Characterization of Solvent-Extractable Organics in Urban Aerosols Based on Mass Spectrum Analysis and Hygroscopic Growth Measurement

Abstract

To characterize atmospheric particulate organics with respect to polarity, aerosol samples collected on filters in the urban area of Nagoya, Japan, in 2009 were extracted using water, methanol, and ethyl acetate. The extracts were atomized and analyzed using a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and a hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer. The atmospheric concentrations of the extracted organics were determined using phthalic acid as a reference material. Comparison of the organic carbon concentrations measured using a carbon analyzer and the HR-ToF-AMS suggests that organics extracted with water (WSOM) and ethyl acetate (EASOM) or those extracted with methanol (MSOM) comprise the greater part of total organics. The oxygen-carbon ratios (O/C) of the extracted organics varied: 0.51-0.75 (WSOM), 0.37-0.48 (MSOM), and 0.27-0.33 (EASOM). In the ion-group analysis, WSOM, MSOM, and EASOM were clearly characterized by the different fractions of the CH and CO(2) groups. On the basis of the hygroscopic growth measurements of the extracts, κ of organics at 90% relative humidity (κ(org)) were estimated. Positive correlation of κ(org) with O/C (r 0.70) was found for MSOM and EASOM, but no clear correlation was found for WSOM.