration of ozone in the gas phase was analyzed by mass spectrometry. The first-order rate constants measured for individual PAHs ranged from 0.004 to 0.008 s(-1) and were found to be independent of the ozone concentration ([O(3)]=(0.5-92) x 10(12) mol cm (-3)) and temperature (255-330 K). Results show that reaction with ozone can be an important degradation pathway of the particulate PAHs in the atmosphere.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in kerosene and bio-kerosene soot.

Here we report a new, efficient and reliable analytical methodology for sensitive and selective quantification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soot samples. The methodology developed is based on ultrasonic extraction of the soot-bound PAHs into small volumes of acetonitrile, purification of the extracts through C(18) Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) cartridges and analysis by Reverse Phase Liquid Chromatography (RPLC) with UV and fluorimetric detection. For the first time, we report the convenience of adapting the SPE procedure to the nature of the soot samples. As a matter of fact, extracts containing high percentage of unpolar material are recommended to be cleaned with acetone, whereas extracts poor in unpolar compounds can be efficiently cleaned with methanol. The method was satisfactorily applied to kerosene and bio-kerosene soot from atmospheric open diffusion flames (pool fires) and premixed flames achieving Quantification and Detection limits in the range ng mg(-1) soot and recoveries about 90% for most of the PAHs studied.

Desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soot surface: five- and six-ring (C22, C24) PAHs.

The kinetics of thermal desorption of five soot-bound nonvolatile (C(22), C(24)) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(ghi)perylene (BghiP), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (IdP), anthanthrene (Antha), dibenz(ah)anthracene (DBahA), dibenzo(ae)pyrene (DBaeP)) identified in laboratory-generated kerosene soot were studied over the temperature range 335-370 K in a low pressure flow reactor. The PAH desorption rate constants were measured using off-line HPLC monitoring of their concentrations in soot samples as a function of desorption time. The following Arrhenius expressions were determined for the desorption rate constants of the soot-bound PAHs studied: k(des) = 8.4 x 10(15) exp[-(129.7 +/- 4.4)/RT], 1.0 x 10(16) exp[-(130.6 +/- 6.1)/RT], 1.1 x 10(16) exp[-(131.6 +/- 3.2)/RT], 1.0 x 10(16) exp[-(128.0 +/- 3.9)/RT], and 1.4 x 10(16) exp[-(134.2 +/- 10.7)/RT] (k(des) are in s(-1) and activation energies in kJ mol(-1)) for BghiP, IdP, Antha, DBahA, and DBaeP, respectively. Analysis of the present and previous experimental data showed that PAH-soot binding energies linearly correlate with the number of PAH carbon atoms. The present data and those from previous studies are discussed in the frame of the existing theoretical gas-to-particle partitioning model.

Desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a soot surface: three- to five-ring PAHs.

The kinetics of the thermal desorption of a set of three- to five-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a laboratory-generated kerosene soot surface was studied over the temperature range 250-355 K in a low-pressure flow reactor combined with an electron-impact mass spectrometer. Two methods were used to measure the desorption rate constants: monitoring of the surface-bound PAH decays due to desorption using off-line HPLC measurements of their concentrations in soot samples and monitoring of the desorbed molecules (anthracene and phenanthtrene) in the gas phase using in situ mass spectrometric detection. The Arrhenius parameters (A factors and activation energies) for the desorption rate constants of 10 soot-bound PAHs were determined. The PAH-soot binding energies were found to be similar for PAHs with the same number of carbon atoms and to increase with increasing number of PAH carbon atoms. The experimental data are discussed in the frame of the existing theoretical gas to particle partitioning model.

Desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soot surface: pyrene and fluoranthene.

The kinetics of thermal desorption of two four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fluoranthene, and pyrene from well-characterized laboratory-generated kerosene soot surface was studied over the temperature range 260-320 K in a low-pressure flow reactor combined with an electron-impact mass spectrometer. Two methods were used to measure the desorption rate constants: monitoring of the surface-bound fluoranthene and pyrene decays due to desorption using off-line HPLC measurements of their concentrations in soot samples, and monitoring of the desorbed molecules in the gas phase using in situ mass spectrometric detection. Results obtained with the two methods were in good agreement and yielded the following Arrhenius expressions for the desorption rate constants: k(des) (fluoranthene) = 4 x 10(14) exp[-(93900 +/- 1700)/RT] and k(des) (pyrene) = 6 x 10(14) exp[-(95200 +/- 1800)/RT] (k(des) are in units of s(-1), and activation energies are in J mol(-1)). In addition, the combined uptake coefficient of fluoranthene and pyrene on soot (calculated using specific surface area) was estimated to be near 5 x 10(-3) at T = 310 K.

Experimental study of the interaction of HO2 radicals with soot surface.

The reaction of HO2 with toluene and kerosene flame soot was studied over the temperature range 240-350 K and at P = 0.5-5 Torr of helium using a discharge flow reactor coupled to a modulated molecular beam mass spectrometer. A flat-flame burner was used for the preparation and deposition of soot samples from premixed flames of liquid fuels under well controlled and adjustable combustion conditions. The independent of temperature in the range 240-350 K value of gamma = (7.5 +/- 1.5) x 10(-2) (calculated with geometric surface area) was found for the uptake coefficient of HO2 on kerosene and toluene soot. No significant deactivation of soot surface during its reaction with HO2 was observed. Experiments on soot ageing under ambient conditions showed that the reactivity of aged soot is similar to that of freshly prepared soot samples. The results show that the HO2 + soot reaction could be a significant loss process for HOx in the urban atmosphere with a potential impact on photochemical ozone formation. In contrast this process will be negligible in the upper troposphere even in flight corridors.