Abstract
Abstract. Smog chamber experiments using ambient air as a starting point can improve our understanding of the evolution of atmospheric particulate matter at timescales longer than those achieved by traditional laboratory experiments. These types of studies can take place under more realistic environmental conditions addressing the interactions among multiple pollutants. The use of two identical smog chambers, with the first serving as the baseline chamber and the second as the perturbation chamber (in which addition or removal of pollutants, addition of oxidants, change in the relative humidity, etc.), can facilitate the interpretation of the results in such inherently complex experiments. The differences of the measurements in the two chambers can be used as the basis for the analysis of the corresponding chemical or physical processes of ambient air. A portable dual-smog-chamber system was developed using two identical pillow-shaped smog chambers (1.5 m3 each). The two chambers are surrounded by UV lamps in a hexagonal arrangement yielding a total JNO2 of 0.1 min−1. The system can be easily disassembled and transported, enabling the study of various atmospheric environments. Moreover, it can be used with natural sunlight. The results of test experiments using ambient air as the starting point are discussed as examples of applications of this system.
Highlights
Teflon reactors, known as smog or atmospheric simulation chambers, have been valuable research tools for the study of the complex chemical interactions that take place in the atmosphere
A portable dual-chamber system has been developed for field studies using ambient air as a starting point
The concentrations in the two chambers when filled with ambient air are within a few percent of each other
Summary
Known as smog or atmospheric simulation chambers, have been valuable research tools for the study of the complex chemical interactions that take place in the atmosphere. The use of these chambers eliminates many of the uncertainties resulting from the analysis of ambient observations where several variables, such as weather conditions, pollutant emission rates, dilution, and transport, all contribute to the observed changes (Kim et al, 2009) These reactors are made of Teflon, though there are some chambers that are made of metal or glass (Cocker et al, 2001a; Paulsen et al, 2005; Kim et al, 2009). This practice can enhance the quality of the results since numerous variables can have an effect on the outcome of each experiment
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