Articles | Volume 15, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6087-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6087-2015
Research article
 | 
04 Jun 2015
Research article |  | 04 Jun 2015

Photochemical processing of aqueous atmospheric brown carbon

R. Zhao, A. K. Y. Lee, L. Huang, X. Li, F. Yang, and J. P. D. Abbatt

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Cited articles

Alexander, D. T., Crozier, P. A., and Anderson, J. R.: Brown carbon spheres in East Asian outflow and their optical properties, Science, 321, 833–836, 2008.
Aljawhary, D., Lee, A. K. Y., and Abbatt, J. P. D.: High-resolution chemical ionization mass spectrometry (ToF-CIMS): application to study SOA composition and processing, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 3211–3224, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-3211-2013, 2013.
Andreae, M. O. and Gelencsér, A.: Black carbon or brown carbon? The nature of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosols, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 3131–3148, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3131-2006, 2006.
Aregahegn, K. Z., Noziere, B., and George, C.: Organic aerosol formation photo-enhanced by the formation of secondary photosensitizers in aerosols, Faraday Discussions, 165, 123–134, 2013.
Atkinson, R.: Gas-Phase Tropospheric Chemistry of Organic-Compounds ]- a Review, Atmos. Environ. A-Gen., 24, 1–41, 1990.
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Short summary
Aqueous-phase photochemical decay of light absorbing organic compounds, or atmospheric brown carbon (BrC), is investigated in this study. The absorptive change of laboratory surrogates of BrC, as well as biofuel combustion samples, were monitored during photolysis and OH oxidation experiments. The major finding is the rapid change in the absorptivity of BrC during such photochemical processing. This change should be taken into account to evaluate the importance of BrC in the atmosphere.
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