Atmospheric processing of nitrophenols and nitrocresols from biomass burning emissions

Significant quantities with maximum concentrations over 100 pptv and distinct diurnal patterns that peak around midnight and maintain low levels throughout the day were observed, in coincidence with the extensive open crop residue burning activities conducted in the vicinity.

An observationally constrained zero-dimension box model was constructed to assess the relative importance of various production and removal pathways at play in determining the measured surface concentrations. The NO3-initiated dark chemistry, in concert with meteorological variations predominantly dilution and entrainment, exerts major controls over the observed diurnal behaviors of nitrophenols and nitrocresols. Structural isomerism is predicted to have a significant impact on the multiphase partitioning and chemistry of nitrophenol isomers.