Heterogeneous reactions of particulate methoxyphenols with NO₃ radicals: kinetics, products, and mechanisms

The Fate of Protonated Guaiacol and Its Derivatives in the Gas Phase

Guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) and its derivatives are a class of semivolatile polar organic molecules possessing low molecular weights. Owing to their volatility, guaiacol and its derivatives can interact with atmospheric water and form protonated methoxyphenols through proton transfer. The aim of the present work is to study the dissociation of these protonated ions and hence, potentially, their atmospheric fate. Tandem mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the unimolecular dissociation of the protonated forms of guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol, 1), creosol (2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, 2), 4-ethylguaiacol (4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, 3), 4-vinylguaiacol (2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 4), eugenol (2-methoxy-4-prop-2-enylphenol, 5), and vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, 6). Density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) (1-5) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) (6) levels of theory were applied to determine the observed minimum energy reaction pathways, and reliable energetics were acquired using CBS-QB3 single-point energy calculations. All the protonated ions, with the exception of 6, exhibit the loss of CH₃OH via a series of hydrogen transfers, followed by ring contraction to lose CO. This common dissociation pathway leads to the formation of a cyclopentadienyl ion as the main dissociation product. Conversely, 6 first exhibits the loss of CO, followed by sequential losses of CH₃OH and CO to generate a cyclopentadienyl ion. Additionally, minor fragmentation channels are also observed for the different protonated ions: CH₂ loss in 1; CH₄ and H₂O losses in 3; CH₃ loss in 4, 5, and 6; C₂H₄ and CH₂CHCH₂ losses in 5; H loss in 6. Altogether, the protonated ions primarily lose CH₃OH and CO as neutral molecules and generate a cyclopentadienyl ion as a dissociation product.

Inorganic Ions Enhance the Number of Product Compounds through Heterogeneous Processing of Gaseous NO2 on an Aqueous Layer of Acetosyringone

Methoxyphenols represent important pollutants that can participate in the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) through chemical reactions with atmospheric oxidants. In this study, we determine the influence of ionic strength, pH, and temperature on the heterogeneous reaction of NO₂ with an aqueous film consisting of acetosyringone (ACS), as a proxy for methoxyphenols. The uptake coefficient of NO₂ (50 ppb) on ACS (1 × 10^-5 mol L^-1) is γ = (9.3 ± 0.09) × 10^-8 at pH 5, and increases by one order of magnitude to γ = (8.6 ± 0.5) × 10^-7 at pH 11. The lifetime of ACS due to its reaction with NO₂ is largely affected by the presence of nitrate ions and sulfate ions encountered in aqueous aerosols. The analysis performed by membrane inlet single-photon ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MI-SPI-TOFMS) reveals an increase in the number of product compounds and a change of their chemical composition upon addition of nitrate ions and sulfate ions to the aqueous thin layer consisting of ACS. These outcomes indicate that inorganic ions can play an important role during the heterogeneous oxidation processes in aqueous aerosol particles.

Atmospheric Reactivity of Methoxyphenols: A Review

Methoxyphenols emitted from lignin pyrolysis are widely used as potential tracers for biomass burning, especially for wood burning. In the past ten years, their atmospheric reactivity has attracted increasing attention from the academic community. Thus, this work provides an extensive review of the atmospheric reactivity of methoxyphenols, including their gas-phase, particle-phase, and aqueous-phase reactions, as well as secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. Emphasis was placed on kinetics, mechanisms, and SOA formation. The reactions of methoxyphenols with OH and NO₃ radicals were the predominant degradation pathways, which also had significant SOA formation potentials. The reaction mechanism of methoxyphenols with O₃ is the cycloaddition of O₃ to the benzene ring or unsaturated C═C bond, while H-abstraction and radical adduct formation are the main degradation channels of methoxyphenols by OH and NO₃ radicals. Based on the published studies, knowledge gaps were pointed out. Future studies including experimental simulations and theoretical calculations of other representative kinds of methoxyphenols should be systematically carried out under complex pollution conditions. In addition, the ecotoxicity of their degradation products and their contribution to SOA formation from the atmospheric aging of biomass-burning plumes should be seriously assessed.

