Model for the reversible washout of sulfur dioxide, ammonia and carbon dioxide from a polluted atmosphere and the production of sulfates in raindrops. [Acid rain production]

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:5277759

Adamowicz, R F; Hill, F B

A model has been developed to describe the washout of trace atmospheric gases and the production of acids in rain. The model is applied to washout of sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and ammonia and incorporates reversible mass transfer of the trace gases, all possible ionic equilibria of the compounds in solution and catalyzed oxidation of the dissolved sulfur species to sulfates. The significance of ammonia and carbon dioxide on the raindrops capacity for sulfur and on sulfate production based solely on bisulfite oxidation are explored in detail. The influence of raindrop size, rainfall intensity, cloud-base height, the presence of oxidation catalyzing compounds in the atmosphere and the initial composition of the raindrops as they enter the polluted atmospheric layer on the detailed chemical composition of rain at ground level and the time scale for gaseous sulfur dioxide removal are evaluated.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, N.Y. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-0016
• OSTI ID: 5277759
• Report Number(s): BNL-22576; CONF-771102-12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400100 -- Analytical & Separations Chemistry
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR
AIR POLLUTION
ALTITUDE
AMMONIA
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DROPLETS
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS
POLLUTION
PRECIPITATION SCAVENGING
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIZE
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SURFACE AIR
TRACE AMOUNTS
WASHOUT
WASTES