Das Projekt "Laborstudien zur Photo-Oxidation fluechtiger organischer Zusammensetzungen (VOC) unter simulierten troposphaerischen Bedingungen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Eidgenössische Anstalt für Wasserversorgung, Abwasserreinigung und Gewässerschutz durchgeführt. The main aim of the project is to obtain laboratory data on the rates and mechanisms of the degradation of volatile organic compounds into the lower atmosphere. Such compounds con produce photochemical oxidants and control strategies for defining acceptable levels of pollutants can only be based on a sound scientific understanding of the detailed chemical pathways operative in the atmosphere. Leading Questions: 1. What are the major and minor products from the photo-oxidations of the VOCs, (a) ethers, (b) higher alcanes and (c) phenilic compounds, carried out in sunlight irradiated air containing NOx? 2. At what rate in NO converted to NO2 during the course of these photo-oxidation processes? 3. How can the products be quantitatively interpreted in terms of a detailed scheme of elementary gas-phase reactions? 4. What ozone and PAN-forming potentials can be deduced for the molecules under investigations, on the basis of the derived mechanistic details? What is the propensity of a given organic compound, released into the troposphere, to produce photochemical oxidants, such as ozone, PAN and hydrogen peroxide.