Development and application of a real-time method for the determination of selected compound classes (especially organic peroxides) in atmospheric aerosol particles using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thorsten Hoffmann
• Subject Area: Analytical Chemistry
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 264462256

The use of aerosol mass spectrometers (AMS, ATOFMS) in atmospheric aerosol research is an essential part of current research projects in connection with climate, environmental or health related projects. For organic analytes, still the least understood group of compounds composing atmospheric aerosols, often the AMS (aerosol mass spectrometer) is used, especially due to its ability to deliver size-resolved information about the organic fraction with a certain amount of chemical information (differentiation of 3-4 compound classes, such as HOA, OOA, BBOA, or estimation of the O/C-ratio). Individual compounds or compound classes (other than HOA, OOA etc.) cannot be measured. This is the goal of the presented research proposal: Before the aerosol particles enter the AMS, selected compound classes - with a focus on organic peroxides - are derivatized using gaseous reagents. For the determination of particle phase peroxides gaseous hydrogen iodide will be used, which will be oxidized in the particle phase to molecular iodine and the product (molecular iodine) will finally be transported into the AMS where it is ionized (EI) and quantified. The final objective is to provide a mobile research instrument, which can then be used in focused research campaigns at atmospheric simulation chambers or in dedicated field studies.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants