Gas-to-Particle Partitioning of Products from Ozonolysis of Δ3-Carene and the Effect of Temperature and Relative Humidity.

Formation of oxidized products from Δ3-carene (C10H16) ozonolysis and their gas-to-particle partitioning at three temperatures (0, 10, and 20 °C) under dry conditions (<2% RH) and also at 10 °C under humid (78% RH) conditions were studied using a time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (ToF-CIMS) combined with a filter inlet for gases and aerosols (FIGAERO). The Δ3-carene ozonolysis products detected by the FIGAERO-ToF-CIMS were dominated by semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The main effect of increasing temperature or RH on the product distribution was an increase in fragmentation of monomer compounds (from C10 to C7 compounds), potentially via alkoxy scission losing a C3 group. The equilibrium partitioning coefficient estimated according to equilibrium partitioning theory shows that the measured SVOC products distribute more into the SOA phase as the temperature decreases from 20 to 10 and 0 °C and for most products as the RH increases from <2 to 78%. The temperature dependency of the saturation vapor pressure (above an assumed liquid state), derived from the partitioning method, also allows for a direct way to obtain enthalpy of vaporization for the detected species without accessibility of authentic standards of the pure substances. This method can provide physical properties, beneficial for, e.g., atmospheric modeling, of complex multifunctional oxidation products.

A Four Carbon Organonitrate as a Significant Product of Secondary Isoprene Chemistry.

Oxidation of isoprene by nitrate radicals (NO3) or by hydroxyl radicals (OH) under high NOx conditions forms a substantial amount of organonitrates (ONs). ONs impact NOx concentrations and consequently ozone formation while also contributing to secondary organic aerosol. Here we show that the ONs with the chemical formula C4H7NO5 are a significant fraction of isoprene-derived ONs, based on chamber experiments and ambient measurements from different sites around the globe. From chamber experiments we found that C4H7NO5 isomers contribute 5%-17% of all measured ONs formed during nighttime and constitute more than 40% of the measured ONs after further daytime oxidation. In ambient measurements C4H7NO5 isomers usually dominate both nighttime and daytime, implying a long residence time compared to C5 ONs which are removed more rapidly. We propose potential nighttime sources and secondary formation pathways, and test them using a box model with an updated isoprene oxidation scheme.

Key questions: research priorities for student mental health.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of mental distress among university students is gaining academic, policy and public attention. As the volume of research into student mental health increases, it is important to involve students to ensure that the evidence produced can translate into meaningful improvements. AIMS: For the first time, we consult UK students about their research priorities on student mental health. METHOD: This priority setting exercise involved current UK university students who were asked to submit three research questions relating to student mental health. Responses were aggregated into themes through content analysis and considered in the context of existing research. Students were involved throughout the project, including inception, design, recruitment, analysis and dissemination. RESULTS: UK university students (N = 385) submitted 991 questions, categorised into seven themes: epidemiology, causes and risk factors, academic factors and work-life balance, sense of belonging, intervention and services, mental health literacy and consequences. Across themes, respondents highlighted the importance of understanding the experience of minority groups. CONCLUSIONS: Students are interested in understanding the causes and consequences of poor mental health at university, across academic and social domains. They would like to improve staff and students' knowledge about mental health, and have access to evidence-based support. Future research should take a broad lens to evaluate interventions; considering how services are designed and delivered, and investigating institutional and behavioural barriers to accessibility, including how this varies across different groups within the student population.

Emissions and Secondary Formation of Air Pollutants from Modern Heavy-Duty Trucks in Real-World Traffic-Chemical Characteristics Using On-Line Mass Spectrometry.

Complying with stricter emissions standards, a new generation of heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) has gradually increased its market share and now accounts for a large percentage of on-road mileage. The potential to improve air quality depends on an actual reduction in both emissions and subsequent formation of secondary pollutants. In this study, the emissions in real-world traffic from Euro VI-compliant HDTs were compared to those from older classes, represented by Euro V, using high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Gas-phase primary emissions of several hundred species were observed for 70 HDTs. Furthermore, the particle phase and secondary pollutant formation (gas and particle phase) were evaluated for a number of HDTs. The reduction in primary emission factors (EFs) was evident (∼90%) and in line with a reduction of 28-97% for the typical regulated pollutants. Secondary production of most gas- and particle-phase compounds, for example, nitric acid, organic acids, and carbonyls, after photochemical aging in an oxidation flow reactor exceeded the primary emissions (EFAged/EFFresh ratio ≥2). Byproducts from urea-selective catalytic reduction systems had both primary and secondary sources. A non-negative matrix factorization analysis highlighted the issue of vehicle maintenance as a remaining concern. However, the adoption of Euro VI has a significant positive effect on emissions in real-world traffic and should be considered in, for example, urban air quality assessments.

University student well-being in the United Kingdom: a scoping review of its conceptualisation and measurement.

BACKGROUND: Well-being is a multifaceted construct, and measuring well-being, both within particular groups and at a national level, is a priority for policy and practice. This national agenda on measuring well-being is mirrored in the Higher Education sector. This is the first conceptual review of how well-being is measured among university students in the UK. AIMS: The aims of the review were to identify (i) the definitions or conceptualisations of well-being guiding the selection of well-being indicators for research within this population and (ii) measures of well-being used in university students in the UK. METHODS: A scoping review method was used. RESULTS: Twenty-eight validated indicators used to measure well-being in UK students were identified. While many were direct measures of (primarily mental or psychological) well-being, indirect "proxy" indicators, including measures of mental health symptoms, were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This review has highlighted that there are inconsistencies in defining and measuring university student well-being, and the measures that have been used in this population are focused on subjective experience. These findings are in line with reviews of well-being measures in the general population. Implications for further research are discussed.

