Browsing by Subject "Isoprene"

Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals which get released as gasses and can have a variety of effects on the environment, climate change, and air quality. Capable of being transported across long distances, VOCs can contribute to the formation and concentration of ozone, formation of secondary organic aerosol, and affect Earth's radiative balance. Coastal waters emit high amounts of VOCs into the atmosphere. While there is a body of research on VOCs emitted from terrestrial sources, such as forests, the impact of VOCs emitted from coastal sea areas on sea-atmosphere interactions is less understood. This study examined VOC signals at a coastal site on the Baltic Sea by deploying a Vocus Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer measuring ambient VOCs in air from June-August 2023. In this study, the Vocus PTR-TOF-MS was able to provide informative data to improve our understanding of the behavior of VOCs at this Baltic Sea coastal site. From a snapshot analysis of July 17-24 2023, isoprene, monoterpenes, dimethylsulfide, jasmonic acid, and benzoquinone are speculated to potentially have marine signatures, but could be coming from different marine sources or different biological species in the Baltic Sea. The behavior of the VOC signals and their detection is speculated to be related to wind speed and wind direction. Meteorological factors can impact what VOC signals get detected by the Vocus by affecting how air masses get mixed and transported to the instrument. By deploying the relatively new Vocus PTR-TOF-MS in a new location, this study helps to improve our knowledge of the behavior of VOCs at this Baltic Sea coastal site and how the ecology of the Baltic Sea interacts with the atmosphere.