Secondary organic aerosol from ozone-initiated reactions with terpene-rich household products

We analyzed secondary organic aerosol (SOA) data from a series of small-chamber experiments in which terpene-rich vapors from household products were combined with ozone under conditions analogous to product use indoors. Reagents were introduced into a continuously ventilated 198 L chamber at steady rates. Consistently, at the time of ozone introduction, nucleation occurred exhibiting similar behavior to atmospheric events. The initial nucleation burst and growth was followed by a period in which approximately stable particle levels were established, reflecting a balance between new particle formation, condensational growth, and removal by ventilation. Airborne particles were measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS, 10–400 nm) in every experiment and with an optical particle counter (OPC, 0.1–2.0 μm) in a subset. Parameters for a three-mode lognormal fit to the size distribution at steady state were determined for each experiment. Increasing the supply ozone level increased the steady-state mass concentration and yield of SOA from each product tested. Decreasing the air-exchange rate increased the yield. The steady-state fine-particle mass concentration (PM_1.1) ranged from 10 to >300 μg m⁻³ and yields ranged from 5% to 37%. Steady-state nucleation rates and SOA mass formation rates were ∼10 cm⁻³ s⁻¹ and ∼10 μg m⁻³ min⁻¹, respectively.