ENVR 24 |
| The processing of organic chemicals such as PAHs in fog can lead to more harmful oxy- and nitro-PAHs. Hence, the photo-transformation of gas phase PAHs (e.g., naphthalene and phenanthrene) is important to understand in the atmospheric environment. This work summarizes our work on the uptake and UV-photo-oxidation of these gas phase PAHs in thin water films such as occurring in fogs and aerosols. A flow tube reactor was used to carry out these reactions. The rate of photo-oxidation was substantially higher in a thin film as compared to a bulk phase reaction. Several products were identified in the water films and the mechanism of photo-oxidation was assessed. The presence of a natural surfactant in the water led to multiples on the rate of the reaction. These were characterized via a dual mechanism of self-sensitized and surfactant-sensitized pathways for the reaction. The atmospheric implications of these observations will be explored in this paper. |
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Atmospheric Aerosol Processes
1:30 PM-4:30 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 Boston Park Plaza -- Stanbro Rm, Oral
Division of Environmental Chemistry |