Photochemical and Other Sources of Organic Compounds in the Canadian High Arctic Aerosol Pollution during Winter−Spring

Abstract

Total suspended particles collected at Alert in the Canadian high Arctic (February-June) were analyzed for solvent extractable organic compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to better understand the sources and source apportionment of aerosol pollution that can affect the Arctic climate. More than 100 organic species were detected in the aerosols and were grouped into different compound classes based on the functional groups. Polyacids were found to be the most abundant compound class, followed by phthalates, aromatic acids, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, sugars/sugar alcohols, and n-alkanes, while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sterols, and lignin and resin acids were minor. Concentrations of total quantified organics seemed slightly higher in darkwinter aerosols (13.2-16.6 ng m(-3), average 14.5 ng m(-3)) than those after polar sunrise (6.70-17.7 ng m(-3), average 11.8 ng m(-3)). During dark winter, fossil fuel combustion products (30-51%), secondary oxidation products, as well as higher plant emissions were found as major contributors to the Arctic aerosols. However, after polar sunrise on 5 March, secondary oxidation products (5-53%) and plasticizer-derived phthalates became the dominant compound classes, followed by fossil fuel combustion and microbial/marine sources. Biomass burning emissions were found to contribute only 0.4-6% of the total identified organics, although they maximized in dark winter. This study demonstrates that long-range atmospheric transport, changes in the solar irradiance, and ambient temperature can significantly control the chemical composition of organic aerosols in the Arctic region.