Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Tropospheric HONO and reactions of oxides of nitrogen with NaCl

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94GL02238· OSTI ID:166287
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

Although nitrous acid is important in both the polluted and remote troposphere, as well as indoors, its mechanisms of production from oxides of nitrogen are not well known. The reactions of N{sub 2}O{sub 5} with NaCl and NaBr in sea salt particles in the presence of water have been hypothesized recently to act as sources of particulate nitrite and which forms gaseous HONO. The authors report here the results of studies of the reactions of N{sub 2}O{sub 5}, HONO and NO{sub 2} with NaCl using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to follow the formation of products on the salt surface. The infrared bands arising from species formed on the salt surface can be attributed to nitrate ions associated with water molecules; the presence of NO{sup {minus}}{sub 3} was confirmed by chemical analysis of the reacted salts. No nitrite was detected either by DRIFTS or by chemical analysis. Thus the reactions of sea salt particles with N{sub 2}O{sub 5} in the troposphere are not expected to be significant sources of particle nitrite nor of gaseous HONO via conversion of the particle nitrite. 21 refs., 4 figs.

DOE Contract Number:
FG03-93ER61728
OSTI ID:
166287
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 21; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English