Investigation of Organic Nitrogen in Atmospheric Aerosols
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Organic nitrogen (ON) is ubiquitous in the atmosphere. Atmospheric particles typically have high concentrations of nitrogen and are a significant source of fixed nitrogen to the environment (though deposition processes), which may have an adverse impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. While the sources, formation and composition of oxygenated organics in the atmosphere have been extensively studied in recent years, ON has not received the same attention. Studies of atmospherically relevant processes (such as photo-chemical transformations) have been carried out on individual ON compounds but these studies are fundamentally limited since the bulk of ON in atmospheric particles is not characterized. The composition of ON within a particle may have an effect on its properties (such as hygroscopicity, toxicity and bio-availability) which will also change as the particle ages during long-range transport and may ultimately lead to the formation of humic-like substances. Studies have shown that when aqueous extracts of bulk ON from atmospheric aerosols were exposed to simulated sunlight and ozone, a significant portion of the ON was transformed into ammonium, nitrate and oxides of nitrogen. Atmospheric particles have been linked to increased mortality in the human population and a number of ON species are implicated in the toxicity of aerosols (e.g. nitrogentated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, quinolines, nitroso-amines). The aim of this project is to build a novel, high resolution ON-Analyser capable of measuring the semi-volatile ON composition of atmospheric aerosols, for which there is currently very little known. It is based on a high resolution chromatographic technique (comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography - GCXGC) which is ideally suited to separating highly complex mixtures. This will be coupled to a highly selective nitrogen chemiluminescence detector, which provides a response for organic compounds containing nitrogen only. This removes interferences from the complex organic background found in aerosols. Aerosols will be samples onto filters and the ON content extracted using an Aerosol Thermal Desorption Injector. This novel instrument will be used to investigate the composition of ON species in aerosol in different environments, reflecting increasing photo-chemical age, from a polluted city centre roadside location (York) to a clean coastal rural site (Weybourne). Due to the complexity of the real atmosphere, linking the initial species emitted to the atmosphere to their reaction products in aerosol can be difficult. We will use the ON-Analyser to investigate the composition of ON in secondary organic aerosol formed in smog chamber simulations, allowing a direct link between pre-cursors and products. The outcomes of this project will increase our understanding of the composition, formation and transformation of organic nitrogen species in the atmosphere, providing valuable information across a range of disciplines including air quality, climate change and ecology.
Organisations
Publications
Özel M
(2010)
Analysis of Organic Nitrogen Compounds in Urban Aerosol Samples Using GCxGC-TOF/MS
in Aerosol Science and Technology
Gogus F
(2011)
Analysis of roasted and unroasted Pistacia terebinthus volatiles using direct thermal desorption-GCxGC-TOF/MS.
in Food chemistry
Klein F
(2016)
Characterization of Gas-Phase Organics Using Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry: Cooking Emissions.
in Environmental science & technology
Ramírez N
(2012)
Determination of nicotine and N-nitrosamines in house dust by pressurized liquid extraction and comprehensive gas chromatography--nitrogen chemiluminiscence detection.
in Journal of chromatography. A
Farren NJ
(2015)
Estimated Exposure Risks from Carcinogenic Nitrosamines in Urban Airborne Particulate Matter.
in Environmental science & technology
Ramírez N
(2014)
Exposure to nitrosamines in thirdhand tobacco smoke increases cancer risk in non-smokers.
in Environment international
Özel MZ
(2011)
New sensitive and quantitative analysis method for organic nitrogen compounds in urban aerosol samples.
in Environmental science & technology
McKenzie R
(2016)
The import and export of organic nitrogen species at a Scottish ombrotrophic peatland
in Biogeosciences
Tan W
(2018)
Theoretical and Experimental Study on the Reaction of tert-Butylamine with OH Radicals in the Atmosphere.
in The journal of physical chemistry. A
Description | This project developed a new instrument to analyse organic nitrogen content of atmospheric aerosols. In the last year, this method has been extended to determine the occurrence of carinogenic nitrogen compounds in house dust contaminated with tobacco smoke and to calculate the potential cancer risk from this exposure for non-smokers. we found that the house dust in almost all house was contaminated with toxic nitrosamines and the levels were above recommended cancer risk guidelines particularly for children. |
Exploitation Route | The method has been used to study the levels of carcinogenic compounds in atmospheric aerosols in London, to look at potential health implications of exposure to ambient particles. We found that aerosols in London contain significant lveles of toxic nitrosamines, and that exposure levels exceed guidelines after only 1-2 hours outside everyday. |
Sectors | Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
URL | http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b01620 |
Description | The recent work on the cancer risk of exposure to thirdhand tobacco smoke has the potential to lead to significant public health improvements through education of parents to the risks of this previously unrecognised route of exposure. It has appeared in the British Medical Journal Better Health website. It was also featured in national newspapers and local TV. This work has been cited in recent policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2016) and the German Academy for Pediatrics and Adolescent Health (Herrmann et al., 2016). |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Environment,Healthcare |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Citation in Demand for a ban on smoking in cars with children: Statement of the Child Protection Committee of the German Academy for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (status 25 January 2016) |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Guideline Title | Guidance for the clinical management of thirdhand smoke exposure in the child health care setting |
Description | Citation in Guidance for the clinical management of thirdhand smoke exposure in the child health care setting |
Geographic Reach | North America |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in clinical guidelines |
Description | Citation in Policy Statement on Protecting children from tobacco, nicotine, and tobacco smoke. , This technical report serves to provide the evidence base for the American Academy of Pediatrics' policy statements "Clinical Practice Policy to Protect Children From Tobacco, Nicotine, and Tobacco Smoke" and "Public Policy to Protect Children From Tobacco, Nicotine, and Tobacco Smoke." |
Geographic Reach | North America |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | Atmospheric Pollution & Human Health in a Chinese Megacity (APHH China) |
Amount | £3,250,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/N007190/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Norwegian CLIMIT program |
Amount | kr 4,500,000 (NOK) |
Funding ID | 244055 |
Organisation | Research Council of Norway |
Sector | Public |
Country | Norway |
Start | 01/2015 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | Internation Society for Exposure ScienceAnnual Meeting: Invited talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited talk at the International Society for Exposure science meeting in Nevade, USA. Talk was within a session devoted to third hand tobacco smoke and its impact on humans. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.ises2015.org/about.html |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interviews with a number of newspapers and radio resulting in print and online articles. Appearance on ITV Calender news https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2694383/The-dangers-THIRD-hand-smoke-Dangerous-chemicals-lurk-house-dust-curtains-armchairs-homes-no-one-smokes.html https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/update/2014-07-18/university-of-york-study-reveals-third-hand-smoke-danger/ 16/07/2014. Minster FM. Radio interview 16/07/2014. WTOP radio, Washington, USA. Radio Interview 16/07/2014. BBC radio York. Radio Interview 17/07/2014. PlanetEarth online, interview. http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1725&cookieConsent=A (no longer available) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2694383/The-dangers-THIRD-hand-smoke-Dangerous-chemicals-... |