Comprehensive non-targeted molecular characterization of organic aerosols in the Amazon rainforest

Abstract

The Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in the global climate system, hydrological cycle, and earth's energy balance. As one of the planet's least industrialized regions, it allows investigation of organic aerosol formation and constituents under almost pristine conditions. Nevertheless, human activities are known to affect this ecosystem – especially during the dry seasons. In this study, ambient aerosol samples collected at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) during two dry and two wet seasons were characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). Comprehensive non-targeted data evaluation was applied to identify thousands of molecular formulae. Most were found to be associated with oxidation products of isoprene and monoterpenes, highlighting the predominance of biogenic secondary organic aerosols (SOA) at ATTO. The chemical composition exhibited distinct seasonal patterns with more processed organic compounds during the dry season, which can be explained by an increase of later-generation oxidation products due to reduced wet deposition and enhanced long-range transport. Mono- and polycyclic heteroaromatic components from biomass burning (BB) sources were enhanced during the dry seasons and the second wet season. The wet seasons were generally characterized by less oxidized compounds, associated with freshly formed SOA particles. Height-resolved measurements showed biogenic emissions with higher concentrations of early terpene oxidation products at lower altitudes. Overall, our results provide new insights into the molecular characteristics and seasonality of organic particulate matter at ATTO, helping to constrain the sources and interactions of aerosols, clouds, and precipitation in the Amazon rainforest.