Reaction of NO2 with NaCl and atmospheric implications of NOCl formation

Interfacial carbonyl groups of propylene carbonate facilitate the reversible binding of nitrogen dioxide

The interaction of NO2 with organic interfaces is critical in the development of NO2 sensing and trapping technologies, and equally so to the atmospheric processing of marine and continental aerosol. Recent studies point to the importance of surface oxygen groups in these systems, however the role of specific functional groups on the microscopic level has yet to be fully established. In the present study, we aim to provide fundamental information on the interaction and potential binding of NO2 at atmospherically relevant organic interfaces that may also help inform innovation in NO2 sensing and trapping development. We then present an investigation into the structural changes induced by NO2 at the surface of propylene carbonate (PC), an environmentally relevant carbonate ester. Surface-sensitive vibrational spectra of the PC liquid surface are acquired before, during, and after exposure to NO2 using infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). Analysis of vibrational changes at the liquid surface reveal that NO2 preferentially interacts with the carbonyl of PC at the interface, forming a distribution of binding symmetries. At low ppm levels, NO2 saturates the PC surface within 10 minutes and the perturbations to the surface are constant over time during the flow of NO2. Upon removal of NO2 flow, and under atmospheric pressures, these interactions are reversible, and the liquid surface structure of PC recovers completely within 30 min.

Rapid hydrolysis of NO2 at High Ionic Strengths of Deliquesced Aerosol Particles

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) hydrolysis in deliquesced aerosol particles forms nitrous acid and nitrate and thus impacts air quality, climate, and the nitrogen cycle. Traditionally, it is considered to proceed far too slowly in the atmosphere. However, the significance of this process is highly uncertain because kinetic studies have only been made in dilute aqueous solutions but not under high ionic strength conditions of the aerosol particles. Here, we use laboratory experiments, air quality models, and field measurements to examine the effect of the ionic strength on the reaction kinetics of NO2 hydrolysis. We find that high ionic strengths (I) enhance the reaction rate constants (kI) by more than an order of magnitude compared to that at infinite dilution (kI=0), yielding log10(kI/kI=0) = 0.04I or rate enhancement factor = 100.04I. A state-of-the-art air quality model shows that the enhanced NO2 hydrolysis reduces the negative bias in the simulated concentrations of nitrous acid by 28% on average when compared to field observations over the North China Plain. Rapid NO2 hydrolysis also enhances the levels of nitrous acid in other polluted regions such as North India and further promotes atmospheric oxidation capacity. This study highlights the need to evaluate various reaction kinetics of atmospheric aerosols with high ionic strengths.

Magic cluster sizes of cationic and anionic sodium chloride clusters explained by statistical modeling of the complete phase space

As one of the main components of sea salt aerosols, sodium chloride is involved in numerous atmospheric processes. Gas-phase clusters are ideal models to study fundamental physical and chemical properties of sodium chloride, which are significantly affected by the cluster size. Of particular interest are magic cluster sizes, which exhibit high intensities in mass spectra. In order to understand the origin of these magic cluster sizes, quantum chemical calculations at the CCSD(T)//DFT level are performed, yielding structures and binding energies of neutral (NaCl)x, anionic (NaCl)xCl- and cationic (NaCl)xNa+ clusters up to x = 8. Our calculations show that the clusters can easily isomerize, enabling dissociation into the lowest-energy isomers of the fragments. Energetics can explain the special stability of (NaCl)4Cl-, but (NaCl)4Na+ actually offers low-lying dissociation channels, despite being a magic cluster size. Collision-induced dissociation experiments reveal that the loss of neutral clusters (NaCl)x, x = 2, 4, is in most cases more favorable than the loss of NaCl or the atomic ion, i.e. sodium chloride clusters actually fragment via the cleavage of the entire cluster, not by evaporating small cluster building blocks. This is rationalized by the calculated high stability of even-numbered neutral clusters (NaCl)x, especially x = 2, 4. Analysis of the density of states and rate constants calculated with a modified Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) equation called AWATAR - considering all energetically accessible isomers of reactants and fragments - shows that entropic effects are responsible for the magic cluster character of (NaCl)4Na+. In particular, low-lying vibrational modes provide a high density of states of the near-planar cluster. Together with the small contribution of an atomic ion to the sum of states in a loose transition state for dissociation, this leads to a very small unimolecular rate constant for dissociation into (NaCl)4 and Na+, which is the lowest energy fragmentation pathway. Thus, entropic effects may override energetics for certain magic cluster sizes.

