Project goals

The main goal of the project entitled “ PHOtolysis of NItroaromatic Compounds: new source of HONO and Secondary Organic Aerosols formation in the atmosphere” (PHONIC-HONO-SOA) is to move on the knowledge on the atmospheric chemistry of nitroaromatic compound.

Based on the previous preliminary studies, the current investigations performed during PHONIC-HONO-SOA will be focused on the nitrous acid (HONO) and NO2 formation from photolysis of nitroaromatics as well as the SOA formation from these processes.

To achieve the main goals of the PHONIC-HONO-SOA project will be considered the following objectives:

1. Constructing, developing, testing, and validating a flow tube system (photoreactor) technology for the photolysis of nitroaromatic compounds (WP1).

2. Gas-phase investigations of the nitroaromatic photolysis with the detection and quantification of the degradation products to prove the Bejan et al., (2006) proposed degradation mechanisms of 2-nitrophenols and HONO formation (WP2).

3. The investigation of the secondary organic aerosol formation from the photolysis of nitroaromatic compounds (WP3).