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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #279963

Title: Atmospheric reactivity studies of aliphatic amines

Author
item Silva, Philip - Phil
item COCKER, DAVID - University Of California
item PURVIS-ROBERTS, KATHLEEN - Claremont Colleges
item PRICE, DEREK - University Of California
item TANG, XIAOCHEN - University Of California
item MALLOY, QUENTIN - University Of California
item ERUPE, MARK - Utah State University
item BROWN, ROBERT - Utah State University

Submitted to: American Chemical Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/17/2012
Publication Date: 8/22/2012
Citation: Silva, P.J., Cocker, D.R., Purvis-Roberts, K., Price, D., Tang, X., Malloy, Q., Erupe, M., Brown, R.S. 2012. Atmospheric reactivity studies of aliphatic amines. American Chemical Society. Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ambient studies of particulate matter have shown that alkyl amines are often present in particles in areas impacted by agricultural emissions. These locations include California’s Central Valley and Inland Empire and Utah’s Cache Valley. These compounds are not typically observed in airsheds that solely contain urban/suburban sources leading to speculation that agricultural influences may be important sources. Our research team has conducted a number of experiments using an environmental smog chamber to understand the fate of amines in the atmosphere. Atmospheric reactions of amines are a competitive process between acid-base interactions (similar to ammonia) and photochemical radical reactions (similar to other organic compounds). Primary, secondary, and tertiary amines appear to have divergent chemical mechanisms and product formation, but resulting in surprising amounts of aerosol formation despite the small sizes of the molecules.