Theoretical investigation on the mechanisms and kinetics of OH/NO3-initiated atmospheric oxidation of vanillin and vanillic acid

Vanillin and vanillic acid are two kinds of lignin pyrolysis products that are generated by biomass combustion. The gas-phase oxidation mechanisms of vanillin and vanillic acid initiated by OH/NO₃ radicals were investigated by using density functional theory (DFT) at M06-2X/6-311+G(3df,2p)//M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level. The initial reactions of vanillin and vanillic acid with OH/NO₃ radicals can be divided into two patterns: OH/NO₃ addition and H-atom abstraction. For vanillin reacted with OH radical, the OH addition mainly occurs at C2-position to produce highly chemically activated intermediate (IM2). The oxidation products 3,4-dihydroxy benzaldehyde, malealdehyde, methyl hydrogen oxalate, methylenemalonaldehyde, carbonyl and carbonyl compounds are formed by the subsequent reactions of IM2. H-atom abstracting from aldehyde group occurs more easily than from the other positions. In addition, vanillin reacting with NO₃ radicals principally proceeds via NO₃-addition at C1 sites and H-atom abstracting from OH group (C1) to generate HNO₃. The primary reaction mechanisms of vanillic acid with OH/NO₃ radicals were similar to vanillin. The Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory was performed to calculate the rate constants of the significant elementary reactions. The total rate constants for OH-initiated oxidation of vanillin and vanillic acid are 5.72 × 10^-12 and 5.40 × 10^-12 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1 at 298 K and 1 atm. The atmospheric lifetimes were predicted to be 48.56 h and 51.44 h, respectively. As a supplement, the kinetic calculations of NO₃ radicals with two reactants were also discussed. This work investigates the atmospheric oxidation processes of vanillin and vanillic acid, and hopes to provide useful information for further experimental research.

Guaiacol Nitration in a Simulated Atmospheric Aerosol with an Emphasis on Atmospheric Nitrophenol Formation Mechanisms

Atmospheric nitrophenols are pollutants of concern due to their toxicity and light-absorption characteristics and their low reactivity resulting in relatively long residence times in the environment. We investigate multiphase nitrophenol formation from guaiacol in a simulated atmospheric aerosol and support observations with the corresponding chemical mechanisms. The maximal secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yield (42%) is obtained under illumination at 80% relative humidity. Among the identified nitrophenols, 4-nitrocatechol (3.6% yield) is the prevailing species in the particulate phase. The results point to the role of water in catechol and further 4-nitrocatechol formation from guaiacol. In addition, a new pathway of dark nitrophenol formation is suggested, which prevailed in dry air and roughly yielded 1% nitroguaiacols. Furthermore, the proposed mechanism possibly leads to oligomer formation via a phenoxy radical formation by oxidation with HONO.

Reactivity of aromatic contaminants towards nitrate radical in tropospheric gas and aqueous phase

Aromatic compounds (ACs) give a substantial contribution to the anthropogenic emissions of volatile organic compounds. Nitrate radicals (NO₃) are significant oxidants in the lower troposphere during nighttime, with concentrations of (2-20) × 10⁸ molecules cm^-3. In this study, the tropospheric gas and liquid phase reactions of ACs with nitrate radical are investigated using theoretical computational methods, which can give a deep insight into the reaction mechanisms and kinetics. Results show that the reactivity of ACs with nitrate radicals decreases as the electron donating characteristics of the functional group on the ACs decrease, as ΔG^≠ of the reaction with NO₃ increasing from -1.17 to 17.84 kcal mol^-1. The reaction of NO₃ towards ACs in the aqueous phase is more preferable, with the atmospheric lifetime 0.07-1281 min. An assessment of the aquatic toxicity of ACs and their degradation products indicated that the risk of their degradation products remains and should be given more attention.

Laboratory Insights into the Diel Cycle of Optical and Chemical Transformations of Biomass Burning Brown Carbon Aerosols

Transformations of biomass burning brown carbon aerosols (BB-BrC) over their diurnal lifecycle are currently not well studied. In this study, the aging of BB tar proxy aerosols processed by NO₃^• under dark conditions followed by the photochemical OH^• reaction and photolysis were investigated in tandem flow reactors. The results show that O₃ oxidation in the dark diminishes light absorption of wood tar aerosols, resulting in higher particle single-scattering albedo (SSA). NO₃^• reactions augment the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) of the aerosols by a factor of 2-3 by forming secondary chromophores, such as nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) and organonitrates. Subsequent OH^• oxidation and direct photolysis both decompose the organic nitrates (ONs, representing bulk functionalities of NACs and organonitrates) in the NO₃^•-aged wood tar aerosols, thus decreasing particle absorption. Moreover, NACs degrade faster than organonitrates by photochemical aging. The NO₃^•-aged wood tar aerosols are more susceptible to photolysis than to OH^• reactions. The photolysis lifetimes for the ONs and for the absorbance of the NO₃^•-aged aerosols are on the order of hours under typical solar irradiation, while the absorption and ON lifetimes toward OH^• oxidation are substantially longer. Overall, nighttime aging via NO₃^• reactions increases the light absorption of wood tar aerosols and shortens their absorption lifetime under daytime conditions.

