Oxidation of organic films relevant to atmospheric aerosols

Recent field measurements have shown that a significant fraction of the mass of atmospheric aerosols is organic. Organic compounds will preferentially partition to the surface of the aerosols and are extremely susceptible to oxidation by √OH, O3, halogens, and NO3. In this work, organic films were investigated as proxies for surface alkane and alkene organic compounds. We have studied the chemical mechanisms for processing of an alkane and an alkene by √OH. The competition between O3 and √OH for the carbon–carbon double bond in an alkene is also investigated. Atmospheric consequences of the oxidation of hydrocarbon films will be discussed, including the affects on atmospheric chemistry, climate and atmospheric transport.