Nitrogenated and aliphatic organic vapors as possible drivers for marine secondary organic aerosol growth

Measurements of marine aerosol chemistry, using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry, as well as aerosol microphysics, hygroscopicity and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity were undertaken during new particle growth events. The events were detected in air advecting over North East (NE) Atlantic waters during the EUCAARI Intensive Observation Period in June 2008 at Mace Head, Ireland. During these growth events, the aerosol mass spectrometers illustrated increases in accumulation mode aerosol phase nitrogenated and aliphatic compounds thought to condense from the gas phase. Since the composition changes observed in the accumulation mode occurred simultaneously to the growth of the accumulation, Aitken and nucleation modes, the growth of both the nucleation mode and the Aitken mode is attributed to the condensation of these species. Nitrogenated compounds like amines are also plausible candidates in the nucleation process, as suggested by quantum mechanic calculations. It is also plausible that amides and organic nitrites, also identified by the mass spectrometers, are possible candidate chemical compounds, suggesting that multiple types of chemical species may be contributing. Given that these open ocean aerosol formation and growth events occur in very clean polar marine air masses, we suggest that the organic compounds responsible for particle formation and growth are mainly of biogenic origin. Despite increasing the particle number concentration, the initial effect is to suppress hygroscopicity and CCN activity.