Overview of HOMEChem: House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry.

The House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry (HOMEChem) study is a collaborative field investigation designed to probe how everyday activities influence the emissions, chemical transformations and removal of trace gases and particles in indoor air. Sequential and layered experiments in a research house included cooking, cleaning, variable occupancy, and window-opening. This paper describes the overall design of HOMEChem and presents preliminary case studies investigating the concentrations of reactive trace gases, aerosol particles, and surface films. Cooking was a large source of VOCs, CO2, NOx, and particles. By number, cooking particles were predominantly in the ultrafine mode. Organic aerosol dominated the submicron mass, and, while variable between meals and throughout the cooking process, was dominated by components of hydrocarbon character and low oxygen content, similar to cooking oil. Air exchange in the house ensured that cooking particles were present for only short periods. During unoccupied background intervals, particle concentrations were lower indoors than outdoors. The cooling coils of the house ventilation system induced cyclic changes in water soluble gases. Even during unoccupied periods, concentrations of many organic trace gases were higher indoors than outdoors, consistent with housing materials being potential sources of these compounds to the outdoor environment. Organic material accumulated on indoor surfaces, and exhibited chemical signatures similar to indoor organic aerosol.

Impacts of Lipase Enzyme on the Surface Properties of Marine Aerosols.

Triacylglycerol lipases have recently been shown to be transferred from the ocean to the atmosphere in atmospheric sea spray aerosol (SSA). Lipases have the potential to alter the composition of SSA; however, the structure and properties of enzymes in the high salt, high ionic strength, and low pH conditions found in SSA have never been explored. Here, we study the dynamics of Burkholderia cepacia triacylglycerol lipase (BCL) at SSA model surfaces comprised of palmitic acid and dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid (DPPA), two commonly found lipids at SSA surfaces. Surface adsorption Langmuir isotherm experiments and all-atom explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations together illuminate how and why BCL expands the ordering of lipids at palmitic acid surfaces the most at pH < 4 and the least in DPPA surfaces at pH 6. Taken together, these results represent a first glimpse into the complex interplay between lipid surface structure and protein dynamics within enzyme-containing aerosols.

Kinetics of heterogeneous reaction of CaCO3 particles with gaseous HNO3 over a wide range of humidity.

Heterogeneous reaction kinetics of gaseous nitric acid (HNO3) with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) particles was investigated using a particle-on-substrate stagnation flow reactor (PS-SFR). This technique utilizes the exposure of substrate deposited, isolated, and narrowly dispersed particles to a gas mixture of HNO3/H2O/N2, followed by microanalysis of individual reacted particles using computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (CCSEM/EDX). The first series of experiments were conducted at atmospheric pressure, room temperature and constant relative humidity (40%) with a median dry particle diameter of Dp = 0.85 mum, particle loading densities 2 x 104 /= 0.06 (x3//2). In a second series of experiments, HNO3 uptake on CaCO3 particles of the same size was examined over a wide range of relative humidity, from 10 to 80%. The net reaction probability was found to increase with increasing relative humidity, from gammanet >/= 0.003 at RH = 10% to 0.21 at 80%.

Heterogeneous interactions of calcite aerosol with sulfur dioxide and sulfur dioxide-nitric acid mixtures.

The heterogeneous chemistry of sulfur dioxide with CaCO(3) (calcite) aerosol as a function of relative humidity (RH) has been studied under isolated particle conditions in an atmospheric reaction chamber using infrared absorption spectroscopy. The reaction of SO(2) with calcite produced gas phase CO(2) as a product in addition to the conversion of the particulate carbonate to sulfite. The reaction extent was found to increase with elevated RH, as has been observed for the similar reaction with HNO(3), but much higher relative humidities were needed to significantly enhance the reaction. Mixed experiments in which calcite aerosol was exposed to both HNO(3) and SO(2) were also performed. The overall reaction extent at a given relative humidity did not appear to be increased by having both reactant gases present. The role of carbonate aerosol as an atmospheric sink for sulfur dioxide and particulate nitrogen and sulfur correlations are discussed.

Heterogeneous conversion of calcite aerosol by nitric acid.

The reaction of nitric acid with calcite aerosol at varying relative humidities has been studied under suspended particle conditions in an atmospheric reaction chamber using infrared absorption spectroscopy. The reactant concentration in the chamber, as well as the appearance of gas phase products and surface adsorbed species, was spectroscopically monitored before and after mixing with CaCO(3) (calcite) particles. The interaction with HNO(3) was found to lead to gas phase CO(2) evolution and increased water uptake due to heterogeneous conversion of the carbonate to particulate nitrate. The reaction was enhanced as the relative humidity of the system was increased, especially at relative humidities above the reported deliquescence point of particulate Ca(NO(3))(2). The measured reaction extent demonstrates that the total calcite particulate mass is available for reaction with HNO(3) and the conversion process is not limited to the particle surface. The spectroscopy of the surface formed nitrate suggests a highly concentrated solution environment with a significant degree of ion pairing. The implications of the HNO(3) loss and the formation of the particulate nitrate product for atmospheric chemistry are discussed.

Microscopic and macroscopic characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanocrystalline NaZSM-5.

