Photosensitized Degradation of DMSO Initiated by PAHs at the Air‐Water Interface, as an Alternative Source of Organic Sulfur Compounds to the Atmosphere

The photochemical reactions of organic compounds at the water surface lead to formation gas-phase molecules that may contribute new particle in atmosphere. Here, we observe sulfur (OS) are known secondary aerosol (SOA) precursors, upon irradiation aqueous solutions containing typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as pyrene, fluoranthene, and phenanthrene well dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). reactivity between excited triplet states PAHs (3PAHs*) DMSO was determined by transient absorption spectroscopy a tentative reaction mechanism for degradation proposed, supported theoretical calculations Gibbs energies. In all cases, rapid methanesulfonic acid, methanesulfinic methylsulfonylmethane, ethyl methanesulfonate, hydroxymethanesulfonic 2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid use novel membrane inlet-single photon ionization-time flight mass spectrometry. These results suggest ubiquitous sea represent an alternative source OS during daytime, through processes should be considered future models better SOA