Formation and decomposition of hazardous chemical components contained in atmospheric aerosol particles

Air particulate matter contains a wide range of substances, some of which pose a threat to human health. Chemical reactions occurring on aerosol particles in the atmosphere can transform hazardous components and increase or decrease their potential for adverse health effects. Especially organic compounds react readily with atmospheric oxidants, and since fine aerosol particles have a high surface-to-volume ratio, their chemical composition can be efficiently changed by interaction with trace gases such as ozone and nitrogen oxides. In this paper the concepts required to understand and describe the formation and decomposition of hazardous chemical components contained in atmospheric aerosol particles are outlined. The processes at work on a molecular level in the chemical transformation of atmospheric particle components are illustrated for soot and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), in particular for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) which is one of the most prominent hazardous pollutants in the class of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Recent results on the reaction kinetics and mechanisms of BaP degradation by ozone and nitrogen dioxide are presented. These results indicate faster degradation by atmospheric oxidants than previously estimated, which implies a higher potential for sampling artifacts and underestimation of the actual atmospheric abundance of BaP and other PAHs. Thus human exposure close to the sources of these compounds such as busy roadways may be significantly higher than previously assumed.