AAAR 36th Annual Conference October 16 - October 20, 2017 Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Abstract View
Ultrafine Particle Formation from Oxidation of Cigarette Smoke in the Indoor Environment
CHEN WANG, Douglas Collins, Rachel Hems, Nadine Borduas, Maria Antiñolo, Jonathan Abbatt, University of Toronto, Canada
Abstract Number: 758 Working Group: Indoor Aerosols
Abstract Cigarette smoke is an important source of particles and gases in the indoor environment. Once emitted, the gas-phase organic compounds from cigarette smoke can be oxidized and form secondary products that contribute to secondary organic aerosol formation. In this study, aging of side-stream cigarette smoke exhaust, i.e. second-hand smoke, was studied in an environmental smog chamber under indoor relevant conditions with both ozone and hydroxyl radicals as oxidants. The influence of other parameters, including indoor lighting and relative humidity, on the oxidative aging of the cigarette smoke was also studied. Ultrafine particle formation was observed from ozonolysis of cigarette smoke exhaust with different concentrations of pre-existing primary cigarette smoke particles. Gas-phase compounds from primary (combustion) and secondary (aging) emissions of cigarette smoke were also monitored with chemical ionization mass spectrometry, specifically for nitrogen-containing compounds such as isocyanic acid (HNCO) and nitrous acid (HONO). The formation of ultrafine particles and of HNCO has potential adverse health effects for indoor occupants. The production of HONO in indoor environment is of significance as it is an important source of OH radicals, and may impact the oxidative capacity of the indoor atmosphere.