Unit:
Department of ChemistryLibrary of the School of Science
Author:
Kanellopoulos Panagiotis-Georgios
Dissertation committee:
Ευάγγελος Μπακέας, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Εμμανουήλ Δασενάκης, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Αναστάσιος Οικονόμου, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Νικόλαος Θωμαΐδης, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Χρήστος Κόκκινος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Σωτήριος Καραβόλτσος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Λεόντιος Λεοντιάδης, Ερευνητής Α', ΕΚΕΦΕ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΙΤΟΣ
Original Title:
Μελέτη σχηματισμού και κατανομής δευτερογενούς οργανικού αερολύματος στην ατμόσφαιρα
Translated title:
Study of the formation and distribution of secondary organic aerosol in the atmosphere
Summary:
In this thesis we study the formation and distribution of secondary organic aerosols in the atmosphere. In this light, particle-bound SOA tracers and related polar organic compounds were studied in areas of Greece and Cyprus with different characteristics. For this purpose, a 3-step derivatization method was developed for the determination of polar organic compounds with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In addition, organosulfates standards were synthesized and a method has been developed for their determination in PM using liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry. The study of SOA compounds bound to PM10 and PM2.5 particles, in an urban and a background area of Cyprus, revealed the accumulation of the majority of the compounds at PM2.5. However, during the warm period, compounds with higher volatility presented higher concentration in PM10. Meteorological conditions, such as solar radiation and relative humidity, appeared to significantly affect SOA formation. Moreover, both O3 and NOx levels were significantly correlated with different SOA groups, indicating possible influence to their formation. Among the two areas, noteworthy differences have been observed regarding the relative profile of BSOA tracers and dicarboxylic acids, which were attributed to the higher NOx levels as well as to the intense biomass burning emissions in the urban area. The study of the distribution of SOA markers in different PM sizes during daytime and nighttime, in a suburban area of Athens, showed the accumulation of the most of the compounds in particles with a diameter <1.0 μm. Particle hygroscopic growth during nighttime, as well as the condensation of gas phase compounds under higher nighttime humid conditions played a pivotal role of the compounds’ particle size distribution. In addition, in an urban/industrial site of Attica, higher levels of anthropogenic SOA markers were observed, with the practices of biomass and plastic enriched waste burning appeared to enhance SOA formation. Finally, the seasonal trends of organosulfates bound to PM2.5 were studied in urban areas of Athens and Patra, with those derived from isoprene’s reactions being the dominant compounds at both studied sites.
Main subject category:
Science
Keywords:
secondary organic aerosol (SOA), particulate matter, biogenic/anthropogenic volatile organic compounds, organosulfates, mass spectrometry
Number of index pages:
17
Number of references:
426