Kinetics and mechanism of syringic acid degradation initiated by hydroxyl radical and sulphate radical in the aqueous phase

Syringic acid (Syr) is an abundant component in aerosol particles. Multiphase photo-oxidation in aerosol phase provides an important oxidation pathway for Syr in the atmosphere. In this work, we studied the multiphase degradation of Syr by measuring rate coefficients of its reactions with potential radical oxidants (OH and SO₄^-) in aqueous solutions and by theoretical calculations, and degradation mechanisms by identifying the (intermediate) products. Rate coefficients, in 10⁹ M^-1 s^-1, were obtained as 32 ± 2 (pH 3) and 25 ± 2 (pH 6) for reactions with OH radical, and 1.7 ± 0.1 (pH 3) and 0.9 ± 0.02 (pH 6) for reactions with SO₄^-. Reactions of Syr with OH and SO₄^- were all in diffusion-control limit. Rate coefficients' difference under pH 6 and pH 3 in SO₄^- reaction was caused by Coulomb's force between negatively charged species. Theoretical calculations showed that the reaction of Syr with OH starts mainly by hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from phenolic groups and secondly by OH addition to the aromatic ring. No product was identified in the reaction of Syr and OH radical at pH 3 due probably to the rapid mineralization of phenoxy radical formed from HAT, while products after OH additions were identified for a reaction at pH 6. On the other hand, reaction of Syr with SO₄^- starts by single-electron transfer (SET), forming Syr⁺, which can undergo hydrolysis, sulfation, and dimerization with Syr and other aromatic intermediates, etc. Dimerization products from the phenoxy-type radical were not found here.

Formation of Secondary Brown Carbon in Biomass Burning Aerosol Proxies through NO3 Radical Reactions

Atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) is an important contributor to the radiative forcing of climate by organic aerosols. Because of the molecular diversity of BrC compounds and their dynamic transformations, it is challenging to predictively understand BrC optical properties. OH radical and O₃ reactions, together with photolysis, lead to diminished light absorption and lower warming effects of biomass burning BrC. The effects of night-time aging on the optical properties of BrC aerosols are less known. To address this knowledge gap, night-time NO₃ radical chemistry with tar aerosols from wood pyrolysis was investigated in a flow reactor. This study shows that the optical properties of BrC change because of transformations driven by reactions with the NO₃ radical that form new absorbing species and lead to significant absorption enhancement over the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) range. The overnight aging increases the mass absorption coefficients of the BrC by a factor of 1.3-3.2 between 380 nm and 650 nm. Nitrated organic compounds, particularly nitroaromatics, were identified as the main products that contribute to the enhanced light absorption in the secondary BrC. Night-time aging of BrC aerosols represents an important source of secondary BrC and can have a pronounced effect on atmospheric chemistry and air pollution.

Heterogeneous reaction of ozone with syringic acid: Uptake of O3 and changes in the composition and optical property of syringic acid

Syringic acid, which is a typical methoxyphenol emitted from wood combustion, can provide heterogeneous reaction sites for gaseous active components, influencing the concentrations of trace gases and the compositions of syringic acid. The heterogeneous uptake of O₃ on syringic acid was investigated using a flow tube reactor under ambient pressure. The initial uptake coefficient (γ_i) and the steady-state uptake coefficient (γ_ss) of O₃ linearly increased with syringic acid mass (0-0.16 μg cm^-2) and temperature (278-328 K), while they decreased with increasing the O₃ concentration and the O₂ content. The γ_i was independent of relative humidity (20%-70%), whereas γ_ss decreased with relative humidity (7%-70%). The compositional changes of syringic acid by the ozonization were analyzed by the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), confirming the generation of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone. In addition, compared to that of fresh syringic acid, the mass absorption efficiency of syringic acid aged by O₃ exhibited an increase in the range of 290-320 nm.