Modulation of Uptake and Reactivity of Nitrogen Dioxide in Metal-Organic Framework Materials

We report the modulation of reactivity of nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) in a charged metal-organic framework (MOF) material, MFM-305-CH3 in which unbound N-centres are methylated and the cationic charge counter-balanced by Cl- ions in the pores. Uptake of NO2 into MFM-305-CH3 leads to reaction between NO2 and Cl- to give nitrosyl chloride (NOCl) and NO3 - anions. A high dynamic uptake of 6.58 mmol g-1 at 298 K is observed for MFM-305-CH3 as measured using a flow of 500 ppm NO2 in He. In contrast, the analogous neutral material, MFM-305, shows a much lower uptake of 2.38 mmol g-1 . The binding domains and reactivity of adsorbed NO2 molecules within MFM-305-CH3 and MFM-305 have been probed using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering and by electron paramagnetic resonance, high-field solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and UV/Vis spectroscopies. The design of charged porous sorbents provides a new platform to control the reactivity of corrosive air pollutants.

Double Photoionization of Nitrosyl Chloride by Synchrotron Radiation in the 24-70 eV Photon Energy Range

The behavior of nitrosyl chloride (ClNO) exposed to ionizing radiation was studied by direct probing valence-shell electrons in temporal coincidence with ions originating from the fragmentation process of the transient ClNO²⁺. Such a molecular dication was produced by double photoionization with synchrotron radiation in the 24-70 eV photon energy range. The experiment has been conducted at the Elettra Synchrotron Facility of Basovizza (Trieste, Italy) using a light beam linearly polarized with the direction of the polarization vector parallel to the ClNO molecular beam axis. ClNO molecules crossing the photon beam at right angles in the scattering region are generated by effusive expansion and randomly oriented. The threshold energy for the double ionization of ClNO (30.1 ± 0.1 eV) and six dissociation channels producing NO⁺/Cl⁺, N⁺/Cl⁺, N⁺/O⁺, O⁺/Cl⁺, ClN⁺/O⁺, NO⁺/Cl²⁺ ion pairs, with their relative abundance and threshold energies, have been measured.

The atmospheric relevance of primary alcohols and imidogen reactions

Organic alcohols as very volatile compounds play a crucial role in the air quality of the atmosphere. So, the removal processes of such compounds are an important atmospheric challenge. The main goal of this research is to discover the atmospheric relevance of degradation paths of linear alcohols by imidogen with the aid of simulation by quantum mechanical (QM) methods. To this end, we combine broad mechanistic and kinetic results to get more accurate information and to have a deeper insight into the behavior of the designed reactions. Thus, the main and necessary reaction pathways are explored by well-behaved QM methods for complete elucidation of the studying gaseous reactions. Moreover, the potential energy surfaces as  a main factor are computed for easier judging of the most probable pathways in the simulated reactions. Our attempt to find the occurrence of the considered reactions in the atmospheric conditions is completed by precisely evaluating the rate constants of all elementary reactions. All of the computed bimolecular rate constants have a positive dependency on both temperature and pressure. The kinetic results show that H-abstraction from the α carbon is dominant relative to the other sites. Finally, by the results of this study, we conclude that at moderate temperatures and pressures primary alcohols can degrade with imidogen, so they can get atmospheric relevance.

Naturally Occurring Organohalogen Compounds-A Comprehensive Review

The present volume is the third in a trilogy that documents naturally occurring organohalogen compounds, bringing the total number-from fewer than 25 in 1968-to approximately 8000 compounds to date. Nearly all of these natural products contain chlorine or bromine, with a few containing iodine and, fewer still, fluorine. Produced by ubiquitous marine (algae, sponges, corals, bryozoa, nudibranchs, fungi, bacteria) and terrestrial organisms (plants, fungi, bacteria, insects, higher animals) and universal abiotic processes (volcanos, forest fires, geothermal events), organohalogens pervade the global ecosystem. Newly identified extraterrestrial sources are also documented. In addition to chemical structures, biological activity, biohalogenation, biodegradation, natural function, and future outlook are presented.

Reduction and Photoreduction of NO2 in Humic Acid Films as a Source of HONO, ClNO, N2O, NO X , and Organic Nitrogen

Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO), a trace atmospheric gas, is often underestimated in global atmospheric models due to the poor understanding of its daytime sources and sinks. HONO is known to accumulate during nighttime and undergo rapid photodissociation during the day to form NO and highly reactive OH radical, making it important to have accurate atmospheric HONO estimations. Despite its rapid photolysis, recent field observations have found quasi-steady-state concentrations of HONO at midday, suggesting photolytic HONO formation pathways to replenish daytime atmospheric HONO. Recent studies suggest that the presence of complex organic photosensitizers in atmospheric aerosols converts atmospheric NO₂ into HONO. To better understand the effect of environmental photosensitizers in daytime mechanisms of HONO formation, we present here laboratory studies on the heterogeneous photolytic reduction of NO₂ by humic acid films, a proxy for organic chromophoric compounds. The effect of pH and Cl^- in the photosensitized formation of HONO and other nitrogen-containing gases is also investigated. A dual Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) system is utilized to simultaneously perform in situ analysis of condensed-phase reactants and gas-phase products. We find that the rate of HONO formation is faster at lower pHs. Nitrogen incorporation in the complex organic chromophore is observed, suggesting a competing pathway that results in suppressed daytime formation of nitrogenous gases. Significantly, the presence of chloride ions also leads to the organic-mediated photolytic formation of nitrosyl chloride (ClNO), a known precursor of HONO. Overall, this work shows that organic acid photosensitizers can reduce adsorbed NO₂ to form HONO, ClNO, and NO while simultaneously incorporating nitrogen into the organic chromophores present in aerosol.

