0000000000520286

AUTHOR

Pingqing Fu

Radical Formation by Fine Particulate Matter Associated with Highly Oxygenated Molecules

Highly oxygenated molecules (HOMs) play an important role in the formation and evolution of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). However, the abundance of HOMs in different environments and their relation to the oxidative potential of fine particulate matter (PM) are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the relative HOM abundance and radical yield of laboratory-generated SOA and fine PM in ambient air ranging from remote forest areas to highly polluted megacities. By electron paramagnetic resonance and mass spectrometric investigations, we found that the relative abundance of HOMs, especially the dimeric and low-volatility types, in ambient fine PM was positively correlated with the formatio…

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High-Resolution Fluorescence Spectra of Airborne Biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosols: Comparisons to Primary Biological Aerosol Particles and Implications for Single-Particle Measurements.

Aqueous extracts of biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOAs) have been found to exhibit fluorescence that may interfere with the laser/light-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs). In this study, we quantified the interference of BSOAs to PBAPs by directly measuring airborne BSOA particles, rather than aqueous extracts. BSOAs were generated by the reaction of d-limonene (LIM) or α-pinene (PIN) and ozone (O3) with or without ammonia in a chamber under controlled conditions. With an excitation wavelength of 355 nm, BSOAs exhibited peak emissions at 464–475 nm, while fungal spores exhibited peak emissions at 460–483 nm; the fluorescence intensit…

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Reactive species formed upon interaction of water with fine particulate matter from remote forest and polluted urban air

Interaction of water with fine particulate matter leads to the formation of reactive species (RS) that may influence the aging, properties, and health effects of atmospheric aerosols. In this study, we explore the RS yields of fine PM from remote forest (Hyytiälä, Finland) and polluted urban air (Mainz, Germany and Beijing, China) and relate these yields to different chemical constituents and reaction mechanisms. Ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry was used to characterize organic aerosol composition, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy with a spin-trapping technique was used to determine the concentrations •OH, O2•−, and carbon- or oxygen-centered organic radicals, …

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