Aerosols formed from the chemical reaction of monoterpenes and ozone

Chamber experiments were conducted to study the aerosol products from the ozonolysis of the major atmospheric monoterpenes; α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene. It was found that the α-pinend–O3 reaction produced mainly 2′. 2′-dimethyl-3′-acetyl cyclobutyl ethanal (pinonaldehyde), the β-pinene–O3 reaction, mainly 6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo [3.1.1] heptan-2-one and the limonene–O3 reaction, several unidentified products. These products were sought in forest aerosols and pinonaldehyde was detected in the atmosphere.