L. Benning et A. Wahner, Measurements of atmospheric formaldehyde (HCHO) and acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) during POPCORN 1994 using 2.4-DNPH coated silica cartridges, J ATMOS CH, 31(1-2), 1998, pp. 105-117
The 2.-4-dinitrophenylhydrazine coated silica cartridge technique (DSC) was
used for the measurements of HCHO and CH3CHO during the POPCORN campaign i
n August 1994. A total number of 505 measurements was carried out using an
automatic sampling system. The sampling time for each measurement was 30 mi
nutes. During the first two weeks of the campaign samples were taken every
3 hours and during the last two weeks every 30 minutes. No significant diur
nal variation of HCHO and CH3CHO was observed. The average mixing ratios of
HCHO and CH3CHO were 1.8 +/- 1.0 ppb and 1.4 +/- 1.3 ppb. The results for
HCHO are in a good agreement with simultaneous measurements by differential
optical absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS). The absence of a strong diurnal va
riation of the HCHO mixing ratio can be explained by production and destruc
tion processes during day and night. The measured mixing ratios of HCHO and
CH3CHO, especially the mixing ratios during night, are a strong indication
that during the POPCORN campaign the maize was a local source of HCHO and
CH3CHO.