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Title: The lifetime of aerosols in ambient air: Consideration of the effects of surfactants and chemical reactions

Journal Article · · Atmospheric Environment
 [1];  [1]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

In this paper, the relatively long lifetime of droplets in atmospheric haze and fog in comparison with similar droplets of pure water is attributed to the presence of a monolayer of surfactant film and to the accumulation of soluble salts from chemical reactions. The lifetime of these droplets is a significant factor in the evaluation of the role of heterogeneous aqueous chemical reactions occurring in the troposphere. Several mechanisms of SO2 oxidation in the presence of liquid water are investigated. Finally, it is shown that soot-catalyzed oxidation of sulfur dioxide could be responsible for the high level of sulfate concentration observed in the coastal industrial areas.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Research; USDOE Office of Health and Environmental Research; National Science Foundation (NSF)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098; ATM 82-10343
OSTI ID:
1077829
Report Number(s):
LBL-11583-Rev.
Journal Information:
Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 19, Issue 1; ISSN 0004-6981
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English