Important Source of Marine Secondary Organic Aerosol from Biogenic Amines

• Published in: Environmental Science & Technology
• Main Authors: M. C. Facchini, S. Decesari, M. Rinaldi, C. Carbone, M. Mircea, S. Fuzzi, D. Ceburnis, C. D. O’Dowd, FINESSI, EMANUELA, MORETTI, FABIO, TAGLIAVINI, EMILIO
• Other Authors: E. Finessi, F. Moretti, E. Tagliavini, D. Ceburnis and C. D. O’Dowd
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: SECONDARY AMINES; ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL; SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOL; MNR; ATMOSPHERIC ORGANIC NITROGEN; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11585/67849; https://doi.org/10.1021/es8018385

Relevant concentrations of dimethyl- and diethylammonium salts(DMA+andDEA+)weremeasured in submicrometer marine aerosol collected over the North Atlantic during periods of high biological activity (HBA) in clean air masses (median concentration (minimum-maximum))26 (6-56) ngm-3). Much lower concentrations were measured during periods of low biological activity (LBA): 1 (<0.4-20) ng m-3 and when polluted air masses were advected to the sampling site: 2 (<0.2-24) ngm-3.DMA+ andDEA+ are the most abundant organic species, second only to MSA, detected in fine marine particles representing on average 11% of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA)fractionandadominantpart(35%onaverage) of the watersoluble organic nitrogen (WSON). Several observations support the hypothesis that DMA+ and DEA+ have a biogenic oceanic source and are produced through the reaction of gaseous amines with sulfuric acid or acidic sulfates. Moreover, the water-soluble fraction of nascent marine aerosol particles produced by bubble-bursting experiments carried out in parallel to ambient aerosol sampling over the open ocean showed WSON, DMA+, and DEA+ concentrations always below the detection limit, thus excluding an important primary sea spray source.