Identification

Title

Partitioning of semivolatile surface-active compounds between bulk, surface and gas phase

Abstract

We present a model study demonstrating that surface partitioning of volatile surfactants enhances their uptake by submicron liquid droplets. In submicron-sized droplets, surface partitioning of a surface-active volatile species may significantly decrease its equilibrium partial pressure, thus increasing the total flux of the surfactant from gas phase to aqueous phase. Such uptake of volatile organic species into aqueous aerosols can be followed by aqueous-phase chemistry to form low-volatility secondary organic aerosol material, leading to increased aerosol mass. In the study, we used an air parcel model that includes simplified aqueous- and gas-phase chemistry, condensation/evaporation, and a model of aqueous-phase thermodynamics that takes into account the partitioning of surfactants between the bulk and surface phases. We modeled the uptake and aqueous-phase chemical reactions of methylglyoxal, as it is a moderate surfactant that forms less volatile secondary organic material via aqueous-phase chemical reactions with the hydroxyl radical as well as hydronium and ammonium ions. Our model simulations show an order of magnitude higher uptake of methylglyoxal in aqueous aerosols of cloud condensation nuclei sizes (less than 200 nm in radius) when surface partitioning is taken into account, compared to when surface partitioning is neglected. As a consequence, the production of SOA through the aqueous-phase chemical processing of methylglyoxal is also enhanced, but to a lesser degree, because condensation of the hydroxyl radical from gas phase limits the production.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7xk8g23

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011-02-05T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact