Sources of Fine Organic Aerosol. 6. Cigaret Smoke in the Urban Atmosphere

Abstract

Molecular marker compounds that can be used to trace \ncigarette smoke particles in the outdoor urban atmosphere \nare identified. While the most abundant resolved organic \ncompounds present are nitrogen-containing heterocyclics \n(e.g., nicotine), other potential tracers that will be more \nstable in the outdoor urban atmosphere also are found. \nIso- and anteisoalkanes (C_(29)-C_(34)) are enriched in cigarette smoke particles and show a concentration pattern characteristic of tobacco leaf surface waxes that is distinctly different from leaf surface abrasion products shed from plant leaves that grow in the Los Angeles area. Relative to major leaf surface wax n-alkanes, these iso- and \nanteisoalkanes are enriched by a factor of more than 40 \nin tobacco and tobacco smoke particles as compared to \nleaf surface waxes from Los Angeles area plants. It is \nfound that the iso- and anteisoalkanes concentration \npattern generated by cigarette smoke is preserved in the \nurban atmosphere and is measured at levels that are \ncomparable to emissions estimates based on daily cigarette \nconsumption. Using these marker compounds, ambient \nfine cigarette smoke particles are estimated to be present \nat a concentration of 0.28-0.36 µg m^(-3) in the Los Angeles \noutdoor air, accounting for 1.0-1.3% of the fine particle \nmass concentration.