Integrated atomic force microscopy and x-ray irradiation for in situ characterization of radiation-induced processes

Understanding radiation-induced chemical and physical transformations at material interfaces is important across diverse fields, but experimental approaches are often limited to either ex situ observations or in situ electron microscopy or synchrotron-based methods, in which cases the radiation type and dose are inextricably tied to the imaging basis itself. In this work, we overcome this limitation by demonstrating integration of an x-ray source with an atomic force microscope to directly monitor radiolytically driven interfacial chemistry at the nanoscale. We illustrate the value of in situ observations by examining effects of radiolysis on material adhesion forces in aqueous solution as well as examining the production of alkali nitrates at the interface between an alkali halide crystal surface and air. For the examined salt-air interface, direct visualization under flexible experimental conditions greatly extends prior observations by enabling the transformation process to be followed comprehensively from source-to-sink with mass balance quantitation. Our novel rad-atomic force microscope opens doors into understanding the dynamics of radiolytically driven mass transfer and surface alteration at the nanoscale in real-time.

Direct visualization of radiation-induced transformations at alkali halide-air interfaces

Radiation driven reactions at mineral/air interfaces are important to the chemistry of the atmosphere, but experimental constraints (e.g. simultaneous irradiation, in situ observation, and environmental control) leave process understanding incomplete. Using a custom atomic force microscope equipped with an integrated X-ray source, transformation of potassium bromide surfaces to potassium nitrate by air radiolysis species was followed directly in situ at the nanoscale. Radiolysis initiates dynamic step edge dissolution, surface composition evolution, and ultimately nucleation and heteroepitaxial growth of potassium nitrate crystallites mediated by surface diffusion at rates controlled by adsorbed water. In contrast to in situ electron microscopy and synchrotron-based imaging techniques where high radiation doses are intrinsic, our approach illustrates the value of decoupling irradiation and the basis of observation.

Ion at Air-Water Interface Enhances Capillary Wave Fluctuations: Energetics of Ion Adsorption

Recent simulations provide the energetics of ion adsorption at the air-water (a/w) interface: The presence of the ion at the interface suppresses the fluctuations of the capillary waves (CWs) reducing the entropy and displaces the weakly interacting water molecules to the bulk causing a reduction in the enthalpy. Here, we provide atomistic simulation-based evidence that the inferences of the existing studies stem from considering a small simulation volume that pins the CWs. For an appropriate size of the simulation system, an ion at the a/w interface enhances the CW fluctuations. Furthermore, we discover that the characteristics of the waves governing these enhanced CW fluctuations ensure a significant decrease in the pressure-volume work causing the enthalpy decrease, while the same wave characteristics of the CWs become responsible for an entropy decrease. Overall, the paper revisits the free energy picture of this fundamental problem of ion adsorption at the a/w interface.

Heterogeneous Reactions of Acetic Acid with Oxide Surfaces: Effects of Mineralogy and Relative Humidity

We have investigated the heterogeneous uptake of gaseous acetic acid on different oxides including γ-Al2O3, SiO2, and CaO under a range of relative humidity conditions. Under dry conditions, the uptake of acetic acid leads to the formation of both acetate and molecularly adsorbed acetic acid on γ-Al2O3 and CaO and only molecularly adsorbed acetic acid on SiO2. More importantly, under the conditions of this study, dimers are the major form for molecularly adsorbed acetic acid on all three particle surfaces investigated, even at low acetic acid pressures under which monomers are the dominant species in the gas phase. We have also determined saturation surface coverages for acetic acid adsorption on these three oxides under dry conditions as well as Langmuir adsorption constants in some cases. Kinetic analysis shows that the reaction rate of acetic acid increases by a factor of 3-5 for γ-Al2O3 when relative humidity increases from 0% to 15%, whereas for SiO2 particles, acetic acid and water are found to compete for surface adsorption sites.

