Secondary organic aerosol formation from m-xylene photooxidation: The role of the phenolic product

Aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a significant fraction of volatile organic compounds in the urban atmosphere and their importance as precursors to secondary organic aerosols (SOA) has been widely recognized. However, SOA formation from aromatics is one of the least understood processes among all the classes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to its complex multi-generation reactions. Phenolic compounds have been identified as one of the significant products from OH-initiated reaction of aromatic hydrocarbons and are suggested to have a very high potential of SOA formation (e.g., cresol isomers having SOA yield 9~42%, Henry et al., Atmos. Environ., 2008). We examined the effect of extent of oxidation of m-xylene on chemical composition and physical properties using m-xylene and xylenol as reactants in environmental chamber experiments. Chemical composition of SOA was investigated by Liquid Chromatography / Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (LC/ToF-MS), and Aerodyne High Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Physical properties of SOA such as density, volatility, and hygroscopicity were investigated by Aerosol Particle Mass Analyzer - Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (APM-SMPS), Hygroscopicity/Volatility - Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (H/V-TDMA), respectively. Also SOA yields were obtained to evaluate the importance of xylenol as an intermediate product.