Ionic Strength Enhances the Multiphase Oxidation Rate of Sulfur Dioxide by Ozone in Aqueous Aerosols: Implications for Sulfate Production in the Marine Atmosphere.
Environ Sci Technol
; 57(16): 6609-6615, 2023 04 25.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37040454
ABSTRACT
Multiphase oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) by ozone (O3) in alkaline sea salt aerosols is an important source of sulfate aerosols in the marine atmosphere. However, a recently reported low pH of fresh supermicron sea spray aerosols (mainly sea salt) would argue against the importance of this mechanism. Here, we investigated the impact of ionic strength on the kinetics of multiphase oxidation of SO2 by O3 in proxies of aqueous acidified sea salt aerosols with buffered pH of â¼4.0 via well-controlled flow tube experiments. We find that the sulfate formation rate for the O3 oxidation pathway proceeds 7.9 to 233 times faster under high ionic strength conditions of 2-14 mol kg-1 compared to the dilute bulk solutions. The ionic strength effect is likely to sustain the importance of multiphase oxidation of SO2 by O3 in sea salt aerosols in the marine atmosphere. Our results indicate that atmospheric models should consider the ionic strength effects on the multiphase oxidation of SO2 by O3 in sea salt aerosols to improve the predictions of the sulfate formation rate and the sulfate aerosol budget in the marine atmosphere.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Ozone
/
Air Pollutants
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Language:
En
Journal:
Environ Sci Technol
Year:
2023
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China