Kinetic study on the heterogeneous degradation of coniferyl alcohol by OH radicals

Coniferyl alcohol derived from lignin pyrolysis, is a potential tracer for wood burning emissions, but its atmospheric stability toward OH radicals is not well known. In this work, the degradation kinetics of coniferyl alcohol by OH radicals was studied using a flow reactor at different OH concentrations, temperatures, and relative humidity (RH). The results showed that coniferyl alcohol could be degraded effectively by OH radials, and the average second-order rate constant (k₂) was (11.6 ± 0.5) × 10^-12 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1 at the temperature and RH of 25 °C and 40%, respectively. Additionally, increasing temperature facilitated the degradation of coniferyl alcohol and the Arrhenius equation could be expressed as k₂ = (1.7 ± 0.3) × 10^-9exp [-(1480.2 ± 55.6)/T] at 40% RH. Meanwhile, increasing RH had a negative impact on the degradation of coniferyl alcohol. According to the k₂ obtained under different conditions, the atmospheric lifetime of coniferyl alcohol was in the range of 13.5 ± 0.4 h to 22.9 ± 1.4 h. The results suggested that the atmosphere lifetime of coniferyl alcohol was predominantly controlled by OH radicals.

Theoretical investigation of the mechanism, kinetics and subsequent degradation products of the NO3 radical initiated oxidation of 4-hydroxy-3-hexanone

The oxidation mechanism of 4-hydroxy-3-hexanone (CH3CH2C(O)CH(OH)CH2CH3) initiated by NO3 radicals in the nighttime is investigated systematically by applying quantum theoretical methods. According to thermodynamic research, the process of H-abstraction on the -CH- group adjacent to the hydroxyl group is the most dominant pathway with the lowest activation energy. The analysis of Mulliken charge charts and molecular electrostatic potential maps illustrate that C-H bonds are the active sites of the reaction, and the calculated C-H bond dissociation energy of the CH3CH2C(O)CH(OH)CH2CH3 molecule further confirms that α-CH is the most easily activated. Individual rate constants for five H-abstraction pathways are calculated by canonical variational theory coupled with small curvature tunneling method over the temperature range of 260-330 K, and the branching ratios are also evaluated. A total rate constant of 1.18 × 10-15 cm3 per molecule per s is obtained at 298 K, which is in good agreement with the reported experimental value. A negative temperature dependence is observed in the titular reaction. The subsequent degradation processes of the advantageous product alkyl radical (CH3CH2C˙(OH)COCH2CH3) are carried out in a NO-rich environment, and propionic acid, NO2 and ozone are obtained as the major final products. The nighttime atmospheric lifetime of 4-hydroxy-3-hexanone is estimated to be around 19 days, indicating that it has impact at night. The titular reaction rate constants are fitted to a three-parameter Arrhenius formula.

Theoretical study on the mechanisms, kinetics and ecotoxicity assessment of OH-initiated reactions of guaiacol in atmosphere and wastewater

The OH-initiated transformation mechanisms, kinetics and ecotoxicity assessment of guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) in the presence of O₂/NO_x were investigated both in atmosphere and wastewater. The solvent effect lowers the energy barriers of initial OH-addition reactions more than H-abstraction reactions, leading to much higher addition branching ratio (Γ_add) of 0.92 in aqueous solution than that of 0.42 in gas-phase. At 298 K, the overall rate constants of the title reactions in atmosphere and wastewater are 5.56 × 10^-12 and 1.41 × 10^-11 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1 with corresponding half-lives of 34.6 h and 0.82 s, respectively. In atmosphere, all the proposed favorable products including nitroguaiacols, methoxybenzoquinone, 2-hydroxyphenyl formate, 2-methoxybenzene-1, 3-diol and dialdehyde could contribute to secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). In wastewater, NO₂ addition reactions lead to higher toxicity of products (nitroguaiacols and 2-methoxybenzene-1, 4-diol) than that of parental guaiacol. However, O₂/NO addition pathways may generate less harmful products except for methoxybenzoquinone (P3) which is with higher toxicity than guaiacol. Therefore, more attention should be focused on the products formed from OH-initiated reactions of guaiacol both in atmosphere and wastewater.

