Iron in Soot: Reactions in the tail pipe
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom C/D
Start Date
16-5-2013
End Date
16-5-2013
Abstract
The automobile is the single greatest polluter, as emissions from a billion vehicles in use add up to a planet-wide problem. During fossil fuel combustion, carbon-containing particles, also called soot, are formed along with other byproducts. These particles contain organic molecules, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and trace metals, the most predominant of which is iron. Despite indications that oxidized PAH derivatives and reduced iron species are known to contribute to soot toxicity, not much is known about how these compounds are produced during combustion and after emission into the atmosphere. The purpose of this research is to study model iron-soot systems under conditions encountered in the tail pipe and in sunlight to increase our understanding of the iron redox processes that control iron speciation and surface functional groups of the soot. Iron is analyzed spectrophotometrically and soot surfaces will be investigated with an X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Results have shown that under reducing environments as well as in sunlight, iron is effectively reduced in the presence of soot. These results indicate that the toxicity of soot depends on tailpipe conditions and on the aging that aerosol particles undergo before inhalation.
Recommended Citation
Casique, Hector and Straub-Walden, Andrew, "Iron in Soot: Reactions in the tail pipe" (2013). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 71.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2013/posters/71
Poster Number
52
Additional Mentoring Department
Chemistry
Iron in Soot: Reactions in the tail pipe
SURC Ballroom C/D
The automobile is the single greatest polluter, as emissions from a billion vehicles in use add up to a planet-wide problem. During fossil fuel combustion, carbon-containing particles, also called soot, are formed along with other byproducts. These particles contain organic molecules, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and trace metals, the most predominant of which is iron. Despite indications that oxidized PAH derivatives and reduced iron species are known to contribute to soot toxicity, not much is known about how these compounds are produced during combustion and after emission into the atmosphere. The purpose of this research is to study model iron-soot systems under conditions encountered in the tail pipe and in sunlight to increase our understanding of the iron redox processes that control iron speciation and surface functional groups of the soot. Iron is analyzed spectrophotometrically and soot surfaces will be investigated with an X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Results have shown that under reducing environments as well as in sunlight, iron is effectively reduced in the presence of soot. These results indicate that the toxicity of soot depends on tailpipe conditions and on the aging that aerosol particles undergo before inhalation.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Anne Johansen