Ozonation of trifluralin particles: An experimental investigation with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer

The ozonation of trifluralin coated on azelaic acid particles is investigated with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The suspended trifluralin particles with the mean diameter of 270 nm react with ∼100 ppm ozone in an aerosol reaction chamber under ambient pressure and room temperature (1 atm, 298 K). The time-of-flight mass spectra of the trifluralin particles and the solid state ozonides are obtained. The assignments of the mass spectra reveal that the major primary ozonides of trifluralin particles are 2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-N-propanoyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamine and 2,6-dinitro-N-(propan-2(and 3)-ol)-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamine. The major secondary ozonides of trifluralin 2-ethyl-7-nitro-5-(trifluoromethyl) benzimidazole-3-oxide, 2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzenamine and 2,6-dinitro-N-(formyl)-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzamine are observed. The primary ozonides are directly resulted from the oxidation of N-propyl groups. The pathways of the primary ozonation are proposed in the paper.