Neutralization of sulfuric acid aerosol by ammonia

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es60167a009· OSTI ID:5300990

Huntzicker, J J; Cary, R A; Ling, C S

The rate of neutralization of sulfuric acid aerosol by ammonia gas has been measured in a laboratory flow reactor for particle diameters between 0.3 and 1.4 micrometers and for relative humidities between 8 and 80%. The rates were between 21 and 70% of the rates expected if diffusion of NH/sub 3/ to the aerosol droplets was the rate-determining factor, and the reaction coefficient, which is the fraction of gas-particle collisions resulting in a chemical reaction, increased with increasing particle size. A simple model of H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ aerosol generation and neutralization in the atmosphere showed that sulfate aerosol more acidic than NH/sub 4/HSO/sub 4/ should only be present during periods of rapid oxidation of the precursor SO/sub 2/ and high ratios of (SO/sub 2/) to (NH/sub 3/) or when the equilibrium vapor pressure of NH/sub 3/ over the partially neutralized H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ droplet exceeds the ambient NH/sub 3/ partial pressure.

• OSTI ID: 5300990
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 14:7; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACIDIFICATION
AIR POLLUTION
AMMONIA
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIFFUSION
HUMIDITY
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PH VALUE
POLLUTION
SIZE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SULFURIC ACID