Secondary formation of nitrated phenols: insights from observations during the Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Study (UBWOS) 2014
Bin Yuan1,2,John Liggio3,Jeremy Wentzell3,Shao-Meng Li3,Harald Stark2,4,James M. Roberts1,Jessica Gilman1,2,Brian Lerner1,2,Carsten Warneke1,2,Rui Li1,2,Amy Leithead3,Hans D. Osthoff5,Robert Wild1,2,Steven S. Brown1,6,and Joost A. de Gouw1,2,6Bin Yuan et al. Bin Yuan1,2,John Liggio3,Jeremy Wentzell3,Shao-Meng Li3,Harald Stark2,4,James M. Roberts1,Jessica Gilman1,2,Brian Lerner1,2,Carsten Warneke1,2,Rui Li1,2,Amy Leithead3,Hans D. Osthoff5,Robert Wild1,2,Steven S. Brown1,6,and Joost A. de Gouw1,2,6
1NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), Chemical Sciences Division,
Boulder, CO, USA
2Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University
of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
3Environment Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Toronto, ON, Canada
4Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA, USA
5Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
6Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at
Boulder, CO, USA
1NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), Chemical Sciences Division,
Boulder, CO, USA
2Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University
of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
3Environment Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Toronto, ON, Canada
4Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica, MA, USA
5Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
6Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at
Boulder, CO, USA
Received: 30 Sep 2015 – Discussion started: 23 Oct 2015 – Revised: 29 Jan 2016 – Accepted: 12 Feb 2016 – Published: 24 Feb 2016
Abstract. We describe the results from online measurements of nitrated phenols using a time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (ToF-CIMS) with acetate as reagent ion in an oil and gas production region in January and February of 2014. Strong diurnal profiles were observed for nitrated phenols, with concentration maxima at night. Based on known markers (CH4, NOx, CO2), primary emissions of nitrated phenols were not important in this study. A box model was used to simulate secondary formation of phenol, nitrophenol (NP), and dinitrophenols (DNP). The box model results indicate that oxidation of aromatics in the gas phase can explain the observed concentrations of NP and DNP in this study. Photolysis was the most efficient loss pathway for NP in the gas phase. We show that aqueous-phase reactions and heterogeneous reactions were minor sources of nitrated phenols in our study. This study demonstrates that the emergence of new ToF-CIMS (including PTR-TOF) techniques allows for the measurement of intermediate oxygenates at low levels and these measurements improve our understanding on the evolution of primary VOCs in the atmosphere.
We describe high-resolution measurements of nitrated phenols using a time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (ToF-CIMS). Strong diurnal profiles were observed for nitrated phenols, with concentration maxima at night. Box model simulations were able to reproduce the measured nitrated phenols.
We describe high-resolution measurements of nitrated phenols using a time-of-flight chemical...
