A Candidate for the Degree of Master of Science
Evaluating the utility of a positive-ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometer ((+) APCI-MS/MS) at detecting organic peroxides during β-pinene ozonolysis experiments
Research Examinations for Atmospheric Chemistry graduate students will take place May 13 -14, 2014. For more information click here.
The Career Development Symposium will take place May 21st – 22nd 2014, Life Science Building, Rooms 105 & 106, York University. It is an opportunity for science and engineering graduate students to network with professionals in academia, industry and government, as well as to learn and build critical skills through panels of experts and engaging workshops necessary for success in their future career ambitions.
For more information and registration, click here.
Dr. Jochen Rudolph is co-author of Isotope ratio studies of atmospheric organic compounds: Principles, methods, applications and potential published in the International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, March 2014.
Authors: Iulia Gensch, Astrid Kiendler-Scharr and Jochen Rudolph
Abstract: In the atmosphere, both gas and particle phase organic trace compounds (OTC) have multiple effects on air quality and climate. Gaps exist in a fundamental understanding of the sources and sinks of organics and thus, knowledge needed to steer regulatory purposes is far from complete. Isotopes provide specific “fingerprints” in OTC. These fingerprints result from the isotopic composition at emission, as well as from chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere. Compound specific isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in atmospheric OTC is therefore a promising tool to improve our understanding of sources and the atmospheric fate of OTC. Due to analytical challenges originating from the small sample amounts and a huge variety of physical and chemical properties of OTC present in the atmosphere, such measurements are not routinely performed. We present an overview of basic concepts as well as instrumental and measurement procedures used for compound specific IRMS in atmospheric OTC. Concepts for the interpretation of ambient observations are reviewed together with available literature data on source specific and ambientδ13C values of gas and particle phase OTC. Full deployment of the IRMS potential in future atmospheric studies will depend on the availability of laboratory kinetic data. Further method developments, such as increasing sensitivity and accuracy, as well as techniques for simultaneous isotope ratio measurement of multiple atoms are expected to further extend the potential use of isotope ratios for studies of atmospheric OTC.
Dr. Jochen Rudolph is co-author of Isotope ratio studies of atmospheric organic compounds: Principles, methods, applications and potential published in the International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, March 2014.
Authors: Iulia Gensch, Astrid Kiendler-Scharr and Jochen Rudolph
Abstract: In the atmosphere, both gas and particle phase organic trace compounds (OTC) have multiple effects on air quality and climate. Gaps exist in a fundamental understanding of the sources and sinks of organics and thus, knowledge needed to steer regulatory purposes is far from complete. Isotopes provide specific “fingerprints” in OTC. These fingerprints result from the isotopic composition at emission, as well as from chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere. Compound specific isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in atmospheric OTC is therefore a promising tool to improve our understanding of sources and the atmospheric fate of OTC. Due to analytical challenges originating from the small sample amounts and a huge variety of physical and chemical properties of OTC present in the atmosphere, such measurements are not routinely performed. We present an overview of basic concepts as well as instrumental and measurement procedures used for compound specific IRMS in atmospheric OTC. Concepts for the interpretation of ambient observations are reviewed together with available literature data on source specific and ambientδ13C values of gas and particle phase OTC. Full deployment of the IRMS potential in future atmospheric studies will depend on the availability of laboratory kinetic data. Further method developments, such as increasing sensitivity and accuracy, as well as techniques for simultaneous isotope ratio measurement of multiple atoms are expected to further extend the potential use of isotope ratios for studies of atmospheric OTC.
Bayard D. Clarkson Distinguished Professor
Director of the Center for
Air Resources Engineering and Science
Founding Director of the Institute for a Sustainable Environment
Clarkson University
Friday, May 16th, 2014
2:30 p.m.
103 Life Science Building
York University
4700 Keele Street, Toronto
Initial efforts to use atmospheric composition data to identify and quantify pollution sources began more than 40 years ago. The development of these methods started about 40 years ago and they have continued to evolve up to the present. Initial efforts using factor analysis were published in 1968 while the chemical mass balance was first suggested in 1971. Initially there was little demand for these tools by the air quality management community because they were not initially recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an acceptable part of the planning process (SIP). Major developments occurred as part of the Portland Air Quality Study (PAQS) in which receptor models were an integral part of the effort and led to substantial corrections to the dispersion model used for air quality planning. A critical step occurred with the promulgation of the 1987 PM10 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) when one of the EPA's guidance documents indicated that receptor models could be used in SIP development. Subsequently in the 1990s, the EPA supported the development and distribution of several receptor models. The application of these models has now become routine and their use in the context of air quality management in the US will be presented. The current state-of-the-art in the application of receptor models will be presented with an application to data from St. Louis, MO.
Combination of active and passive Lunar DOAS to determine
the vertical chemical profile of NOy species in the atmosphere
Presented by
KEVIN NIKELSKI
March 18, 2014 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
317 Petrie Science and Engineering Building
York University
Method Development for Concentration Measurements of SVOCs in
the Atmosphere with a Focus on Emission from Oil Sands Mining
Presented by
YASAMIN HASSANI
February 18, 2014 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
317 Petrie Science and Engineering Building
York University
MAX-DOAS observations of NO2 and SO2 in the Alberta Sands
Presented by
ZOEY DAVIS
January 14, 2014 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
317 Petrie Science and Engineering Building
York University
Graduate Programme in Chemistry
ORAL EXAMINATION PROSPECTUS
Patryk Wojtal
A Candidate for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Title of Thesis:
Nocturnal Measurements of HONO, NO2, and NO3 by Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy in Polluted Marine and Urban Atmospheres
December 12, 2013 @ 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
317 Petrie Science and Engineering Building
York University
Abstract
Nitrogen oxides are ubiquitous throughout the lower atmosphere and significantly affect the chemistry of the atmosphere, air quality, and climate. A dataset obtained using differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) was analyzed in order to quantify the NO3, HONO and NO2 concentrations at Saturna Island, and concentrations of N2O5 were calculated. Nocturnal measurements of NO3, NO2 and HONO were performed using active-DOAS at York University.