Trace organic compounds in rain. 4. Identities, concentrations, and scavenging mechanisms for phenols in urban air and rain

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00141a005· OSTI ID:5714787

Leuenberger, C; Ligocki, M P; Pankow, J F

The gaseous and filterable air concentrations of a variety of phenols were determined for seven rain events in Portland, OR. The dissolved and filterable rain concentrations were also determined concurrently. The phenols in the air were found to exist virtually exclusively in the gaseous state as expected on the basis of their large vapor pressures. The fact that virtually all of the phenols found in the rain were present in the dissolved state is in agreement with the air data. The rain (dissolved) concentrations were quite high, in the microgram per liter range. Of all the constituents present in the rain samples, the most concentrated ones were phenols. The results indicate that gas scavenging is much more important than particle scavenging for phenols. Considering the rather low values of their Henry's law constants, gas scavenging is an efficient atmospheric removal process for these compounds.

• Research Organization: Oregon Graduate Center, Beaverton
• OSTI ID: 5714787
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 19:1; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
GASEOUS WASTES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
POLLUTION
PRECIPITATION SCAVENGING
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URBAN AREAS
WASHOUT
WASTES