Adsorption and transformation mechanism of NO2 on NaCl(100) surface: A density functional theory study

To understand the heterogeneous reactions between NO2 and sea salt particles in the atmosphere of coastal areas, the absorption of an NO2 molecule on the NaCl(100) surface, the dimerization of NO2 molecules and the hydrolysis of N2O4 isomers at the (100) surface of NaCl are investigated by density functional theory. Calculated results show that the most favorable adsorption geometry of isolated NO2 molecule is found to reside at the bridge site (II-1) with the adsorption energy of -14.85 kcal/mol. At the surface of NaCl(100), three closed-shell dimers can be identified as sym-O2N-NO2, cis-ONO-NO2 and trans-ONO-NO2. The reactions of H2O with sym-O2N-NO2 on the (100) surface of NaCl are difficult to occur because of the high barrier (33.79 kcal/mol), whereas, the reactions of H2O with cis-ONONO2 and trans-ONONO2 play the key role in the hydrolysis process. The product, HONO, is one of the main atmospheric sources of OH radicals which drive the chemistry of the troposphere.

The effect of cations on NO2 production from the photolysis of aqueous thin water films of nitrate salts

Cations are shown to enhance nitrate photochemistry by changing the concentrations of nitrate ions in the interface region.

Mechanism for formation of atmospheric Cl atom precursors in the reaction of dinitrogen oxides with HCl/Cl− on aqueous films

Formation of atmospheric chlorine atom precursors ClNO₂ and ClNO in the reaction of HCl with oxides of nitrogen on a water film: left – formation of N–Cl bond as N–O bond breaks; right – concurrent changes in Mulliken charges.

Production of gas phase NO2 and halogens from the photolysis of thin water films containing nitrate, chloride and bromide ions at room temperature

Nitrate and halide ions coexist in particles generated in marine regions, around alkaline dry lakes, and in the Arctic snowpack. Although the photochemistry of nitrate ions in bulk aqueous solution is well known, there is recent evidence that it may be more efficient at liquid-gas interfaces, and that the presence of other ions in solution may enhance interfacial reactivity. This study examines the 311 nm photolysis of thin aqueous films of ternary halide-nitrate salt mixtures (NaCl-NaBr-NaNO3) deposited on the walls of a Teflon chamber at 298 K. The films were generated by nebulizing aqueous 0.25 M NaNO3 solutions which had NaCl and NaBr added to vary the mole fraction of halide ions. Molar ratios of chloride to bromide ions were chosen to be 0.25, 1.0, or 4.0. The subsequent generation of gas phase NO2 and reactive halogen gases (Br2, BrCl and Cl2) were monitored with time. The rate of gas phase NO2 formation was shown to be enhanced by the addition of the halide ions to thin films containing only aqueous NaNO3. At [Cl(-)]/[Br(-)] ≤ 1.0, the NO2 enhancement was similar to that observed for binary NaBr-NaNO3 mixtures, while with excess chloride NO2 enhancement was similar to that observed for binary NaCl-NaNO3 mixtures. Molecular dynamics simulations predict that the halide ions draw nitrate ions closer to the interface where a less complete solvent shell allows more efficient escape of NO2 to the gas phase, and that bromide ions are more effective in bringing nitrate ions closer to the surface. The combination of theory and experiments suggests that under atmospheric conditions where nitrate ion photochemistry plays a role, the impact of other species such as halide ions should be taken into account in predicting the impacts of nitrate ion photochemistry.

Atmospheric degradation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins in the presence of NO3 at night

The density functional theory (DFT) has been applied to studies on the homogeneous gas-phase degradation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (2,3,7,8-TeCDD) initiated by the NO3 radical, which is an important atmospheric species at night. The geometrical parameters and vibrational frequencies of all the stationary points were calculated at the MPWB1K/6-31+G (d,p) level. Potential energies were calculated at the MPWB1K/6-311+G (3df,2p) level. Three sites on 2,3,7,8-TeCDD react with the NO3 radical with different barriers and reaction heats. The addition of NO3 to the carbon atom on the central C–O ring is the most appropriate pathway and with the lower barriers, and the central ring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin is opened in the subsequent reactions. Some other pathways are stressed for the dechlorination mechanism. Canonical variational transition-state theory with small curvature tunneling contribution was used to calculate the rate constants of each elementary reaction over the temperature range of 200–400 K. The Arrhenius equations were fitted to show the relationship between rate constants and temperature.

