Source attribution of submicron organic aerosols during wintertime inversions by advanced factor analysis of aerosol mass spectra

Valentin A. Lanz, M. Rami Alfarra, Urs Baltensperger, Brigitte Buchmann, Christoph Hueglin*, Sönke Szidat, Miriam N. Wehrli, Lukas Wacker, Silke Weimer, Alexandre Caseiro, Hans Puxbaum, Andre S.H. Prevot

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

216 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Real-time measurements of submicrometer aerosol were performed using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) during three weeks at an urban background site in Zurich (Switzerland) in January 2006. A hybrid receptor model which incorporates a priori known source composition was applied to the AMS highly time-resolved organic aerosol mass spectra. Three sources and components of submicrometer organic aerosols were identified: the major component was oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA), mostly representing secondary organic aerosol and accounting on average for 52-57% of the particulate organic mass. Radiocarbon (14C) measurements of organic carbon (OC) indicated that ∼31 and ∼69% of OOA originated from fossil and nonfossil sources, respectively. OOA estimates were strongly correlated with measured particulate ammonium. Particles from wood combustion (35-40%) and 3-13% traffic-related hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) accounted for the other half of measured organic matter (OM). Emission ratios of modeled HOA to measured nitrogen oxides (NOx) and OM from wood burning to levoglucosan from filter analyses were found to be consistent with literature values.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)214-220
Number of pages7
JournalEnvironmental Science and Technology
Volume42
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2008
Externally publishedYes

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