Nanocrystalline NaZSM-5 zeolites with systematically varied particle sizes (15, 60, and 200 nm) were functionalized with organosilanes. Through the systematic variation of particle size and therefore external surface area of NaZSM-5, the extent of functionalization and location of functional groups were spectroscopically verified. 29Si magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy provided conclusive evidence that the silanol groups located on the external surface of NaZSM-5 were functionalized through reaction with the organosilanes. The 29Si NMR results provided quantitative information about the extent of functionalization on NaZSM-5. A nitroxide spin label was adsorbed on the external surface of NaZSM-5 to probe the surface properties by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The macroscopic and microscopic properties, such as the behavior of functionalized NaZSM-5 in different solvents, and the specific surface areas were also investigated. The hydrophobicity of the functionalized NaZSM-5 was found to increase relative to the parent NaZSM-5 as expected for an organic surface coating.

High yield method for nanocrystalline zeolite synthesis.

Nanocrystalline zeolites, such as silicalite-1 and zeolite Y, were synthesized in high yield by periodically removing nanocrystals from the synthesis solution and recycling the unused reagents, including the template and T-atom sources.

Water, sulfur dioxide and nitric acid adsorption on calcium carbonate: a transmission and ATR-FTIR study.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is a reactive component of mineral dust aerosol as well as buildings, statues and monuments. In this study, attenuated total reflection (ATR) and transmission Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have been used to study the uptake of water, sulfur dioxide and nitric acid on CaCO3 particles at 296 K. Under atmospheric conditions, CaCO3 particles are terminated by a Ca(OH)(CO3H) surface layer. In the presence of water vapor between 5 and 95% relative humidity (RH), water molecularly adsorbs on the Ca(OH)(CO3H) surface resulting in the formation of an adsorbed thin water film. The adsorbed water film assists in the enhanced uptake of sulfur dioxide and nitric acid on CaCO3 in several ways. Under dry conditions (near 0% RH), sulfur dioxide and nitric acid react with the Ca(OH)(CO3H) surface to form adsorbed carbonic acid (H2CO3) along with sulfite and nitrate, respectively. Adsorbed carbonic acid is stable on the surface under vacuum conditions. Once the surface saturates with a carbonic acid capping layer, there is no additional uptake of gas-phase sulfur dioxide and nitric acid. However, upon adsorption of water, carbonic acid dissociates to form gaseous carbon dioxide and there is further uptake of sulfur dioxide and nitric acid. In addition, adsorbed water increases the mobility of the ions at the surface and enhances uptake of SO2 and HNO3. In the presence of adsorbed water, CaSO3 forms islands of a crystalline hydrate whereas Ca(NO3)2 forms a deliquescent layer or micropuddles. Thus adsorbed water plays an important and multi-faceted role in the uptake of pollutant gases on CaCO3.

Hexagonal, hollow, aluminium-containing ZSM-5 tubes prepared from mesoporous silica templates.

Hexagonal hollow ZSM-5 tubes were synthesized using mesoporous silica with a worm-like morphology as the template. A new method for aluminium incorporation during the hydrothermal synthesis step was developed.

Synthesis, characterization, and adsorption properties of nanocrystalline ZSM-5.

Nanocrystalline ZSM-5 with a Si/Al ratio of 20 was synthesized using clear solutions and a hydrothermal synthesis procedure. The resulting ZSM-5 materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption isotherms, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, and toluene adsorption. A commercial ZSM-5 sample was similarly characterized for comparison with the synthesized materials. The particle sizes of the synthesized ZSM-5 samples were calculated using the measured external surface areas and were determined to be 15 and 60 nm. SEM images indicated that the ZSM-5 samples consist of agglomerated and possibly intergrown particles. Toluene adsorption measurements showed that the ZSM-5 sample with a particle size of 15 nm adsorbed approximately 50% more toluene than the other ZSM-5 samples, most likely due to the adsorption of toluene on the external surface. For the toluene adsorbed on the internal zeolite surface, approximately one toluene molecule was adsorbed per channel intersection for each of the ZSM-5 samples.

Size-dependent properties of nanocrystalline silicalite synthesized with systematically varied crystal sizes.

Silicalite-1 powders with crystal sizes ranging from 20 to 1000 nm were synthesized by systematically varying synthesis gel composition, pressure, temperature, and time duration. These samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, and toluene adsorption. The effect of crystal size on the physical properties of crystals is observed, including a large increase of both total and external surface area when crystal size decreases. The relationship between particle size and external surface area was modeled by assuming a cubic crystal geometry. The nanosized silicalite samples with crystal sizes less than 100 nm have a higher adsorption capacity for toluene, showing promising potential for its application in volatile organic compound removal.

Phase transitions in calcium nitrate thin films.

Calcium carbonate is a ubiquitous mineral and its reactivity with indoor and outdoor air pollutants will contribute to the deterioration of these materials through the formation of salts that deliquesce at low relative humidity (RH). As shown here for calcium nitrate thin films, deliquescence occurs at even lower relative humidity than expected from bulk thermodynamics and lower than the recommended humidity for the preservation of artifacts and antiques.