TY - CONF
T1 - Low-Molecular Weight Carboxylic Acids in Gas Phase in a Developing Megacity
AU - Khwaja, Haider A.
AU - Saied, S.
AU - Hussain, Mirza M.
AU - Siddique, Azhar
AU - Butts, C.
AU - Kamran, S. S.
AU - Khan, M. K.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Carboxylic acids are amongst the plethora of pollutants that are currently ubiquitous in the environment. Molecular distributions of carboxylic acids have been studied in the atmosphere of the developing mega city Karachi, Pakistan. As a region the city is experiencing industrial and population growth at an unparallel rate. Karachi served as a great focal point to observe the effects of industrial development on a growing city and how it contributes to the progression of environmental pollution. Results indicate that acetic and formic acids are important components of the Karachi atmosphere. The most abundant acids, by a substantial margin, were acetic acid and formic acid, with concentrations of 0.70 - 14.2 ppb and 0.82 - 11.0 ppb, respectively. On the average acetic acid levels exceeded those of formic acid. Concentrations of propionic acid, pyruvic acid, and glyoxalic acid ranged 0.03 - 1.41, 0.01 - 0.28, and 0.02 - 0.14 ppb, respectively. The gaseous acids showed diurnal cycles, with higher mixing ratios during nighttime. Compared with other metropolitans in the world, the level of acetic and formic acid concentration of Karachi is much higher. The ratio of formic to acetic acid was used to distinguish primary sources from secondary sources. A mean ratio of 0.85 was found. A positive correlation (r = 0.65 - 0.94) was observed between the acid concentrations suggesting that they have similar sources. Carboxylic acid concentrations appear to arise both from direct emissions and from atmospheric oxidation of hydrocarbons.
AB - Carboxylic acids are amongst the plethora of pollutants that are currently ubiquitous in the environment. Molecular distributions of carboxylic acids have been studied in the atmosphere of the developing mega city Karachi, Pakistan. As a region the city is experiencing industrial and population growth at an unparallel rate. Karachi served as a great focal point to observe the effects of industrial development on a growing city and how it contributes to the progression of environmental pollution. Results indicate that acetic and formic acids are important components of the Karachi atmosphere. The most abundant acids, by a substantial margin, were acetic acid and formic acid, with concentrations of 0.70 - 14.2 ppb and 0.82 - 11.0 ppb, respectively. On the average acetic acid levels exceeded those of formic acid. Concentrations of propionic acid, pyruvic acid, and glyoxalic acid ranged 0.03 - 1.41, 0.01 - 0.28, and 0.02 - 0.14 ppb, respectively. The gaseous acids showed diurnal cycles, with higher mixing ratios during nighttime. Compared with other metropolitans in the world, the level of acetic and formic acid concentration of Karachi is much higher. The ratio of formic to acetic acid was used to distinguish primary sources from secondary sources. A mean ratio of 0.85 was found. A positive correlation (r = 0.65 - 0.94) was observed between the acid concentrations suggesting that they have similar sources. Carboxylic acid concentrations appear to arise both from direct emissions and from atmospheric oxidation of hydrocarbons.
M3 - Abstract
ER -