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Organosulfates in Primary and Secondary Sea Spray Aerosols
DILINI KIRINDIGODA GAMAGE, Elias Hasenecz, Glorianne Dorcé, Kathryn Mayer, Jon Sauer, Chris Lee, Timothy Bertram, Christopher Cappa, Kimberly Prather, Elizabeth Stone, University of Iowa
Abstract Number: 583
Working Group: Aerosols, Clouds and Climate
Abstract
Organosulfates are components of sea spray aerosols (SSA) that include anthropogenic surfactants and secondary organic aerosol. The composition and abundance of organosulfates in PM2.5 nascent and aged sea spray aerosols were determined using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution and tandem mass spectrometry with negative mode electrospray ionization (MS/MS). Ethylhexyl sulfate (C8H17SO4−; 209.0853), dodecyl sulfate (C12H25SO4−; 265.1479), and tridecyl sulfate (C13H27SO4−; 279.1636), which are anthropogenic anionic surfactants had the strongest signals among identified organosulfates and had the highest contributions to the bisulfate (m/z 97) product ion as determined by precursor-ion MS/MS. Among the 24 quantified organosulfates, dodecyl sulfate was the most abundant organosulfate in both nascent and aged SSA. A homologous series of fatty acid-derived organosulfates, which can be formed through heterogeneous reactions and specific for the marine environment was observed in aged SSA. Isoprene-derived, monoterpene-derived organosulfates, and other organosulfate species derived from unknown sources were also identified in both nascent and aged. The presence of monoterpene-derived organosulfates with a nitroxy functional group (C10H16NSO7−; 294.0653) in both nascent and aged indicates the role of nitrogen oxides in the marine environment. MS/MS signal abundance of isoprene derived organosulfates (e.g., 2-methyltetrol sulfate, C5H11SO7–; m/z 215) was greater than monoterpene-derived organosulfates in both nascent and aged SSA. Findings from this study provide insight into the molecular composition of sea spray aerosol and reveal insight to the likely primary and secondary sources of organosulfates in the marine environment.