Impact on Adsorption of Gaseous Organic Tracer Compounds in PM_2.5 Collected on Quartz Filter

Abstract

The absorption of organic components in aerosols collected on a quartz filter (Q) was evaluated using PM_2.5 collected on the (Q) and PTFE filter (P) in the summer, winter and spring. Organic tracer compounds, such as terephthalic acid and 3-hydroxyglutaric acid, showed that the concentrations on the (Q) (Org (Q)) and (P) (Org (P)) were almost equal, but pinonic acid showed a ten times higher concentration on (Q) than that on (P). Seasonal variations in the ratios of Org (Q) and Org (P) were different in each organic tracer compound. However, seasonal differences in the ratios between the Org (Q) and Org (P) were lower than the differences in the ratios of Org (Q) and Org (P) in each organic tracer compound. In addition, the tracers of the secondary reaction from volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, such as 2-methylerythritol and 2,3-dihydroxy-4-oxopentanioic acid, showed higher Org (Q) than Org (P) levels in the summer when the secondary reaction was active. By measuring the organic compounds collected on the quartz fiber filters under the (Q) and (P), it is considered that most of the pinonic acid collected on (Q) is a gaseous substance. Our results indicated that the level of influence of absorption of gaseous organic compounds for (Q) differs for each organic compound and the season.