Photosensitized Decay of Levoglucosan in Biomass Burning Aerosol Particles.

ABSTRACT: Biomass burning (BB) is increasingly relevant to air quality as global warming intensifies wildfire activity. Levoglucosan (LEVO) is a widely used tracer for BB, but its oxidative decay is still less understood. While gas-phase hydroxyl radicals (•OH) have been considered the primary oxidants for LEVO decay in biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA) particles, high particulate viscosity at low relative humidity (RH) limits •OH uptake. In this study, we demonstrate a less recognized pathway that leads to LEVO degradation in BBOA particles under light, which is primarily driven by triplet excited states (³BBOA^*) via hydrogen transfer in photosensitization reactions. Unlike •OH oxidation that relies on mass transfer of oxidants from the gas phase, ³BBOA^*</

SUBMITTER: Liang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424168 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature