Missing in total OH reactivity of VOCs from gasoline evaporation

Gasoline evaporation is an important anthropogenic source of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Total OH reactivity for gasoline vapor was measured from 4 kinds of gasoline for the first time by comparative reactivity method (CRM) using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). Compositions of 56 PAMS (photochemical assessment monitoring station) nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were measured for both liquid and headspace of gasoline. We found high abundance of alkenes and aromatics in gasoline. The calculated OH reactivity derived from quantified NMHCs speciation accounted for only 57±4% of total reactivity obtained from CRM method. N-Alkenes, only 6 wt% in liquid gasoline, contributed to 70% of calculated reactivity. We assume that the undetected branched alkenes are the possible reason for the missing reactivity. Wesuggest that the priority of gasoline quality improvement is to reduce alkenes content in gasoline in term of reactivity-based control.