An official website of the United States government
(1) Introduction. Although new particle formation (NPF) constitutes an important process in air, there are large uncertainties regarding which species participate in the formation of the first nanoclusters. Acid-base reactions are known generate new particles, with methanesulfonic acid (MSA) from the photooxidation of biogenic organosulfur compounds becoming more important with time relative to sulfuric acid as fossil-fuel related sources of the latter decline. Simultaneously, the use of alkanolamines in carbon capture and storage (CCS) is expected to result in increased atmospheric concentrations of these bases. This study applied a unique mass spectrometry method to examine the chemical composition of 2-10 nm particles from the MSA reaction with monoethanolamine and 4-aminobutanol, the most efficient system for NPF from MSA examined to date. (2) Methods. Thermal desorption chemical ionization mass spectrometry (TDCIMS, HToF mass analyzer, Tofwerk AG) was used to measure the size and acid-to-base molar ratios of nanoparticles formed from the reaction of MSA with multifunctional amines. A high-flow differential mobility analyzer (half-mini DMA, SEADM) was interfaced with the TDCIMS, which provides a high mobility resolution and high particle transmission in the diameter range 2-10 nm, where chemical composition measurements are the most challenging due to the very small amount of mass. With this novel combination of techniques we were able to examine MSA-amine systems either from nanoparticles exiting the outlet of a flow reactor or nanoclusters generated via electrospray. (3) Preliminary Data. These experiments show that MSA-driven acid-base reactions with monethanolamine or 4-aminobutanol are even more efficient in NPF than that of simple alkylamines, exhibiting to date the highest nanoparticle formation rates measured in laboratory flow tube studies. The observed enhancement is rooted in the presence of an -OH group on the parent molecules, which initiates a H-bond network throughout the nanoclusters. In these systems, water had only a minimal enhancing effect. We demonstrated that the nanoparticles formed in both systems are neutral (i.e. contain as much acid as base molecules) in the range 2-10 nm. This contrasts with MSA reactions from previous studies on the smallest alkylamine, methylamine, where particles smaller than 9 nm were more acidic. Investigations of reactions of MSA with a diamine (1,4-diaminobutane) showed a similar pattern of neutral particles across the diameter range studied and experiments with larger alkylamine, butylamine, are underway to probe the relationship between structure- and NPF potential from MSA. These findings highlight that there is no “one size-fits-all” regarding NPF from MSA reactions with amines and illustrates the need for studies of more complex amines to fully characterize the NPF potential of this atmospherically relevant strong acid. (4) Novel Aspect. The combination of TDCIMS with a novel particle sizing system provided the chemical composition of 2-10 nm particles.
more »
« less
Integrated experimental and theoretical approach to probe the synergistic effect of ammonia in methanesulfonic acid reactions with small alkylamines
While new particle formation events have been observed worldwide, our fundamental understanding of the precursors remains uncertain. It has been previously shown that small alkylamines and ammonia (NH 3 ) are key actors in sub-3 nm particle formation through reactions with acids such as sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) and methanesulfonic acid (CH 3 S(O)(O)OH, MSA), and that water also plays a role. Because NH 3 and amines co-exist in air, we carried out combined experimental and theoretical studies examining the influence of the addition of NH 3 on particle formation from the reactions of MSA with methylamine (MA) and trimethylamine (TMA). Experiments were performed in a 1 m flow reactor at 1 atm and 296 K. Measurements using an ultrafine condensation particle counter (CPC) and a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) show that new particle formation was systematically enhanced upon simultaneous addition of NH 3 to the MSA + amine binary system, with the magnitude depending on the amine investigated. For the MSA + TMA reaction system, the addition of NH 3 at ppb concentrations produced a much greater effect ( i.e. order of magnitude more particles) than the addition of ∼12 000 ppm water (corresponding to ∼45–50% relative humidity). The effect of NH 3 on the MSA + MA system, which is already very efficient in forming particles on its own, was present but modest. Calculations of energies, partial charges and structures of small cluster models of the multi-component particles likewise suggest synergistic effects due to NH 3 in the presence of MSA and amine. The local minimum structures and the interactions involved suggest mechanisms for this effect.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1928252
- PAR ID:
- 10154798
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
- Volume:
- 22
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2050-7887
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 305 to 328
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