Kinetic and Theoretical Study of the Atmospheric Aqueous-Phase Reactions of OH Radicals with Methoxyphenolic Compounds

Methoxyphenols, which are emitted through biomass burning, are an important species in atmospheric chemistry. In the present study, temperature-dependent aqueous-phase OH radical reactions of six methoxyphenols and two related phenols have been investigated through laser flash photolysis and the density functional theory. The rate constants obtained were in a range of (1.1-1.9) × 10¹⁰ L mol^-1 s^-1 with k(3-MC) > k(Cre) ≈ k(Syr) ≈ k(MEP) > k(Res) > k(3-MP) > k(2-EP) ≈ k(2-MP). We derived the parameters of these reactions from the obtained T-dependent rate constants and found a mean Arrhenius activation energy of 16.9 kJ mol^-1. The diffusion rate constants were calculated for each case and compared to the measured ones. Generally, the rate constants are found to be close to fully diffusion-controlled (k_diff = (1.4-1.5) × 10¹⁰ L mol^-1 s^-1 for all reactions). A structure-function relationship was established through the measurement result, which could be used for predicting unknown rate constants of other phenolic compounds. All of these findings are expected to enhance the predictive capabilities of models, such as the chemical aqueous-phase radical mechanism.

Theoretical study on gas-phase reactions of nitrate radicals with methoxyphenols: Mechanism, kinetic and toxicity assessment

Creosol and 4-ethylguaiacol are two important methoxyphenols, lignin pyrolysis products, which are discharge into the atmosphere in large quantities. In this work, theoretical calculations of the reaction mechanism towards the two compounds with NO₃ radicals was performed using DFT method. The rate constants and toxicity assessment were also investigated. The atmospheric lifetime for creosol and 4-ethylguaiacol were 0.82 and 0.19 h, respectively. A new reaction pathway was proposed for the transformation of methoxyl into hydroxyl, which has not yet been clarified in previous studies. The toxicity of methoxyphenols and their degradation products is closely related to their hydrophobicity. Although most degradation products are less toxic, they also should be pay more attention, especially for nitro-substituents. A new reaction pathway was proposed for the transformation of methoxyl into hydroxyl. The toxicity is closely related to their hydrophobicity.

Heterogeneous kinetics of methoxyphenols in the OH-initiated reactions under different experimental conditions

Methoxyphenols as the potential tracers for wood smoke emissions, are emitted into the atmosphere in large quantities but their atmospheric chemical behaviors have not been well characterized. In this work, heterogeneous kinetics of methoxyphenols in the OH-initiated reactions was investigated using a flow reactor under different experimental conditions. The average second-order rate constants (k₂) of vanillic acid (VA), coniferyl aldehyde (CA), and syringaldehyde (SA) were (4.72 ± 0.51) × 10^-12, (10.59 ± 0.50) × 10^-12, (12.25 ± 0.60) × 10^-12 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, respectively, obtained at relative humidity (RH) and temperature of 40% and 25 °C. In addition, the results showed that high temperature played a positive role in promoting these reactions while high RH had an inhibiting impact. The k₂ values of VA, CA, and SA at 40% RH and different temperature followed the Arrhenius expressions, i.e., k₂ = (2.45 ± 0.40) × 10^-10exp [-(1170.73 ± 47.35)/T], k₂ = (6.40 ± 0.26) × 10^-10exp [-(1516.16 ± 13.71)/T], and k₂ = (1.02 ± 0.13) × 10^-9exp [-(1310.79 ± 36.75)/T], respectively. Based on the determined rate constants, the atmospheric lifetimes of these three methoxyphenols ranged from 0.54 to 2.18 d under different conditions. The experimental results indicate that OH radicals might play an important role in controlling the atmospheric lifetimes of methoxyphenols, and also help to further cognize the chemical behaviors of methoxyphenols in the atmosphere.

Role of in-situ nitrite ion formation on the sonochemical transformation of para-aminosalicylic acid

The sonochemical transformation of para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS), a widely used antibiotic and an identified Emerging Pollutant (EP) under the class of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs), have been investigated in aqueous medium. Ultrasound having frequency of 350kHz and power of 80W was utilized for the degradation of PAS. A complete degradation (100%) of PAS after 60min and about 83% of COD removal after 120min of sonication, were obtained. Fourteen intermediate products were identified using LC-Q-TOF-MS. On a comparison with UV/H₂O₂ method, it is understood that four products out of fourteen were nitro derivatives which are formed only in the sonolysis, and the rest are from hydroxyl radicals. The involvement of nitrite which is formed from the sonolysis of solution containing PAS, in the formation of the other four nitro products has been established from the control studies. Nitrite ion partially scavenge hydroxyl radical in the course of the reaction to form nitrite radical which is the reactive species for the production of nitro compounds. It is, therefore, proposed that in addition to hydroxyl radical, contribution of in-situ generated nitrite also plays an important role in the sonochemical transformation of PAS.

