Studies of the diurnal variation of nitrous acid in urban air

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00174a014· OSTI ID:6248784

Sjoedin, A

The diurnal variation of nitrous acid (HONO) was studied intermittently during 1 year in an urban area in southwestern Sweden by means of the sodium carbonate denuder technique. Predawn levels up to 4 ppb of HONO as 1-h averages were observed during high-pressure situations in the summer. Evaluation of the diurnal HONO profiles together with data on NO and NO/sub 2/ concentrations indicates that direct emissions from traffic exhaust and atmospheric reactions involving NO/sub 2/ are the most important sources of the observed HONO. The results are in good agreement with earlier findings. While during the daytime in the summer HONO levels were close to the detection limit, levels of several parts per billion sometimes occurred in the winter around noon, even on clear days. This is explained by a different meteorology and a reduced sunlight intensity in the winter. Estimated OH radical production rates after sunrise on clear days in Goeteborg during the summer occasionally reach 1 x 10/sup 7/ molecules cm/sup -3/ s/sup -1/.

• Research Organization: Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Goeteborg
• OSTI ID: 6248784
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 22:9; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
DAILY VARIATIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EUROPE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXYL RADICALS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MONITORING
NITROUS ACID
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
RADICALS
SCANDINAVIA
SWEDEN
URBAN AREAS
VARIATIONS
WESTERN EUROPE