Hydroxyl radical oxidation of phospholipid-coated NaCl particles

Biological organic compounds mixed with NaCl and other inorganic compounds in sea-salt aerosol particles react in air with oxidants such as ozone and hydroxyl (OH) radicals. Laboratory studies of model systems can provide insight into these reactions. We report here studies of the kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of unsaturated 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) on NaCl by gas phase OH in air at room temperature and 1 atm pressure using diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (DRIFTS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) to identify possible structures of surface-bound reaction products. For comparison, some studies were also carried out on the saturated 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) on NaCl. The calculated concentration of hydroxyl radicals, generated by photolysis of isopropyl nitrite, was (1.6-6.4) × 10(8) radicals cm(-3). Surface-bound aldehydes, ketones, organic nitrates and nitrate ions were identified as products of these reactions and structures of potential products were proposed based on mechanistic considerations combined with the MALDI-TOF-MS and DRIFTS spectra. The loss rate of vinyl hydrogen, =C-H, at 3008 cm(-1) was used to obtain a lower limit for the rate constant (k1) for addition of OH to the double bond, k1 > (3 ± 1) × 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (1s), corresponding to a reaction probability of γ(add) > (4 ± 1) × 10(-3) (1s). Assuming that abstraction from -CH2- groups in POPC is the same as for DPPC, the percentage of the reaction that occurs by addition is ~80%. This is similar to the percent addition predicted using structure-reactivity relationships for gas-phase reactions. Decreasing the amount of POPC relative to NaCl resulted in more nitrate ion formation and less relative loss of POPC, and increasing the OH concentration resulted in a more rapid loss of POPC and faster product formation. These studies suggest that under atmospheric conditions with an OH concentration of 5 × 10(6) radicals cm(-3), the lifetime of POPC with respect to OH is <6 days.

Photodissociation of ClNO in the 2 1A' state: computational and experimental NO product state distributions

Ultrafast photodissociation of the 2 ¹A′ state of ClNO, which has an absorption spectrum peaking at 335 nm, is studied by computational and experimental methods. New potential-energy surfaces are calculated for the 1 and 2 ¹A′ states at the multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) level. Wavepacket dynamics simulations performed both exactly and by using the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree method yield essentially identical results. Transition dipole moments at a range of geometries are included in these calculations to correctly model the excitation. Vibrational and rotational state distributions of the NO product are obtained both computationally by analysing the quantum flux on the 2 ¹A′ surface and experimentally by use of 3D resonant multiphoton ionisation (REMPI), a variant of the velocity map imaging technique. The nascent NO is found to be only marginally vibrationally excited, with 91 % formed in v=0. The calculated NO rotational distribution peaks in the j=45–55 region, which compares favourably to experiment.

NOx Reactions on Aqueous Surfaces with Gaseous HCl: Formation of a Potential Precursor to Atmospheric Cl Atoms

Chlorine atoms are highly reactive free radicals known to catalyze ozone depletion in the stratosphere and organic oxidation in the troposphere. They are readily produced photolytically upon irradiation of some stable Cl containing species, for instance, nitrosyl chloride, ClNO. We predict the formation of ClNO using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations of an NO2 dimer on the surface of a thin film of water upon which gaseous HCl impinges. The reactant is chloride ion formed when HCl ionizes on the water film. The same mechanism for ClNO production may occur in humid environments when ONONO2 (the asymmetric NO2 dimer examined here) comes in contact with either HCl or sea salt. The film of water serves to (1) stabilize ONONO2 on the film surface so that it is localized and physically accessible for reaction, (2) provide the medium to ionize HCl, and (3) activate ONONO2 making it more susceptible to nucleophilic attack by chloride. This substitution/elimination mechanism is new for NOx chemistry on thin water films and could not be derived from studies on small clusters.

Atomistic simulation of ion solvation in water explains surface preference of halides

Water is a demanding partner. It strongly attracts ions, yet some halide anions—chloride, bromide, and iodide—are expelled to the air/water interface. This has important implications for chemistry in the atmosphere, including the ozone cycle. We present a quantitative analysis of the energetics of ion solvation based on molecular simulations of all stable alkali and halide ions in water droplets. The potentials of mean force for Cl-, Br-, and I- have shallow minima near the surface. We demonstrate that these minima derive from more favorable water–water interaction energy when the ions are partially desolvated. Alkali cations are on the inside because of the favorable ion–water energy, whereas F- is driven inside by entropy. Models attempting to explain the surface preference based on one or more ion properties such as polarizability or size are shown to lead to qualitative and quantitative errors, prompting a paradigm shift in chemistry away from such simplifications.

Effect of magnesium cation on the interfacial properties of aqueous salt solutions

Sodium chloride solutions have been used extensively as a model of seawater in both theoretical and experimental studies of the chemistry of sea salt aerosol. Many groups have found that chloride anions are present at the air-solution interface. This observation has been important for the development of a mechanism for the heterogeneous production of molecular chlorine from chloride in sea salt aerosol. However, while sodium chloride is a major constituent of seawater, it is by no means the only salt present. Seawater contains one Mg(2+) for every eight Na(+). Mg(2+) is naturally occurring in ocean waters from mineral deposits in the Earth's crust and biological sources. Mg(2+) forms a hexahydrate structure, rather than contact ion pairs with chloride anion, and this impacts the ordering of water in solution. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations, ab initio calculations, and vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy to explore the effect of the Mg(2+) cation and its tightly bound solvation shell on the surface propensity of chloride, ion-ion interactions, and water structure of the air-solution interface of concentrated chloride salt solutions. In addition, we provide molecular level details that may be relevant to the heterogeneous reactions of chloride in deliquesced sea salt aerosols. In particular, we show that the presence of the divalent Mg(2+) cation does not modify the surface propensity of chloride compared to Na(+) and hence, its availability to interfacial reaction, although some differences in the behavior of chloride may occur due to specific ion interactions. In this work, we also discuss the SFG free OH band at the surface of salt solutions and conclude that it is often not straightforward to interpret.

