Position-specific isotope analysis of oxygenated volatile organic compounds by on-line pyrolysis IRMS

Abstract

Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) are ubiquitous in the tropospheric atmosphere and are widely recognized to have important roles in air quality and climate. Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of OVOCs, especially a group of short-chain OVOCs such as methanol, acetaldehyde and acetone, is facilitating the source study of these OVOCs. Furthermore, Position-specific isotope analysis (PSIA) of these OVOCs is expected to provide new information on source of these OVOCs. Here, we show the current status about the development of PSIA of OVOCs and discuss the perspective of PSIA to the source study of atmospheric OVOCs.