Laboratory studies of the oxidation of atmospheric organic carbon: From single compounds to wildfire smoke to indoor air

Laboratory studies of the oxidation of atmospheric organic carbon:

From single compounds to wildfire smoke to indoor air

 

The oxidation of reactive organic compounds in the Earth’s atmosphere plays a central role in human health and climate. While oxidation is a major degradation pathway for many atmospheric pollutants, it can also lead to the formation of harmful secondary pollutants such as ozone and secondary organic aerosol. However our ability to describe these effects is limited by the immense chemical complexity of the system: the oxidation of even one organic compound can lead to the formation of a very large number of products. This talk will describe an ongoing series of laboratory experiments aimed at better understanding these complex and evolving systems. In these experiments, organic compounds (either individual species or more complex mixtures) are oxidized in an environmental chamber, and reactants, intermediates, and products are measured using a suite of real-time mass spectrometric instruments. Such measurements provide information on the complex oxidation product distributions as a function of time or oxidant exposure. Reaction systems to be discussed include the oxidation of individual compounds, the evolution of wildfire smoke, and the treatment of indoor air using portable air cleaners.

Jul 26, 2021 05:30 PM