Source Attribution of Submicron Organic Aerosols during Wintertime Inversions by Advanced Factor Analysis of Aerosol Mass Spectra

Real-time measurements of submicrometer aerosol were performed using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) during three weeks at an urban background site in Zurich (Switzerland) in January 2006. A hybrid receptor model which incorporates a priori known source composition was applied to the AMS highly time-resolved organic aerosol mass spectra. Three sources and components of submicrometer organic aerosols were identified: the major component was oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA), mostly representing secondary organic aerosol and accounting on average for 52–57% of the particulate organic mass. Radiocarbon (14C) measurements of organic carbon (OC) indicated that ∼31 and ∼69% of OOA originated from fossil and nonfossil sources, respectively. OOA estimates were strongly correlated with measured particulate ammonium. Particles from wood combustion (35–40%) and 3–13% traffic-related hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) accounted for the other half of measured organic matter (OM). Emission ratios of modeled HOA to measured nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and OM from wood burning to levoglucosan from filter analyses were found to be consistent with literature values.