Large Discrepancy in the Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosols from Structurally Similar Monoterpenes

The two monoterpenes, Δ³-carene and α-pinene, have very similar chemical structures, which leads to the assumption that the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is also similar. This study aims to investigate if the formation of SOA from ozonolysis of Δ³-carene and α-pinene is actually analogous. This is addressed by conducting smog chamber studies of Δ³-carene ozonolysis and comparing the results to similar studies of α-pinene. Detailed offline analysis using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry seeks to elucidate differences in the product distribution between Δ³-carene and α-pinene.