Molecular characterisation of ambient aerosols by sequential solvent extractions and high-resolution mass spectrometry

For a comprehensive characterisation of organic compounds in aerosols, samples collected on a hazy day from Beijing were sequentially extracted with various solvents and analysed by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Electrospray ionisation (ESI) was used for the MS analysis. Aerosol samples were extracted in an apolar-to-polar solvent order of n-hexane (n-C-6), dichloromethane (DCM), acetonitrile (ACN) and water, and also extracted in reverse sequence. The separated fractions were defined as non-polar, low-polarity, mid-polarity and high-polarity organic compounds respectively. Approximately 70 % of the total organic carbon (TOC) was extractable, of which the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and non-polar organic carbon accounted for 30 and 25% of the TOC respectively. Non-polar and low-polarity compounds with a high degree of molecular condensation such as oxidised polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrogen-containing compounds (CENT) were extracted by n-C-6 and DCM. Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) was predominant with aliphatic and aromatic organosulfates (CHOS) and nitrooxy-organosulfates (CHONS). Most oxygen-containing compounds (CHO) and oxygen- and nitrogen-containing compounds (CHON) with high double-bond equivalents (DBEs) and long carbon chains tended to be extracted into organic solvents.