Abstract
The organic matter in tropospheric aerosol plays animportant, yet undetermined role in atmosphericprocesses. The bulk of organic carbon representing asignificant part of the fine aerosol mass is bound toa polymeric matter whose structure and properties areto date largely unknown. Here we use thefingerprinting technique of derivatization pyrolysis-gas chromatography-massspectrometry tosubstantiate that in terms of chemical structure partof this polymer in rural aerosol in summer can beregarded as natural humic matter. We suggest thatthese compounds are likely to be directly emitted bybiogenic sources.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andreae, M. O., 1995: In A. Henderson-Sellers (ed.), Future Climates of the World, Vol. 16 of World Survey of Climatology, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 341–392.
Andreae, M. O. and Crutzen, P. J., 1997: Atmospheric aerosols: Biogeochemical sources and role in atmospheric chemistry, Science 276, 1052–1058.
Novakov, T. and Penner, J. E., 1993: Large contribution of organic aerosols to cloudcondensation-nuclei concentrations, Nature 365, 823–826.
Novakov, T., Corrigan, C. E., Penner, J. E., Chuang, C. C., Rosario, O., and Mayol Bracero, O. L., 1997: Organic aerosols in the Caribbean trade winds: A natural source?, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 21,307–21,313.
Gelencsér, A., Hoffer, A., Molnár, A., Krivácsy, Z., Kiss, G., and Mészáros, E., 2000: Thermal behaviour of carbonaceous aerosol from a continental background site, Atmos. Environ. 34 (5), 823–831.
Artaxo, P., Maenhaut, W., Storms, H., and van Grieken, R.: 1990: Aerosol characteristics and sources for the Amazon Basin during the wet season, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 16,971–16,985.
Likens, G. E., Edgerton, E. S., and Galloway, J. N., 1983: The composition and deposition of organic carbon in precipitation, Tellus 35B, 16–35.
Bank, S. and Castillo, R., 1987: Analysis of organic matter from cloud particles, Geophys. Res. Lett. 14, 210–212.
Mukai, H. and Ambe, Y., 1986: Characterization of a humic-acid like brown substance in airborne particulate matter and tentative identification of its origin, Atmos. Environ. 20, 813–819.
Havers, N., Burba, P., Lambert, J., and Klockow, D., 1998: Spectroscopic characterization of humic-like substances in airborne particulate matter, J. Atmos. Chem. 29, 45–54.
Zappoli, S., Andracchio, A., Fuzzi, S., Facchini, M. C., Gelencsér, A., Kiss, G., Krivácsy, Z., Molnár, A., Mészáros, E., Hansson, H. C., and Rosman, K., 1999: Inorganic, organic and macromolecular components of fine aerosol in different areas of Europe in relation to their water solubility, Atmos. Environ. 33, 2733–2743.
Martin, F., González-Vila, F. J., del Rio, J. C., and Verdejo, T., 1994: Pyrolysis derivatization of humic substances 1. Pyrolysis of fulvic acids in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 28, 71–80.
Martin, F., del Rio, J. C., González-Vila, F. J., and Verdejo, T., 1995: Pyrolysis derivatization of humic substances 1. Pyrolysis of soil humic acids in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 31, 75–83.
Poerschmann, J., Kopinke, F. D., Balcke, G., and Mothes, S., 1998: Pyrolysis pattern of anthropogenic and natural humic organic matter, J. Microcolumn Separations 10, 401–411.
Hatcher, P. G., Faulon, J. L., Clifford, D. A., and Matthews, J. P., 1994: In N. Senesi and T. M. Miano (eds), Humic Substances in the Global Environment, Elsevier Science B.V., pp.133–138.
Matthias-Maser, S. and Jaenicke, R., 1994: Examination of atmospheric bioaerosol particles with radii >0.2 μm, J. Aerosol. Sci. 25, 1605–1613.
Buffle, J., 1990: Complexation Reactions in Aquatic Systems-An Analytical Approach, Ellis Horwood, New York, pp. 91–146.
Schnitzer, M. and Kahn, S. U. (eds), 1978: Soil Organic Matter, Elsevier, Amsterdam, p. 26.
Schulten, H. R., 1994: In N. Senesi and T. M. Miano (eds), Humic Substances in the Global Environment, Elsevier Science B.V., pp. 43–54.
Cox, R. E., Mazurek, M. A., and Simoneit, B. R. T., 1982: Lipids in Harmattan aerosols of Nigeria, Nature 296, 848–849.
Gelencsér, A., Barcza, T., Kiss, G., Molnár, A., Hlavay, J., and Mészáros, E., 1998: Distribution of n-alkanes and PAHs in atmospheric aerosols, Atmos. Res. 46, 223–231.
Schnell, R. C. and Vali, G., 1972: Atmospheric ice nuclei from decomposing vegetation, Nature 236, 163–165.
Hildemann, L. M., Rogge, W. F., Cass, G. R., Mazurek, M. A., and Simoneit, B. R. T., 1996: Contribution of primary aerosol emissions from vegetation-derived sources to fine particle concentration in Los Angeles, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 19,541–19,549.
Kavouras, I. G., Mihalopoulos, N., and Stephanou, E. G., 1999: Secondary organic aerosol formation vs primary organic aerosol emission: In situ evidence for the chemical coupling between monoterpene acidic photooxidation products and new particle formation over forests, Environ. Sci. Technol. 33, 1028–1037.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gelencsér, A., Mészáros, T., Blazsó, M. et al. Structural Characterisation of Organic Matter in Fine Tropospheric Aerosol by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 37, 173–183 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006402731340
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006402731340