Elucidating secondary organic aerosol from diesel and gasoline vehicles through detailed characterization of organic carbon emissions

Emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles are predominant anthropogenic sources of reactive gas-phase organic carbon and key precursors to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in urban areas. Their relative importance for aerosol formation is a controversial issue with implications for air quality control policy and public health. We characterize the chemical composition, mass distribution, and organic aerosol formation potential of emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles, and find diesel exhaust is seven times more efficient at forming aerosol than gasoline exhaust. However, both sources are important for air quality; depending on a region's fuel use, diesel is responsible for 65% to 90% of vehicular-derived…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: -AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02-
• UE
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231
• CA
  California Air Resources Board

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231
• NO
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  Award: NA10OAR4310104
• LB
  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  Awards: DE-AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231