Methyl-nitrocatechols: atmospheric tracer compounds for biomass burning secondary organic aerosols

Environ Sci Technol. 2010 Nov 15;44(22):8453-9. doi: 10.1021/es102938a.

Abstract

Detailed chemical analysis of wintertime PM₁₀ collected at a rural village site in Germany showed the presence of a series of compounds that correlated very well with levoglucosan, a known biomass burning tracer compound. Nitrated aromatic compounds with molecular formula C₇H₇NO₄ (M(w) 169) correlated particularly well with levoglucosan, indicating that they originated from biomass burning as well. These compounds were identified as a series of methyl-nitrocatechol isomers (4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol, 3-methyl-5-nitrocatechol, and 3-methyl-6-nitrocatechol) based on the comparison of their chromatographic and mass spectrometric behaviors to those from reference compounds.Aerosol chamber experiments suggest that m-cresol, which is emitted from biomass burning at significant levels, is a precursor for the detected methyl-nitrocatechols. The total concentrations of these compounds in the wintertime PM₁₀were as high as 29 ng m⁻³, indicating the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) originating from the oxidation of biomass burning VOCs contributed non-negligible amounts to the regional organic aerosol loading.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols / analysis*
  • Aerosols / chemistry
  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Air Pollutants / chemistry
  • Atmosphere / chemistry
  • Biomass
  • Catechols / analysis*
  • Catechols / chemistry
  • Cresols / analysis
  • Cresols / chemistry
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Germany
  • Hydroxyl Radical / analysis
  • Hydroxyl Radical / chemistry
  • Incineration*
  • Nitro Compounds / analysis*
  • Nitro Compounds / chemistry
  • Nitrogen Oxides / analysis
  • Nitrogen Oxides / chemistry
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Seasons

Substances

  • 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol
  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants
  • Catechols
  • Cresols
  • Nitro Compounds
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Particulate Matter
  • nitrocatechol
  • Hydroxyl Radical
  • cresol