Levoglucosan and phenols in Antarctic marine, coastal and plateau aerosols

Due to its isolated location, Antarctica is a natural laboratory for studying atmospheric aerosols and pollution in remote areas. Here, we determined levoglucosan and phenolic compounds (PCs) at diverse Antarctic sites: on the plateau, a coastal station and during an oceanographic cruise. Levoglucosan and PCs reached the Antarctic plateau where they were observed in accumulation mode aerosols (with median levoglucosan concentrations of 6.4 pg m(-3) and 4.1 pg m(-3), and median PC concentrations of 15.0 pg m(-3) and 7.3 pg m(-3)). Aged aerosols arrived at the coastal site through katabatic circulation with the majority of the levoglucosan mass distributed on larger particulates (24.8 pg m(-3)), while PCs were present in fine particles (34.0 pg m(-3)). The low levoglucosan/PC ratios in Antarctic aerosols suggest that biomass burning aerosols only had regional, rather than local, sources. General acid/aldehyde ratios were lower at the coastal site than on the plateau. Levoglucosan and PCs determined during the oceanographic cruise were 37.6 pg m(-3) and 58.5 pg m(-3) respectively. Unlike levoglucosan, which can only be produced by biomass burning, PCs have both biomass burning and other sources. Our comparisons of these two types of compounds across a range of Antarctic marine, coastal, and plateau sites demonstrate that local marine sources dominate Antarctic PC concentrations.

Rate Coefficients for the Gas-Phase Reactions of Hydroxyl Radicals with a Series of Methoxylated Aromatic Compounds

Rate coefficients for the reactions of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with a series of oxygenated aromatics (two methoxybenzene and five methoxyphenol isomers) have been obtained using the relative kinetic method in 1080 and 480 L photoreactors at the University of Wuppertal, Germany. The experiments were realized at 295 ± 2 K and 1 bar total pressure of synthetic air using in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for the chemical analysis. The following rate coefficients (in units of cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)) were determined: methoxybenzene (anisole), (2.08 ± 0.21) × 10(-11); 1-methoxy-2-methylbenzene, (4.56 ± 0.50) × 10(-11); 2-methoxyphenol (guaiacol), (5.40 ± 0.72) × 10(-11); 3-methoxyphenol, (6.93 ± 0.67) × 10(-11); 4-methoxyphenol, (5.66 ± 0.55) × 10(-11); 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, (7.51 ± 0.68) × 10(-11); 2,3-dimethoxyphenol, (7.49 ± 0.81) × 10(-11); and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (syringol), (8.10 ± 0.98) × 10(-11). The rate coefficients for the reactions of OH with 2,3-dimethoxyphenol and 1-methoxy-2-methylbenzene are first time measurements. The rate coefficients determined in this work are compared with previous determinations reported in the literature and also with the values estimated using a structure-activity relationship method. A comparison is performed between the OH rate coefficients obtained for methoxylated aromatics with those of other substituted aromatics in order to understand the influence of the type, number, and position of the different substituents on the reactivity of aromatics toward OH. In addition, a comparison is made between the OH and Cl rate coefficients for the compounds. The principal atmospheric sink of these methoxylated aromatic compounds during daytime is their reaction with OH radicals. The corresponding lifetimes for reaction with OH radicals and Cl atoms are 2-8 and 11-50 h, respectively.

Does toxicity of aromatic pollutants increase under remote atmospheric conditions?

Aromatic compounds contribute significantly to the budget of atmospheric pollutants and represent considerable hazard to living organisms. However, they are only rarely included into atmospheric models which deviate substantially from field measurements. A powerful experimental-simulation tool for the assessment of the impact of low- and semi-volatile aromatic pollutants on the environment due to their atmospheric aqueous phase aging has been developed and introduced for the first time. The case study herein reveals that remote biotopes might be the most damaged by wet urban guaiacol-containing biomass burning aerosols. It is shown that only after the primary pollutant guaiacol has been consumed, its probably most toxic nitroaromatic product is largely formed. Revising the recent understanding of atmospheric aqueous phase chemistry, which is mostly concerned with the radical nitration mechanisms, the observed phenomenon is mainly attributed to the electrophilic nitrogen-containing reactive species. Here, their intriguing role is closely inspected and discussed from the ecological perspective.

