Heterogeneous kinetics, products, and mechanisms of ferulic acid particles in the reaction with NO3 radicals

Publication date: March 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 152
Author(s): Changgeng Liu, Peng Zhang, Xiaoying Wen, Bin Wu
Methoxyphenols, as an important component of wood burning, are produced by lignin pyrolysis and considered to be the potential tracers for wood smoke emissions. In this work, the heterogeneous reaction between ferulic acid particles and NO3 radicals was investigated. Six products including oxalic acid, 4-vinylguaiacol, vanillin, 5-nitrovanillin, 5-nitroferulic acid, and caffeic acid were confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, the reaction mechanisms were proposed and the main pathways were NO3 electrophilic addition to olefin and the meta-position to the hydroxyl group. The uptake coefficient of NO3 radicals on ferulic acid particles was 0.17 ± 0.02 and the effective rate constant under experimental conditions was (1.71 ± 0.08) × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. The results indicate that ferulic acid degradation by NO3 can be an important sink at night.

Graphical abstract

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