Markers of heterogeneous reaction products in α-pinene ozone secondary organic aerosol

A gas chromatograph iontrap mass spectrometer (GC-ITMS) was used to analyze the gas-and particle-phase products of α-pinene ozone oxidation in the presence of three different inorganic seed aerosols: sodium chloride, ammonium sulfate only, and ammonium sulfate with sulfuric acid. Products of α-pinene ozone oxidation common to the literature showed little difference in gas or particle-phase concentrations between seed types within the precision of the measurements even though significantly different aerosol yields were found between seed types. Small amounts of ring-opening products of four-membered cyclic oxygenates and markers of aldol condensation products were tentatively identified in the particle-phase for all seed types. These tentatively identified products are thought to be the result of acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions in the particle-phase or during sampling processes or analysis. The mechanisms for their formation are also proposed in this study.