A Novel Method for Quantifying Terrestrial SOA-Markers in Antarctic Ice

Terrestrially emitted biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) can be oxidised within the troposphere and become components in secondary organic aerosol (SOA). SOA can be transported and deposited at glacial regions. Due to Antarctica’s geography being removed from the terrestrial sources of BVOCs, it was unclear if SOA-markers of such BVOCs could become incorporated in Antarctic ice, at a detectable concentration. Terrestrial SOA-markers have never before been found to be present in Antarctic ice cores, until this study. The implementation of liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry has allowed for the development of a novel method that can detect targeted organic compounds at concentrations as low as 1.5ppt. Using this method, 2-methylerythritol, a SOA-marker of isoprene, has been detected in Jurassic, an ice core drilled in Antarctica. Though difficult to quantify due to the low concentration, this is the first time that such a compound has been found in Antarctic ice.