Nitrous oxide (GC - ECD)

Starting date: 1-5-2008
Status: Stopped
Instrumentation and calibration: Nitrous oxide is measured by using a customized GC-ECD (Agilent 6890N); separation is performed on a double column system (precolumn/backflush and analytical column, both Hayesep Q), isothermically. Length of run is 15 min long. Each ambient air sample is bracketed with calibration runs. The standard are based on NOAA2006 scale.
Project affiliation (s) Present: AGAGE
Related research programmes

• Tropospheric background condition
• Greenhouse gases
• Long-range transport

Why is this research important? Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is an important greenhouse gas. In troposphere, N₂O absorbs terrestrial thermal radiation and thus contributes to greenhouse warming of the atmosphere. On a per-molecule basis, N₂O is about 200 times more powerful than carbon dioxide: it has been calculated that an increase of 0.2 to 0.3 % in N₂O atmospheric concentration would contribute about 5% to the supposed greenhouse warming. N₂O is also involved in the depletion of the ozone layer in stratosphere which protects the biosphere from the harmful effects solar UV radiation.
Quick look

Time series of N₂O at ICO-OV (blue dots) and measurement reproducibility (red dots) calculated by the standard deviation of the recurrent reference gas mixture analysis on a daily basis.

Organization (s): Urbino University Dipartimento di Scienza di Base e Fondamenti piazza Rinascimento 6, I-61029, Urbino ISAC-CNR Via Gobetti 101, I-40129, Bologna www.isac.cnr.it
Contact persons: Prof. Michela Maione e-mail: michela.maione [at] uniurb.it phone: +39 0722 303316
Dr. Jgor Arduini e-mail: jgor.arduini [at] uniurb.it phone: +39 0722 303316
Dr. Paolo Bonasoni e-mail: p.bonasoni [at] isac.cnr.it, phone: +39 051 6399590
Where can I find the data? by direct request to: michela.maione [at] uniurb.it, jgor.arduini [at] uniurb.it