Size-differentiated volatility analysis of internally mixed laboratory-generated aerosol

The increased application of volatility analysis to determine the composition and structure of sub-micron aerosol requires that the thermal behaviour of chemically complex aerosol be understood. Presented here is a volatility study, utilising a tandem volatility differential mobility analyser (TVDMA), of 30, 50, and 70 nm radii, internally mixed, aerosol containing ionic-salts, acids, organics, and carbon. Evidence of some size-dependent behaviour was observed with several of the single component aerosol. Internally mixed aerosol displayed complex thermal behaviours that were dependent on both size and the volume mixing ratio of source solutions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.