Contribution of terpenes to ozone formation and secondary organic aerosols in a subtropical forest impacted by urban pollution

Christian Mark Salvador, Charles C.K. Chou, Tse Tsung Ho, Chao Yang Tsai, Tsung Ming Tsao, Ming Jer Tsai, Ta Chen Su

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14 Scopus citations

Abstract

The highly reactive nature of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) impacts the biosphere by acting as a precursor of ozone and aerosols that influence air quality and climate. Here, we assess the influence of BVOCs and their oxidation products on ozone formation and to submicron secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass in a subtropical forest. A high-resolution proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) was employed for the continuous measurement of VOCs. Isoprene, monoterpene, and sesquiterpene mixing ratios in the forest were 0.23, 0.22, and 0.03 ppb, respectively. The total ozone formation potential (OFP) of the terpenes was 12.8 μg m−3, which accounted for only 5.6% of the total OFP. Particle phase bound oxidation products were characterized using a thermal-desorption PTR-ToF-MS. Mass spectra analysis revealed the presence pinonaldehyde, pinonic, norpinonic, and pinic acid in both gas and particle phase. The overall daytime (nighttime) mixing ratio of the oxidized BVOCs in gas phases was 0.062(0.023) ppbv. On the other hand, the mean fraction of the four monoterpene oxidation products in condensed phase was estimated at 42%. Overall, the results of this study evidenced quantitatively the contribution of BVOCs to the total reactivity and SOA mass in the subtropical forest.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1232
JournalAtmosphere
Volume11
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2020
Externally publishedYes

Funding

Acknowledgments: The authors gratefully acknowledge the logistic support from the Experimental Forest, National Taiwan University. Funding: This research was funded Academia Sinica and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan through grants 105-2111-M-001-005-MY3, 104-2119-M-001-010 and 103-2111-M-001-003.

FundersFunder number
Experimental Forest
Academia Sinica
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan103-2111-M-001-003, 104-2119-M-001-010, 105-2111-M-001-005-MY3
National Taiwan University

    Keywords

    • BVOCs
    • Ozone formation
    • SOA mass analysis
    • TD-PTR-ToF-MS

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