Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol
<p>Benzyl alcohol is found in many volatile chemical products (VCPs) including a number of personal care products and industrial solvents. We report here on the products of the gas-phase oxidation of benzyl alcohol by OH and its dependence on nitric oxide (NO) levels. Using a gas chromatograp...
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Copernicus Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/1883/2025/acp-25-1883-2025.pdf |
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| author | R. S. Buenconsejo S. M. Charan J. H. Seinfeld J. H. Seinfeld P. O. Wennberg P. O. Wennberg |
| author_facet | R. S. Buenconsejo S. M. Charan J. H. Seinfeld J. H. Seinfeld P. O. Wennberg P. O. Wennberg |
| author_sort | R. S. Buenconsejo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Benzyl alcohol is found in many volatile chemical products (VCPs) including a number of personal care products and industrial solvents. We report here on the products of the gas-phase oxidation of benzyl alcohol by OH and its dependence on nitric oxide (NO) levels. Using a gas chromatography in tandem with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) and gas chromatographer with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), we measure the branching fractions to the major gas-phase oxidation products: hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) and benzaldehyde. Later-generation oxidation products from both HBA and benzaldehyde pathways are also observed. In particular, catechol is a major gas-phase product of HBA. The fraction of H abstraction from benzyl alcohol leading to benzaldehyde formation is unaffected by [NO], with an average branching fraction of <span class="inline-formula">(21±10) <i>%</i></span>. The fraction of OH addition leading to HBA formation <span class="inline-formula">(36±18) <i>%</i></span> also does not appear to vary with [NO]. Consistent with the known high SOA yields of catechol, we find that HBA has a very high secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yield. Thus, benzyl alcohol and its oxidation products efficiently produce secondary organic aerosol – under some conditions approaching unity. Insights from the present study can help elucidate the chemistry of other atmospherically relevant aromatic compounds, especially those found in VCPs.</p> |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-96133a7858e54f39ab5eafd618ff7e7c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-96133a7858e54f39ab5eafd618ff7e7c2025-02-12T05:14:21ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242025-02-01251883189710.5194/acp-25-1883-2025Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcoholR. S. Buenconsejo0S. M. Charan1J. H. Seinfeld2J. H. Seinfeld3P. O. Wennberg4P. O. Wennberg5Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADivision of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADivision of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADivision of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADivision of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADivision of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA<p>Benzyl alcohol is found in many volatile chemical products (VCPs) including a number of personal care products and industrial solvents. We report here on the products of the gas-phase oxidation of benzyl alcohol by OH and its dependence on nitric oxide (NO) levels. Using a gas chromatography in tandem with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) and gas chromatographer with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), we measure the branching fractions to the major gas-phase oxidation products: hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) and benzaldehyde. Later-generation oxidation products from both HBA and benzaldehyde pathways are also observed. In particular, catechol is a major gas-phase product of HBA. The fraction of H abstraction from benzyl alcohol leading to benzaldehyde formation is unaffected by [NO], with an average branching fraction of <span class="inline-formula">(21±10) <i>%</i></span>. The fraction of OH addition leading to HBA formation <span class="inline-formula">(36±18) <i>%</i></span> also does not appear to vary with [NO]. Consistent with the known high SOA yields of catechol, we find that HBA has a very high secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yield. Thus, benzyl alcohol and its oxidation products efficiently produce secondary organic aerosol – under some conditions approaching unity. Insights from the present study can help elucidate the chemistry of other atmospherically relevant aromatic compounds, especially those found in VCPs.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/1883/2025/acp-25-1883-2025.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. S. Buenconsejo S. M. Charan J. H. Seinfeld J. H. Seinfeld P. O. Wennberg P. O. Wennberg Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol |
| title_full | Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol |
| title_short | Quantifying primary oxidation products in the OH-initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol |
| title_sort | quantifying primary oxidation products in the oh initiated reaction of benzyl alcohol |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/1883/2025/acp-25-1883-2025.pdf |
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