Effect of Surface-Bulk Partitioning on the Oxidation of Aqueous Dicarboxylic Acid Aerosols

With support from the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation, Fabien Goulay at the University of West Virginia will study the oxidation of atmospheric aerosols. The specific focus is on the reaction of organic molecules at the surface of particles with free radicals. The project will investigate how the chemistry between the gas and particle phase can change particle composition.

It will also provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, including first generation college students and students from the Appalachian region, who have been traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.

Heterogeneous chemistry at the surface of aqueous aerosols will be investigated using a combination of flow tube experiments, molecular dynamic simulations, and chemical modeling. By changing the composition of the particle from surface-active to surface-inactive molecules, the comparison of the model outcomes with experimental data will provide information about the effect of interfacial reactions on aerosol chemical oxidation.

In addition, by using aqueous aerosols containing different dicarboxylic acids, Dr. Goulay’s group aims to understand how the solute molecular structure affects the oxidation of atmospheric aerosols. This work will also contribute to the training of future scientists by providing cross-disciplinary training and access to state–of–the–art experimental resources.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.