Ground-high altitude joint detection of ozone and nitrogen oxides in urban areas of Beijing.

Based on observational data of ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxide (NO(x)) mixing ratios on the ground and at high altitude in urban areas of Beijing during a period of six days in November 2011, the temporal and spatial characteristics of mixing ratios were analyzed. The major findings include: urban O3 mixing ratios are low and NO(x) mixing ratios are always high near the road in November. Vertical variations of the gases are significantly different in and above the planetary boundary layer. The mixing ratio of O3 is negatively correlated with that of NO(x) and they are positively correlated with air temperature, which is the main factor directly causing vertical variation of O3 and NO(x) mixing ratios at 600-2100 m altitude. The NO(x) mixing ratios elevated during the heating period, while the O3 mixing ratios decreased: these phenomena are more significant at high altitudes compared to lower altitudes. During November, air masses in the urban areas of Beijing are brought by northwesterly winds, which transport O3 and NO(x) at low mixing ratios. Due to Beijing's natural geographical location, northwest air currents are beneficial to the dilution and dispersion of pollutants, which can result in lower O3 and NO(x) background values in the Beijing urban area.

Experimental studies on ozonation of ethylenethiourea.

The experimental study on ozonation of ethylenethiourea (ETU) is conducted. The reaction of gas-phase ETU with 0.63 x 10(-6) mol/L ozone is carried out in a 200-L reaction chamber. The secondary organic aerosol (SOA) resulted from the ozonation of gas-phase ETU is observed with a scanning mobility particle size (SMPS). The rapid exponential growth of SOA reveals that the atmospheric lifetime of ETU vapor towards ozone reaction is less than four days. The ozonation of dry ETU particles, ETU-contained water droplets and ETU aqueous solution is investigated with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS). The formation of 2-imidazoline is observed in the ozonation of dry ETU particles and ETU-contained water droplets. The formation of 2-imidazoline and ethylenerea is observed in the ozonation of ETU aqueous solution.

Online MALDI-TOF MS using an aerodynamic lens assembly as a direct deposition interface.

This technical note reports a design utilizing an aerodynamic lens assembly to transport suspended sample particles directly onto the target plate and conduct in situ MALDI analysis. The design provides a new alternative method for online MALDI analysis. The matrix/analyte/salt-contained particles sampled by a nozzle are focused into a particle beam with an aerodynamic lens assembly and then deposited on the target plate directly. The deposited particles are in situ desorbed/ionized by a 266 nm laser beam with an incidence angle of 50 degrees. The generated ions are detected with a reflectron mass spectrometer capable of delayed ion extraction and ion gating. The MALDI-TOF mass spectra of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 1000, 2000, and 4000 particles are obtained in the experiment. The initial experimental results demonstrate that the design can be used for online MALDI analysis.

Processing Natural Wood into a High-Performance Flexible Pressure Sensor.

Flexible pressure sensors have received wide attention because of their potential applications in wearable electronics and electronic skins (e-skins). However, the high performance of the pressure sensors relies principally on the introduction of complex surface microstructures, which often involves either complicated procedures or costly microfabrication methods. Moreover, these devices predominantly use synthetic polymers as flexible substrates, which are generally nonbiodegradable or not ecofriendly. Here, we report a facile and scalable processing strategy to convert naturally rigid wood into reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-modified flexible wood (FW/rGO) via saw cutting, chemical treatment, and rGO coating, resulting in high-performance wood-based flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors. Benefiting from the largely deformable ribbon-like surface microstructures, the obtained wood-based pressure sensor displayed a high sensitivity of 1.85 kPa-1 over a broad linear range up to 60 kPa and showed high stability over 10 000 cyclic pressings. The favorable sensing performance of the pressure sensor allows for accurate recognition of finger movements, acoustic vibrations, and real-time pulse waves. Moreover, a large-area pressure sensor array has been successfully assembled on one piece of flexible wood for spatial pressure mapping. The proposed strategy of directly using natural wood for high-performance flexible pressure sensors is simple, low-cost, sustainable, and scalable, opening up a new avenue for the development of next-generation wearable electronics and e-skins.

Dual-Functional Porous Wood Filter for Simultaneous Oil/Water Separation and Organic Pollutant Removal.

