A smog chamber facility for qualitative and quantitative study on atmospheric chemistry and secondary organic aerosol

Abstract

In order to investigate the atmospheric oxidation processes and the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), an indoor environmental reaction smog chamber are constructed and characterized. The system consists of the collapsible ∼830 L FEP Teflon film main reactor, in which the atmospheric chemical reactions take place and the formation of SOA occurs under the simulated atmospheric conditions, and the diverse on-line gas- and particle-phase instrumentation, such as the proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer, the synchrotron radiation photoionization mass spectrometer, the aerosol laser time-of-flight mass spectrometer, and other traditional commercial instruments. The initial characterization experiments are described, concerning the temperature and ultraviolet light intensity, the reactivity of the pure air, the wall loss rates of gaseous compounds and particulate matter. And the initial evaluation experiments for SOA yields from the ozonolysis of α-pinene and for mass spectra of the products resulting from the photooxidation of OH initiated isoprene are also presented, which indicate the applicability of this facility on the studies of gas-phase chemical mechanisms as well as the formation of SOA expected in the atmosphere.