S. Nakao, C. Clark, P. Tang, K. Sato, and D. Cocker III

Abstract. SOA formation from benzene, toluene, m-xylene, and their corresponding phenolic compounds were investigated using the UCR/CE-CERT Environmental Chamber to evaluate the importance of phenolic compounds as intermediate species in aromatic SOA formation. SOA formation yield measurements coupled to gas-phase yield measurements indicate that approximately 20% of the SOA of benzene, toluene, and m-xylene could be ascribed to the phenolic route under low NO_x conditions. The SOA densities tend to be initially as high as approximately 1.8 g cm⁻³ and eventually reach the range of 1.3–1.4 g cm⁻³. The final SOA density was found to be independent of elemental ratio (O/C) indicating that applying constant density (e.g., 1.4 g cm⁻³) to SOA formed from different aromatic compounds tested in this study is a reasonable approximation. Results from a novel on-line PILS-TOFMS (Particle-into-Liquid Sampler coupled with Agilent Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer) are reported. Major signals observed by the on-line/off-line Agilent TOFMS indicated that products had the same number of carbon atoms as their parent aromatics, suggesting importance of ring-retaining products or ring-opening products following ring-cleavage.

How to cite. Nakao, S., Clark, C., Tang, P., Sato, K., and Cocker III, D.: Secondary organic aerosol formation from phenolic compounds in the absence of NO_x, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 10649–10660, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-10649-2011, 2011.

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