Evaluation of the rate of uptake of nitrogen dioxide by atmospheric and surface liquid water

Journal Article · Sun Dec 20 00:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC086iC12p11971· OSTI ID:5675948

Lee, Y; Schwartz, S E

The rate of uptake of NO/sub 2/ by liquid water according to (R1), 2NO/sub 2/(g)+H/sub 2/O(l)..-->..2H+NO/sub 3//sup -/+NO/sub 2//sup -/, is shown to be unaffected by O/sub 2/(0.2 atm). Hence the rate constant and Henry's law solubility constant of NO/sub 2/ previously obtained may be employed to evaluate the rates of aqueous phase reactions of NO/sub 2/ in the ambient atmosphere. Reactions (R1) and (R2), NO/sub 2/(g)+NO(g)+H/sub 2/O(l)..-->..2H/sup +/+2NO/sub 2//sup -/, are quite slow at representative atmospheric partial pressures and cloud liquid water content; the characteristic times range upward from 10/sup 3/--10/sup 4/ hours at 10/sup -7/ atm, increasing with decreasing partial pressures of the gases. Direct acidification of cloud liquid water by (R1) or (R2) is also unimportant. Catalytic enhancement of (R1) is potentially important for catalyst concentrations of order 10/sup -7/ M, assuming sufficiently fast rate constants (approx.10/sup 8/ M/sup -1/s/sup -1/). Iron-catalyzed reaction in particular, however, is found to be unimportant. Reaction of NO/sub 2/ with dissolved S(IV) is potentially important, based upon an assumed upper limit rate constant of 2.5 x 10/sup 7/ M/sup -1/ s/sup -1/. Deposition of NO/sub 2/ to surface (ocean or lake) water is shown to be controlled by aqueous phase mass transport and/or reaction and is much slower than heretofore assumed.

• Research Organization: Environmental Chemistry Division, Department of Energy and Environment Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973
• OSTI ID: 5675948
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 86:C12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
SOLUBILITY
CATALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLOUDS
DROPLETS
WATER
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
REACTION KINETICS
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)