Nitrite-induced oxidation of organic coatings on models for airborne particles

The UV photolysis at lambda > or = 290 nm in air of a mixture of NaNO(2)/NaCl coated with 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (OPPC) was followed in real time in the absence and presence of water vapor by using diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) at 23 degrees C. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was used to confirm the identification of the products. Photolysis of NO(2)(-) is known to generate O(-), which in the presence of water forms OH + OH(-). Irradiation of the OPPC/NaNO(2)/NaCl mixture led to a loss of nitrite and the formation of organic nitrates and carbonyl compounds. In the absence of added water vapor, carboxylate ions were also formed. These products are due to oxidation of OPPC by O(-) and OH radicals. The organic products formed per calculated O(-)/OH generated by photolysis increased with relative humidity, consistent with a competition between OPPC and NO(2)(-) for OH. This suggests a new mechanism of oxidation of organics on particles and on surfaces in air that have nitrite ions available for photolysis. Similar chemistry is likely to occur for nitrate ions, which also photolyze to generate O(-).

Chlorine activation indoors and outdoors via surface-mediated reactions of nitrogen oxides with hydrogen chloride

Gaseous HCl generated from a variety of sources is ubiquitous in both outdoor and indoor air. Oxides of nitrogen (NO(y)) are also globally distributed, because NO formed in combustion processes is oxidized to NO(2), HNO(3), N(2)O(5) and a variety of other nitrogen oxides during transport. Deposition of HCl and NO(y) onto surfaces is commonly regarded as providing permanent removal mechanisms. However, we show here a new surface-mediated coupling of nitrogen oxide and halogen activation cycles in which uptake of gaseous NO(2) or N(2)O(5) on solid substrates generates adsorbed intermediates that react with HCl to generate gaseous nitrosyl chloride (ClNO) and nitryl chloride (ClNO(2)), respectively. These are potentially harmful gases that photolyze to form highly reactive chlorine atoms. The reactions are shown both experimentally and theoretically to be enhanced by water, a surprising result given the availability of competing hydrolysis reaction pathways. Airshed modeling incorporating HCl generated from sea salt shows that in coastal urban regions, this heterogeneous chemistry increases surface-level ozone, a criteria air pollutant, greenhouse gas and source of atmospheric oxidants. In addition, it may contribute to recently measured high levels of ClNO(2) in the polluted coastal marine boundary layer. This work also suggests the potential for chlorine atom chemistry to occur indoors where significant concentrations of oxides of nitrogen and HCl coexist.

Chemical transport models: the combined non-local diffusion and mixing schemes, and calculation of in-canopy resistance for dry deposition fluxes

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE

Improving the parameterization of processes in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and surface layer, in air quality and chemical transport models. To do so, an asymmetrical, convective, non-local scheme, with varying upward mixing rates is combined with the non-local, turbulent, kinetic energy scheme for vertical diffusion (COM). For designing it, a function depending on the dimensionless height to the power four in the ABL is suggested, which is empirically derived. Also, we suggested a new method for calculating the in-canopy resistance for dry deposition over a vegetated surface.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The upward mixing rate forming the surface layer is parameterized using the sensible heat flux and the friction and convective velocities. Upward mixing rates varying with height are scaled with an amount of turbulent kinetic energy in layer, while the downward mixing rates are derived from mass conservation. The vertical eddy diffusivity is parameterized using the mean turbulent velocity scale that is obtained by the vertical integration within the ABL. In-canopy resistance is calculated by integration of inverse turbulent transfer coefficient inside the canopy from the effective ground roughness length to the canopy source height and, further, from its the canopy height.

RESULTS

This combination of schemes provides a less rapid mass transport out of surface layer into other layers, during convective and non-convective periods, than other local and non-local schemes parameterizing mixing processes in the ABL. The suggested method for calculating the in-canopy resistance for calculating the dry deposition over a vegetated surface differs remarkably from the commonly used one, particularly over forest vegetation.

DISCUSSION

In this paper, we studied the performance of a non-local, turbulent, kinetic energy scheme for vertical diffusion combined with a non-local, convective mixing scheme with varying upward mixing in the atmospheric boundary layer (COM) and its impact on the concentration of pollutants calculated with chemical and air-quality models. In addition, this scheme was also compared with a commonly used, local, eddy-diffusivity scheme. Simulated concentrations of NO2 by the COM scheme and new parameterization of the in-canopy resistance are closer to the observations when compared to those obtained from using the local eddy-diffusivity scheme.

