CUP Undergraduate Research
Title
Composition of Secondary Organic Aerosols
Date of Award
1-1-2014
Document Type
Restricted Access Poster
College
College of Arts & Sciences
Department
Math & Science
Abstract
The enhanced greenhouse effect is considered one our greatest global environmental problems. The amount of radiation absorbed by greenhouse gases is known to high certainty. However, absorbance from atmospheric aerosols particles is not. This study was conducted to determine the chemical composition of secondary organic aerosol particles (SOA) and to determine the compositional effect on their optical properties. The SOA were created in a temperature controlled chamber at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, WA and collected on filters. The SOA were then analyzed for chemical composition using Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTIR). Analysis of the IR spectra revealed specific chemical functional groups degraded during storage while others amplified. The area under select peaks was calculated and a relationship between storage time and peak area was modeled.