Using highly time-resolved online mass spectrometry to examine biogenic and anthropogenic contributions to organic aerosol in Beijing.

Organic aerosols, a major constituent of fine particulate mass in megacities, can be directly emitted or formed from secondary processing of biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compound emissions. The complexity of volatile organic compound emission sources, speciation and oxidation pathways leads to uncertainties in the key sources and chemistry leading to formation of organic aerosol in urban areas. Historically, online measurements of organic aerosol composition have been unable to resolve specific markers of volatile organic compound oxidation, while offline analysis of markers focus on a small proportion of organic aerosol and lack the time resolution to carry out detailed statistical analysis required to study the dynamic changes in aerosol sources and chemistry. Here we use data collected as part of the joint UK-China Air Pollution and Human Health (APHH-Beijing) collaboration during a field campaign in urban Beijing in the summer of 2017 alongside laboratory measurements of secondary organic aerosol from oxidation of key aromatic precursors (1,3,5-trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl benzene, propyl benzene, isopropyl benzene and 1-methyl naphthalene) to study the anthropogenic and biogenic contributions to organic aerosol. For the first time in Beijing, this study applies positive matrix factorisation to online measurements of organic aerosol composition from a time-of-flight iodide chemical ionisation mass spectrometer fitted with a filter inlet for gases and aerosols (FIGAERO-ToF-I-CIMS). This approach identifies the real-time variations in sources and oxidation processes influencing aerosol composition at a near-molecular level. We identify eight factors with distinct temporal variability, highlighting episodic differences in OA composition attributed to regional influences and in situ formation. These have average carbon numbers ranging from C5-C9 and can be associated with oxidation of anthropogenic aromatic hydrocarbons alongside biogenic emissions of isoprene, α-pinene and sesquiterpenes.

Secondary organic aerosol reduced by mixture of atmospheric vapours.

Secondary organic aerosol contributes to the atmospheric particle burden with implications for air quality and climate. Biogenic volatile organic compounds such as terpenoids emitted from plants are important secondary organic aerosol precursors with isoprene dominating the emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds globally. However, the particle mass from isoprene oxidation is generally modest compared to that of other terpenoids. Here we show that isoprene, carbon monoxide and methane can each suppress the instantaneous mass and the overall mass yield derived from monoterpenes in mixtures of atmospheric vapours. We find that isoprene 'scavenges' hydroxyl radicals, preventing their reaction with monoterpenes, and the resulting isoprene peroxy radicals scavenge highly oxygenated monoterpene products. These effects reduce the yield of low-volatility products that would otherwise form secondary organic aerosol. Global model calculations indicate that oxidant and product scavenging can operate effectively in the real atmosphere. Thus highly reactive compounds (such as isoprene) that produce a modest amount of aerosol are not necessarily net producers of secondary organic particle mass and their oxidation in mixtures of atmospheric vapours can suppress both particle number and mass of secondary organic aerosol. We suggest that formation mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol in the atmosphere need to be considered more realistically, accounting for mechanistic interactions between the products of oxidizing precursor molecules (as is recognized to be necessary when modelling ozone production).

Online Chemical Characterization of Food-Cooking Organic Aerosols: Implications for Source Apportionment.

Food-cooking organic aerosols (COA) are one of the primary sources of submicron particulate matter in urban environments. However, there are still many questions surrounding source apportionment related to instrumentation as well as semivolatile partitioning because COA evolve rapidly in the ambient air, making source apportionment more complex. Online measurements of emissions from cooking different types of food were performed in a laboratory to characterize particles and gases. Aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) measurements showed that the relative ionization efficiency for OA was higher (1.56-3.06) relative to a typical value of 1.4, concluding that AMS is over-estimating COA and suggesting that previous studies likely over-estimated COA concentrations. Food-cooking mass spectra were generated using AMS, and gas and particle food markers were identified with filter inlets for gases and aerosols-chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) measurements to be used in future food cooking-source apportionment studies. However, there is a considerable variability in both gas and particle markers, and dilution plays an important role in the particle mass budget, showing the importance of using these markers with caution during receptor modeling. These findings can be used to better understand the chemical composition of COA, and they provides useful information to be used in future source-apportionment studies.

Urban Pollutant Transport and Infiltration into Buildings Using Perfluorocarbon Tracers.

People spend the majority of their time indoors and therefore the quality of indoor air is worthy of investigation; indoor air quality is affected by indoor sources of pollutants and from pollutants entering buildings from outdoors. In this study, unique perfluorocarbon tracers were released in five experiments at a 100 m and ~2 km distance from a large university building in Manchester, UK and tracer was also released inside the building to measure the amount of outdoor material penetrating into buildings and the flow of material within the building itself. Air samples of the tracer were taken in several rooms within the building, and a CO2 tracer was used within the building to estimate air-exchange rates. Air-exchange rates were found to vary between 0.57 and 10.90 per hour. Indoor perfluorocarbon tracer concentrations were paired to outdoor tracer concentrations, and in-out ratios were found to vary between 0.01 and 3.6. The largest room with the lowest air-exchange rate exhibited elevated tracer concentrations for over 60 min after the release had finished, but generally had the lowest concentrations, the room with the highest ventilation rates had the highest concentration over 30 min, but the peak decayed more rapidly. Tracer concentrations indoors compared to outdoors imply that pollutants remain within buildings after they have cleared outside, which must be considered when evaluating human exposure to outdoor pollutants.

A reflective evaluation of patient handover practices.

This article is a personal reflection of the patient handover process. It explores approaches to handover, issues of time management, documentation and phenomenology. A handover sheet was developed with the assistance of a nursing team to maximise communication during handover. By observing patients, referring to documentation and listening to the practitioner presenting the handover, nurses can improve the handover process and care delivery.