Chemical analysis of new particles with diameters less than 10 nm, generated from β-pinene ozonolysis

Abstract We conducted a chemical analysis of new particles with diameters less than 10 nm, generated from β-pinene ozonolysis. The particles were collected on a filter using a 1 nm scanned mobility particle sizer spectrometer and analyzed using an electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometer. Our findings confirmed the presence of C9H14O5 to C9H14O7 in the new particles, suggesting the occurrence of autoxidation from C9H13O5 to C9H13O7. Subsequent autoxidation from C9H13O7 to C9H13O9 was not observed. This is the first report that a highly oxygenated organic molecule, C9H13O7, was detected in newly formed particles with diameters <10 nm, as far as we know.