Significant formation of water-insoluble secondary organic aerosols in semi-arid urban environment

International audienceDiurnal variations of submicron elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water-insoluble organic carbon (WIOC) were investigated at an urban background site in Cairo (Egypt) from 23 March to 14 April 2005. Well-marked diurnal patterns, with minima during the traffic-influenced morning period (6:00-9:00) and maxima during the intense photochemical period (12:00-15:00), were observed for the WSOC/EC ratio and, more surprisingly, for the WIOC/EC ratio. Such diurnal variations suggest significant formation of both water-soluble and waterinsoluble secondary organic aerosols during the afternoon. Applying the EC-tracer method, freshly-formed secondary organic carbon (fresh SOC) was found to possibly account for more than 50% of OC concentrations measured during the 12:00-15:00 period, and this fresh SOC was calculated to be mainly ($60%) composed of water-insoluble species. The latter (unexpected) result could be due to low ambient relative humidity as well as to the importance of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds in Cairo