Plant-Derived Volatiles and Their Contribution to Secondary Organic Aerosol

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosphere/Hydrosphere/Land–Atmosphere Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 17445

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Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: chemical reaction kinetics; atmospheric chemistry; formation and ageing of ambient aerosol; air quality; plant and insect communication
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

All plants synthesize and release numerous volatile organic compounds (plant volatiles or biogenic VOC) for various purposes including self-defense, communication with other plants or insects and, probably, counteracting environmental stresses. The best-recognized plant volatiles are isoprene and monoterpenes, but there several hundred other compounds that include all kinds of organics, from simple hydrocarbons to functional oxygenated compounds. Once in the atmosphere, plant volatiles immediately enter a network of physical and chemical transformation leading to the formation of particulate matter or secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Back in the 1960s, F.W. Went [Nature 187 (4738), 641–643] speculated that the emitted compounds are oxidized in the atmosphere to products that condense or agglomerate into particles that return to the ground as precipitates that are possibly nutritious for plants. In addition, particles suspended in the air may prevent plants from overheating by solar radiation either per se or by nucleating the clouds. The latter provides rains that recirculate evaporated water back to the plants. Years after Went, research on the transformation of plant volatiles in the atmosphere, including the formation and aging of SOA, is thriving. The number and mass of emitted compounds are so big that the role plant volatiles play in the global atmosphere mechanisms and climate change may be a counterweight to the role played by anthropogenic emissions.

This Special Issue of Atmosphere will review the current state of research on plant volatiles and SOA, as well as highlight frontier research trends in the field. We invite review and research papers on all related topics with particular attention focused on the following:

  • Heterogeneous and multiphase transformation of plant volatiles in the atmosphere
  • Role of green plant volatiles in SOA formation and aging
  • Plant volatiles in urban environments and their influence on the air quality
  • Quantitative assessment of SOA from plant volatiles
  • Influence of SOA from plant volatiles on human health
  • Mitigation of anthropogenic pollution by volatile-emitting plants
  • Biosphere – atmosphere and climate feedbacks driven by plant volatiles

Dr. Krzysztof J. Rudziński
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • plant volatiles
  • biogenic volatile organic compounds
  • green leaf volatiles
  • secondary organic aerosol
  • biosphere–atmosphere feedbacks
  • biosphere–climate feedbacks
  • urban air quality
  • health effects of particulate matter
  • atmospheric chemistry
  • heterogeneous atmospheric processes
  • multiphase atmospheric processes
  • ambient aerosol
  • PM10, PM2.5, PM1

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 6711 KiB  
Article
Structural Characterisation of Dimeric Esters in α-Pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol Using N2 and CO2 Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry
by Yoshiteru Iinuma, Sathiyamurthi Ramasamy, Kei Sato, Agata Kołodziejczyk and Rafal Szmigielski
Atmosphere 2021, 12(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12010017 - 24 Dec 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2719
Abstract
The atmospheric oxidation of monoterpenes leads to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). While numerous works have been carried out in the past to characterise SOA at a molecular level, the structural elucidation of SOA compounds remains challenging owing to the lack [...] Read more.
The atmospheric oxidation of monoterpenes leads to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). While numerous works have been carried out in the past to characterise SOA at a molecular level, the structural elucidation of SOA compounds remains challenging owing to the lack of authentic standard compounds. In this work, the structures of α-pinene originating dimeric esters in SOA with m/z 357 (C17H25O8-) and m/z 367 (C19H27O7-) were characterised using UPLC/ESI(-)IMS-TOFMS2 (ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to ion mobility spectrometry tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry). The measured collision cross-section (ΩN2) values were compared to theoretically calculated ΩN2 values. Selected product ions of dimeric compounds and the authentic standard compounds of product ions were subjected to CO2-IMS-TOFMS for more detailed structural characterisation. Our results were consistent with previously reported subunits of the m/z 357 (terpenylic acid and cis-pinic acid), and the m/z 367 (10-hydroxy-cis-pinonic acid and cis-pinic acid) ions. The measured and calculated ΩN2 values of m/z 367 ions further support the conclusion of earlier structural characterisation; however, the structure of the m/z 357 ion remains vague and requires further characterisation studies with a synthesised reference compound. Full article
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13 pages, 2367 KiB  
Article
Contribution of Terpenes to Ozone Formation and Secondary Organic Aerosols in a Subtropical Forest Impacted by Urban Pollution
by Christian Mark Salvador, Charles C.-K. Chou, Tse-Tsung Ho, Chao-Yang Tsai, Tsung-Ming Tsao, Ming-Jer Tsai and Ta-Chen Su
Atmosphere 2020, 11(11), 1232; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11111232 - 16 Nov 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3621
Abstract
The highly reactive nature of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) impacts the biosphere by acting as a precursor of ozone and aerosols that influence air quality and climate. Here, we assess the influence of BVOCs and their oxidation products on ozone formation and [...] Read more.
The highly reactive nature of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) impacts the biosphere by acting as a precursor of ozone and aerosols that influence air quality and climate. Here, we assess the influence of BVOCs and their oxidation products on ozone formation and to submicron secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass in a subtropical forest. A high-resolution proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) was employed for the continuous measurement of VOCs. Isoprene, monoterpene, and sesquiterpene mixing ratios in the forest were 0.23, 0.22, and 0.03 ppb, respectively. The total ozone formation potential (OFP) of the terpenes was 12.8 μg m−3, which accounted for only 5.6% of the total OFP. Particle phase bound oxidation products were characterized using a thermal-desorption PTR-ToF-MS. Mass spectra analysis revealed the presence pinonaldehyde, pinonic, norpinonic, and pinic acid in both gas and particle phase. The overall daytime (nighttime) mixing ratio of the oxidized BVOCs in gas phases was 0.062(0.023) ppbv. On the other hand, the mean fraction of the four monoterpene oxidation products in condensed phase was estimated at 42%. Overall, the results of this study evidenced quantitatively the contribution of BVOCs to the total reactivity and SOA mass in the subtropical forest. Full article
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Review

