Oxidation of atmospheric humic like substances by ozone: a kinetic and structural analysis approach

Environ Sci Technol. 2011 Jun 15;45(12):5238-44. doi: 10.1021/es200587z. Epub 2011 May 16.

Abstract

This work explores the heterogeneous reaction between HUmic-LIke Substances (so-called HULIS) and ozone. Genuine atmospheric HULIS were extracted from aerosol samples collected in Chamonix (France) in winter and used in coated flow tube experiments to evaluate heterogeneous uptake of O₃ on such mixtures. The uptake coefficient (γ) was investigated as a function of pH (from 2.5 to 10), O₃ concentration (from 8 to 33 × 10¹¹ molecules cm⁻³), relative humidity (20 to 65%) and photon flux (from 0 to 1.66 × 10¹⁵ photons cm⁻² s⁻¹). Reactive uptake was found to increase in the irradiated experiment with pH, humidity and photon flux. The extract was characterized before and after exposure to O₃ and/or UV light in the attempt to elucidate the effect of the photochemical aging. Carbon content measurements, UV-vis spectroscopy and functional groups analysis revealed a decrease of the UV absorbance as well as of the carbon mass content, while the functionalization rate (COOH and C═O) and therefore the polarity increased during the simulated photochemical exposure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Absorption
  • Atmosphere / chemistry*
  • Humic Substances / analysis*
  • Kinetics
  • Organic Chemicals / analysis
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Ozone / chemistry*
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Seasons

Substances

  • Humic Substances
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Ozone