High-performance functional materials capable of simultaneously separating oil from water and removing water-soluble contaminants are critically demanded for wastewater treatment but remain highly challenging. Wood, a naturally occurring porous material composed of numerous open microchannels along the growth direction, may serve as a desirable scaffold for the development of efficient filtration materials for water treatment. Herein, by in situ deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) within the channels of balsa wood, we developed dual-functional Ag/wood filters for simultaneous oil/water separation and organic dye removal from water in a one-step process. Owing to their superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity, the as-prepared Ag/wood filters can selectively separate water from oil with a high efficiency (∼99%). Moreover, benefiting from the catalytic activity of Ag NPs anchored to the surface of the wood channels, the Ag/wood filters effectively removed methylene blue (MB) from water during the oil/water separation process; the MB removal efficiency was highly dependent on the thickness of the wood filters. Specifically, the gravity-driven separation using a 6 mm-thick Ag/wood filter showed a high MB degradation efficiency of 94.03% and a water flux of 2600 L·m-2·h-1. The proposed wood-based filtration material features renewable, inexpensive raw materials, facile processing, and scale-up potential. Such dual-functional Ag/wood filters capable of rapid and efficient removal of insoluble oils and soluble pollutants from water in a one-step process offer a promising solution for wastewater treatment.

Real-time analysis of soot emissions from bituminous coal pyrolysis and combustion with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

This paper reports on-line analyses of the soot emissions from the Inner Mongolia bituminous coal combustion and pyrolysis processes with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS). The soot particles are generated by heating a small amount of screened coal powder in synthetic air and nitrogen atmosphere in a tubular oven. The vacuum ultraviolet photoionization time-of-flight (VUV-TOF) mass spectra of the soot particles emitted from combustion and pyrolysis at different oven temperatures and different stages are obtained. The VUV-TOF mass spectra are assigned with the references of the results of the off-line GC/MS analysis.

Heterogeneous reactivity of suspended pirimiphos-methyl particles with ozone.

Pirimiphos-methyl (PMM) is a widely used pesticide that can be released into the atmosphere in the gas phase and the condensed phase. The reaction of suspended PMM particles with ozone is investigated using an online vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS) and a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). The reactions are conducted in an 180 L reaction chamber. The identification of particulate products detected with VUV-ATOFMS is proposed on the basis of GC-MS analysis of PMM ozonation products in methylene dichloride solution. The heterogeneous reactive rate constant of PMM with azelaic acid as matrix under room temperature (293 +/- 2 K) is (1.97 +/- 0.25) x 10(-17) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1). The corresponding lifetime at 100 ppbv of ozone is 5.2 +/- 0.66 h, and the reactive uptake coefficient (gamma) for ozone on PMM particles is (8.5 +/- 1.1) x 10(-4). Additionally, ozonation of PMM vapor is conducted, and the rapid formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is observed in the homogeneous ozonation of gas-phase PMM. The experimental results indicate that ozone is an important atmospheric oxidant for the transformation of PMM in the atmosphere.

Heterogeneous ozonation of suspended malathion and chlorpyrifos particles.

The heterogeneous ozonation of suspended malathion and chlorpyrifos particles are studied in real-time with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS). The pesticide particles with the diameter of hundreds of nanometers are generated by the homogeneous nucleation method using azelaic acid as nucleus. The reactions are carried out in an aerosol reaction chamber under ambient pressure (1 atm) and room temperature (298 K), respectively. The time-of-flight mass spectra of the solid-state ozonation products of malathion and chlorpyrifos are obtained. The assignments of the mass spectra reveal that the major ozonation products of malathion particles are s-(1,2-diethoxycarbonyl)ethyl-O,O-dimethylphosphorothioate (malaoxon), 2-mercapto-succinic acid diethylester, 1,2-dicarbethoxyethyl-dimethoxyphosphinyldisulfide and bis(1,2-bis-ethoxycarbonyl-ethyl)disulfide. The experimental results reveal that water vapor can enhance the formation of malaoxon, 2-mercapto-succinic acid diethylester and bis(1,2-bis-ethoxycarbonyl-ethyl)disulfide. In the case of chlorpyrifos, the sole ozonation product observed is 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl-diethylphosphate (chlorpyrifos oxon). The pathways of heterogeneous ozonation of malathion and chlorpyrifos particles are proposed. The atmospheric lifetimes of malathion and chlorpyrifos particles towards ozone reaction are estimated based on the time-dependent mass spectrometric signals obtained.

Ozonation of trifluralin particles: an experimental investigation with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

The ozonation of trifluralin coated on azelaic acid particles is investigated with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The suspended trifluralin particles with the mean diameter of 270nm react with approximately 100ppm ozone in an aerosol reaction chamber under ambient pressure and room temperature (1atm, 298K). The time-of-flight mass spectra of the trifluralin particles and the solid state ozonides are obtained. The assignments of the mass spectra reveal that the major primary ozonides of trifluralin particles are 2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-N-propanoyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamine and 2,6-dinitro-N-(propan-2(and 3)-ol)-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamine. The major secondary ozonides of trifluralin 2-ethyl-7-nitro-5-(trifluoromethyl) benzimidazole-3-oxide, 2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzenamine and 2,6-dinitro-N-(formyl)-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamine are observed. The primary ozonides are directly resulted from the oxidation of N-propyl groups. The pathways of the primary ozonation are proposed in the paper.