Atmospheric chemistry of alkyl iodides: theoretical studies on the mechanisms and kinetics of CH3I/C2H5I + NO3 reactions

Mechanisms and kinetics of the reactions of the NO₃ radical with CH₃I and C₂H₅I have been investigated from a sound theoretical basis.

Products and kinetics of the heterogeneous reaction of particulate ametryn with NO3 radicals

As a renowned s-triazine herbicide, ametryn is worldwide emitted into the atmosphere in both gaseous and particulate phases via spray drifts from treatments and post application emissions, but its chemical degradation in the atmosphere has not been well characterized. In this study, the heterogeneous kinetics of particulate ametryn with NO3 radicals were investigated with a mixed-phase relative rate method. A vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS) and an atmospheric gas analysis mass spectrometer were synchronously used to online monitor the decays of particulate ametryn and gas-phase isoprene. The reactive uptake coefficient of NO3 radicals on ametryn particles was calculated to be 2.9 × 10(-2), according to the measured ametryn loss ratio and the average NO3 concentration. The effective rate constant for the heterogeneous reaction of particulate ametryn with NO3 radicals measured under experimental conditions was 8.4 × 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). In addition, atraton, ametryn sulfoxide and ametryn sulfone were identified as the reaction products by gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The experimental results might shed light on the chemical behavior of atmospheric ametryn at night-time.

Heterogeneous OH initiated oxidation: a possible explanation for the persistence of organophosphate flame retardants in air

Heterogeneous reactions between OH radicals and emerging flame retardant compounds coated on inert particles have been investigated. Organophosphate esters (OPEs) including triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), tris-2-ethylhexyl phosphate (TEHP), and tris-1,3-dichloro-2-propyl phosphate (TDCPP) were coated on (NH4)2SO4 particles and exposed to OH radicals in a photochemical flow tube at 298 K and (38.0 ± 2.0) % RH. The degradation of these particle-bound OPEs was observed as a result of OH exposure, as measured using a Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer. The derived second-order rate constants for the heterogeneous loss of TPhP, TEHP, and TDCPP were (2.1 ± 0.19) × 10(-12), (2.7 ± 0.63) × 10(-12), and (9.2 ± 0.92) × 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively, from which approximate atmospheric lifetimes are estimated to be 5.6 (5.2-6.0), 4.3 (3.5-5.6), and 13 (11-14) days. Additional coating of the OPE coated particles with an OH radical active species further increased the lifetimes of these OPEs. These results represent the first reported estimates of heterogeneous reaction rate constants for these species. The results demonstrate that particle bound OPEs are highly persistent in the atmosphere with regard to OH radical oxidation, consistent with the assumption that OPEs can undergo medium or long-range transport, as previously proposed on the basis of field measurements. Finally, these results indicate that future risk assessment and transport modeling of emerging priority chemicals with semi- to low-volatility must consider particle phase heterogeneous loss processes when evaluating environmental persistence.

Molecular markers of biomass burning in arctic aerosols

Biomass burning is one of the most important sources of organic matter in the atmosphere as it affects the absorption and scattering of solar radiation, creates cloud condensation nuclei and possibly influences ice and snow albedo. Here we created and validated an analytical method using HPLC/(-)-ESI-MS/MS to determine phenolic compounds (PCLCs): vanillic acid, isovanillic acid, homovanillic acid, syringic acid, syringaldehyde, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and coniferyl aldehyde at trace levels in particulate matter. We analyzed eighteen high-volume air samples from Ny Ålesund (Svalbard) collected during the boreal spring and summer of 2010. Biomass burning molecules including PCLCs (<0.49 μm, mean atmospheric concentration 6 pg m(-3)), levoglucosan (0.004 to 0.682 ng m(-3)) and acrylamide (32 fg m(-3) to 166 fg m(-3)) were present in the sampled aerosols. Levoglucosan concentrations, an unambiguous cellulose combustion tracer, derived from 2010 Russian fires. PCLCs levels in the Ny Alesund atmosphere in different size fractions reflected both long-range transport linked to biomass burning and a terrigenous local source.