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103 pages, 9804 KiB  
Review
Green Leaf Volatiles in the Atmosphere—Properties, Transformation, and Significance
by Kumar Sarang, Krzysztof J. Rudziński and Rafał Szmigielski
Atmosphere 2021, 12(12), 1655; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12121655 - 9 Dec 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5075
Abstract
This review thoroughly covers the research on green leaf volatiles (GLV) in the context of atmospheric chemistry. It briefly takes on the GLV sources, in-plant synthesis, and emission inventory data. The discussion of properties includes GLV solubility in aqueous systems, Henry’s constants, partition [...] Read more.
This review thoroughly covers the research on green leaf volatiles (GLV) in the context of atmospheric chemistry. It briefly takes on the GLV sources, in-plant synthesis, and emission inventory data. The discussion of properties includes GLV solubility in aqueous systems, Henry’s constants, partition coefficients, and UV spectra. The mechanisms of gas-phase reactions of GLV with OH, NO3, and Cl radicals, and O3 are explained and accompanied by a catalog of products identified experimentally. The rate constants of gas-phase reactions are collected in tables with brief descriptions of corresponding experiments. A similar presentation covers the aqueous-phase reactions of GLV. The review of multiphase and heterogeneous transformations of GLV covers the smog-chamber experiments, products identified therein, along with their yields and the yields of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formed, if any. The components of ambient SOA linked to GLV are briefly presented. This review recognized GLV as atmospheric trace compounds that reside primarily in the gas phase but did not exclude their transformation in atmospheric waters. GLV have a proven potential to be a source of SOA with a global burden of 0.6 to 1 Tg yr−1 (estimated jointly for (Z)-hexen-1-ol, (Z)-3-hexenal, and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol), 0.03 Tg yr−1 from switch grass cultivation for biofuels, and 0.05 Tg yr−1 from grass mowing. Full article
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22 pages, 5312 KiB  
Review
Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Isoprene: Selected Research, Historic Account and State of the Art
by Magda Claeys and Willy Maenhaut
Atmosphere 2021, 12(6), 728; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12060728 - 6 Jun 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4828
Abstract
In this review, we cover selected research on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from isoprene, from the beginning of research, about two decades ago, to today. The review begins with the first observations of isoprene SOA markers, i.e., 2-methyltetrols, in ambient fine aerosol [...] Read more.
In this review, we cover selected research on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from isoprene, from the beginning of research, about two decades ago, to today. The review begins with the first observations of isoprene SOA markers, i.e., 2-methyltetrols, in ambient fine aerosol and focuses on studies dealing with molecular characterization, speciation, formation mechanisms, and source apportionment. A historic account is given on how research on isoprene SOA has developed. The isoprene SOA system is rather complex, with different pathways being followed in pristine and polluted conditions. For SOA formation from isoprene, acid-catalyzed hydrolysis is necessary, and sulfuric acid enhances SOA by forming additional nonvolatile products such as organosulfates. Certain results reported in early papers have been re-interpreted in the light of recent results; for example, the formation of C5-alkene triols. Attention is given to mass spectrometric and separation techniques, which played a crucial role in molecular characterization. The unambiguous structural characterization of isoprene SOA markers has been achieved, owing to the preparation of reference compounds. Efforts have also been made to use air quality data to estimate the influence of biogenic and pollution aerosol sources. This review examines the use of an organic marker-based method and positive matrix factorization to apportion SOA from different sources, including isoprene SOA. Full article
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