The energy landscape is changing worldwide, with a drastic reduction in sulfur dioxide (precursor to sulfuric acid, H2SO4) emitted from fossil fuel combustion. As a result, acid-base chemistry leading to new particle formation (NPF) from sulfuric acid is decreasing. At the same time, photooxidation of biogenic organosulfur compounds leading to the formation of H2SO4 and methanesulfonic acid (MSA) is expected to become more important. Aqueous solutions of alkanolamines have been proposed as carbon capture technology media to store carbon dioxide from stack plumes before release into the atmosphere. It is therefore expected that some of the alkanolamines will be released, making it critical to understand their atmospheric fates including their role in new particle formation and growth. We expanded our experimental studies of nucleation from the reaction of MSA with simple amines to the multifunctional alkanolamines, including mononethanolamine (HO(CH2)2NH2; MEA) and 4-aminobutanol (HO(CH2)4NH2; 4AB). Experiments were performed in a 1-m borosilicate flow reactor under dry conditions as well as in presence of water. These two systems were shown to produce sub-10 nm particles with MSA extremely efficiently. Surprisingly, the presence of water did not enhance NPF, in contrast to the drastic effect water had on small alkylamine reactions with MSA. This is likely due to the fact that MEA and 4AB have an -OH group that provides additional H-bond interactions within the cluster. Sampling of the chemical composition of these small nanoparticles with high resolution and high transmission was possible down to 3-4 nm using a novel high-flow differential mobility analyzer (half-mini DMA) interfaced to a thermal chemical ionization mass spectrometer (TDCIMS). There was no size dependence for the acid-to-base molar ratio (1:1) for either amine. Integration of these data with preliminary results obtained for a simple C4 alkylamine (butylamine) and a C4 diamine (putrescine) will be discussed in the context of developing a molecular structure-reactivity scheme for new particle formation from MSA and amines of varying structures.more » « less
-
A major fraction of atmospheric aerosol particles, which affect both air quality and climate, form from gaseous precursors in the atmosphere. Highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs), formed by oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds, are known to participate in particle formation and growth. However, it is not well understood how they interact with atmospheric pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and sulfur oxides (SO x ) from fossil fuel combustion, as well as ammonia (NH 3 ) from livestock and fertilizers. Here, we show how NO x suppresses particle formation, while HOMs, sulfuric acid, and NH 3 have a synergistic enhancing effect on particle formation. We postulate a novel mechanism, involving HOMs, sulfuric acid, and ammonia, which is able to closely reproduce observations of particle formation and growth in daytime boreal forest and similar environments. The findings elucidate the complex interactions between biogenic and anthropogenic vapors in the atmospheric aerosol system.more » « less
-
The reactive partitioning of cis and trans β-IEPOX was investigated on hydrated inorganic seed particles, without the addition of acids. No organic aerosol (OA) formation was observed on dry ammonium sulfate (AS); however, prompt and efficient OA growth was observed for the cis and trans β-IEPOX on AS seeds at liquid water contents of 40–75% of the total particle mass. OA formation from IEPOX is a kinetically limited process, thus the OA growth continues if there is a reservoir of gas-phase IEPOX. There appears to be no differences, within error, in the OA growth or composition attributable to the cis / trans isomeric structures. Reactive uptake of IEPOX onto hydrated AS seeds with added base (NaOH) also produced high OA loadings, suggesting the pH dependence for OA formation from IEPOX is weak for AS particles. No OA formation, after particle drying, was observed on seed particles where Na+ was substituted for NH4+. The Henry's Law partitioning of IEPOX was measured on NaCl particles (ionic strength ~9 M) to be 3 × 107 M atm−1 (−50 / +100%). A small quantity of OA was produced when NH4+ was present in the particles, but the chloride (Cl-) anion was substituted for sulfate (SO42-), possibly suggesting differences in nucleophilic strength of the anions. Online time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry and offline filter analysis provide evidence of oxygenated hydrocarbons, organosulfates, and amines in the particle organic composition. The results are consistent with weak correlations between IEPOX-derived OA and particle acidity or liquid water observed in field studies, as the chemical system is nucleophile-limited and not limited in water or catalyst activity.more » « less
-
Knudsen cell studies of the uptake of gaseous ammonia and amines onto C3–C7 solid dicarboxylic acidsWhile atmospheric particles affect health, visibility and climate, the details governing their formation and growth are poorly understood on a molecular level. A simple model system for understanding the interactions between the gas and particle phases is the reaction of bases with acids, both of which are common constituents of atmospheric particles. In the present study, uptake coefficients for the reactions of gas phase ammonia, methylamine, ethylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine with a series of solid dicarboxylic acids (diacids) were measured at 296 ± 1 K using a Knudsen cell interfaced to a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The uptake coefficients ( γ ) for a given amine follow an odd–even trend in carbon number of the diacid, and are larger for the odd carbon diacids. Values range from γ = 0.4 for ethylamine on malonic acid (C3) to less than ∼10 −6 for ammonia and all amines on adipic (C6) and pimelic (C7) acids. Basicity or structure of the amines/ammonia alone do not explain the effect of the base on uptake. The crystal structures of the diacids also play a key role, which is especially evident for malonic acid (C3). Evaporation of aqueous mixtures of amines/ammonia with odd carbon diacids show the formation of ionic liquids (ILs) or in some cases, metastable ILs that revert back to a stable solid salt upon complete evaporation of water. The trends with amine and diacid structure provide insight into the mechanisms of uptake and molecular interactions that control it, including the formation of ionic liquid layers in some cases. The diversity in the kinetics and mechanisms involved in this relatively simple model system illustrate the challenges in accurately representing such processes in atmospheric models.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00431A
