Evidence of rapid production of organic acids in an urban air mass

Gas-phase acids (nitric, formic, acrylic, methacrylic, propionic, and pyruvic/butryic acid) were measured using negative-ion proton-transfer chemical-ionization mass spectrometry (NI-PT-CIMS) in Pasadena, CA as part of the CalNex 2010 (Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change) study in May-June 2010. Organic acid concentrations ranged from a few parts per trillion by volume (pptv) to several parts per billion by volume (ppbv), with the largest concentrations observed for formic and propionic acids. Photochemically processed urban emissions transported from Los Angeles were frequently sampled during the day. Analysis of transported emissions demonstrates a strong correlation of organic acid concentrations with both nitric acid and odd oxygen (O_x = O₃ + NO₂) showing that the organic acids are photochemically and rapidly produced from urban emissions.