CONCLUSIONS

Concentrations calculated with the COM scheme and new parameterization of in-canopy resistance, are in general higher and closer to the observations than those obtained by the local, eddy-diffusivity scheme (on the order of 15-22%).

RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

To examine the performance of the scheme, simulated and measured concentrations of a pollutant (NO2) were compared for the years 1999 and 2002. The comparison was made for the entire domain used in simulations performed by the chemical European Monitoring and Evaluation Program Unified model (version UNI-ACID, rv2.0) where schemes were incorporated.

Kinetic Study of Heterogeneous Reaction of Deliquesced NaCl Particles with Gaseous HNO3 Using Particle-on-Substrate Stagnation Flow Reactor Approach

Heterogeneous reaction kinetics of gaseous nitric acid with deliquesced sodium chloride particles NaCl(aq) + HNO3(g) --> NaNO3(aq) + HCl(g) were investigated with a novel particle-on-substrate stagnation flow reactor (PS-SFR) approach under conditions, including particle size, relative humidity, and reaction time, directly relevant to the atmospheric chemistry of sea salt particles. Particles deposited onto an electron microscopy grid substrate were exposed to the reacting gas at atmospheric pressure and room temperature by impingement via a stagnation flow inside the reactor. The reactor design and choice of flow parameters were guided by computational fluid dynamics to ensure uniformity of the diffusion flux to all particles undergoing reaction. The reaction kinetics was followed by observing chloride depletion in the particles by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (CCSEM/EDX). The validity of the current approach was examined first by conducting experiments with median dry particle diameter D(p) = 0.82 microm, 80% relative humidity, particle loading densities 4 x 10(4) <or= N(s) <or= 7 x 10(6) cm(-2) and free stream HNO3 concentrations 2, 7, and 22 ppb. Upon deliquescence the droplet diameter D(d) approximately doubles. The apparent, pseudo-first-order rate constant determined in these experiments varied with particle loading and HNO3 concentration in a manner consistent with a diffusion-kinetic analysis reported earlier (Laskin, A.; Wang, H.; Robertson, W. H.; Cowin, J. P.; Ezell, M. J.; Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 10619). The intrinsic, second-order rate constant was obtained as kII = 5.7 x 10(-15) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) in the limit of zero particle loading and by assuming that the substrate is inert to HNO3. Under this loading condition the experimental, net reaction uptake coefficient was found to be gamma(net) = 0.11 with an uncertainty factor of 3. Additional experiments examined the variations of HNO3 uptake on pure NaCl, a sea salt-like mixture of NaCl and MgCl2 (Mg-to-Cl molar ratio of 0.114) and real sea salt particles as a function of relative humidity. Results show behavior of the uptake coefficient to be similar for all three types of salt particles with D(p) approximately 0.9 miccrom over the relative humidity range 20-80%. Gaseous HNO3 uptake coefficient peaks around a relative humidity of 55%, with gamma(net) well over 0.2 for sea salt. Below the efflorescence relative humidity the uptake coefficient declines with decreasing RH for all three sea salt types, and it does so without exhibiting a sudden shutoff of reactivity. The uptake of HNO3 on sea salt particles was more rapid than that on the mixture of NaCl and MgCl2, and uptake on both sea salt and sea salt-like mixture was faster than on pure NaCl. The uptake of HNO3 on deliquesced, pure NaCl particles was also examined over the particle size range of 0.57 <or= D(p) <or= 1.7 microm (1.1 <or= D(d) <or= 3.4 microm) under a constant relative humidity of 80%. The uptake coefficient decreases monotonically with an increase in particle size. Application of a resistance model of reaction kinetics and reactant diffusion over a single particle suggests that, over the range of particle size studied, the uptake is largely controlled by gaseous reactant diffusion from the free stream to the particle surface. In addition, a combined consideration of uptake coefficients obtained in the present study and those previously reported for substantially smaller droplets (D(d) approximately 0.1 microm) (Saul, T. D.; Tolocka, M. P.; Johnston, M. V. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 7614) suggests that the peak reactivity occurs at a droplet diameter of approximately 0.7 microm, which is immediately below the size at which sea salt aerosols begin to notably contribute to light scattering.

On the structure of the first hydration layer on NaCl(100): Role of hydrogen bonding

The authors have investigated the structure and energetics of the first hydration layer on NaCl(100) by means of density functional calculations. They have analyzed in detail the role of the hydrogen bond between the adsorbed molecules for the determination of the most favorable structures. They have shown that, using the water dimers as basic building blocks, very stable structures can be constructed. They discuss here two important examples: (i) a model with (1x1) periodicity at 2 ML coverage, and (ii) icelike bilayers with a c(4x2) unit cell at 1.5 ML. Both structures present high adsorption energies per water molecule of approximately 570 meV, in comparison to the 350 meV adsorption energy obtained for the previously studied (1x1) structures composed of weakly interacting monomers. Based on these findings, they propose an interpretation for the experimental observations of Toennies et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 120, 11347 (2004)], who found a transition of the periodicity of the first hydration layer on NaCl(100) from (1x1) to c(4x2) upon electron irradiation. According to the model, the transition would be driven by the partial desorption of (1x1) bilayer structures corresponding to a local coverage of 2 ML and the further rearrangement of the remaining water molecules to form a quasihexagonal structure with c(4x2) periodicity at coverage close to 1.5 ML.

