SOURCES OF FINE ORGANIC AEROSOL .6. CIGARETTE-SMOKE IN THE URBAN ATMOSPHERE

Molecular marker compounds that can be used to trace cigarette smoke p articles in the outdoor urban atmosphere are identified. While the mos t abundant resolved organic compounds present are nitrogen-containing heterocyclics (e.g., nicotine), other potential tracers that will be m ore stable in the outdoor urban atmosphere also are found. Iso- and an teisoalkanes (C29-C34) are enriched in cigarette smoke particles and s how a concentration pattern characteristic of tobacco leaf surface wax es that is distinctly different from leaf surface abrasion products sh ed from plant leaves that grow in the Los Angeles area. Relative to ma jor leaf surface wax n-alkanes, these iso- and anteisoalkanes are enri ched by a factor of more than 40 in tobacco and tobacco smoke particle s as compared to leaf surface waxes from Los Angeles area plants. It i s found that the iso- and anteisoalkanes concentration pattern generat ed by cigarette smoke is preserved in the urban atmosphere and is meas ured at levels that are comparable to emissions estimates based on dai ly cigarette consumption. Using these marker compounds, ambient fine c igarette smoke particles are estimated to be present at a concentratio n of 0.28-0.36 mug m-3 in the Los Angeles outdoor air, accounting for 1.0-1.3% of the fine particle mass concentration.