Atmospheric Chemistry Program Seminar

Understanding the Fate of Amines: Reactions with Oxygenates by Mitch Alton, CU ANYL 3rd year, Browne group
"Atmospheric aliphatic amines and ammonia have been previously reported to participate in various chemical reactions including brown carbon formation, accretion reactions forming amides, imine and enamine formation, and acid-base cluster stabilization reactions that can enhance new particle formation. As anthropogenic reactive nitrogen emissions continue to increase to keep pace with world population and food demands, the interaction of these amines and ammonia with organic compounds in the atmosphere needs to be further investigated to better understand the impacts of these emissions on air quality and the environment. I will discuss a series of chamber experiments that investigated the effects of different aliphatic amines and ammonia on secondary aerosol formation from the ozonolysis of α-pinene without the use of seed aerosol. Using hierarchical clustering analysis, different fates of α-pinene ozonolysis products with amines/ammonia were identified. Various observed reactions between amines/ammonia and α-pinene ozonolysis products to form enamines, imines, amides, and acid-base clusters will be explored to show the complex chemistry that can occur during aerosol formation and growth. Finally, I will discuss how acid-base stabilization reactions are the most important contributions to particle nucleation in this system. "