A New Approach to Determining Gas-Particle Reaction Probabilities and Application to the Heterogeneous Reaction of Deliquesced Sodium Chloride Particles with Gas-Phase Hydroxyl Radicals

The reaction kinetics for gaseous hydroxyl radicals (OH) with deliquesced sodium chloride particles (NaCl(aq)) were investigated using a novel experimental approach. The technique utilizes the exposure of substrate-deposited aerosol particles to reactive gases followed by chemical analysis of the particles using computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays (CCSEM/EDX) capability. Experiments were performed at room temperature and atmospheric pressure with deliquesced NaCl particles in the micron size range at 70-80% RH and with OH concentrations in the range of 1 to 7 x 10(9) cm(-3). The apparent, pseudo first-order rate constant for the reaction was determined from measurements of changes in the chloride concentration of individual particles upon reaction with OH as a function of the particle loading on the substrate. Quantitative treatment of the data using a model that incorporates both diffusion and reaction kinetics yields a lower limit to the net reaction probability of gamma(net) > or = 0.1, with an overall uncertainty of a factor of 2.

Atmospheric concentrations of the Cl atom, ClO radical, and HO radical in the coastal marine boundary layer

Atmospheric concentrations of chlorine atom (Cl*), chlorine monoxide radical (ClO*), and hydroxyl radical (HO*) in the coastal marine boundary layer are estimated in this study. A steady-state approach to their concentrations in equilibrium with other atmospheric chemical species is used. Measurements of atmospheric trace species, HCl, Cl2, HCHO, H2O2, CH3OOH, CH4, CO, SO2, NO, NO2, and O3, were performed at four sites in Taiwan during the spring of 1999. The results indicate that the concentrations of the Cl* atom and the ClO* and HO* radicals decrease significantly with cloud cover. The calculated average daytime concentrations of Cl*, ClO*, and HO* are 3 x 10(5), 1 x 10(7), and 6 x 10(5) molecules/cm3, respectively. Due to the high reactivity of Cl* with hydrocarbons and its concentration level competitive to that of HO*, Cl* should be a significant sink for hydrocarbons in these cases.

Evidence for destruction of PCBs by the OH radical in urban atmospheres

Evidence for reaction of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners with the hydroxyl (OH) radical in the troposphere was observed in diurnal variations in ambient gas-phase PCB concentrations at three urban sampling sites located in the Chicago, IL; Baltimore, MD; and Jersey City, NJ urban/industrial areas. The magnitude of the depletion of individual PCB congeners decreased by about 10-20% for each additional chlorine substituent, reflecting slower reaction rates for higher MW congeners with the OH radical. Octa- and nonachlorobiphenyls, which are largely unreactive with the OH radical, were used as tracers to investigate the effects of dilution on diurnal variation. The environmental rate constants for disappearance of the PCBs range from about 1.0 day(-1) for trichlorobiphenyls to about 0.3 day(-1) for hexachlorobiphenyls. Assuming a OH radical concentration of 3 x 10(6) molecules cm (-3), the second-order rate constants for reaction of specific congeners with the OH radical are consistent with laboratory measurements. More importantly, the relative reactivity of PCB homologues agrees well with the relationship predicted by other researchers from laboratory measurements, suggesting that losses of PCBs during daytime tropospheric transport are due at least in part to reactions with the OH radical.

Precipitation chemistry in the coast of the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Precipitation chemistry was studied in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro (MRRJ). This study reveals that rainwater in the MRRJ is affected by emissions of air pollutants and provides essential data for future estimates of regional biogeochemical cycles and the impacts of acid deposition on tropical ecosystems. The volume-weighted mean (VWM) pH was 4.77, varying from 3.50 to 6.85. Sea-salt aerosols were the dominant sources of the Na+, Cl- and Mg2+. Excess SO4(2-), Ca2+ and K+ comprised 82, 91, and 87% of their total VWM concentrations, respectively. There were very strong correlations (r > 0.75, P > 0.01) for NO3- and H+, NO3- and excess(exc-)SO4(2-), NH4+ and exc-K+, and exc-SO4(2-) and exc-Ca2+, suggesting causal relationships between these ion pairs. The VWM concentrations of all major ions, except H+, were higher in the dry season, with dry to wet VWM concentration ratios varying from 1.1 (NH4+) to 4.7 (for total K+).