Abstract
Experiments on the reactions of OH radicals in thin films of water were conducted in a photochemical reactor. The OH radical reactivity of a biogenic molecule (methyl jasmonate) was observed to be much larger in thin films of water than in the bulk aqueous phase. The pseudo-first order reaction rate was enhanced by an order of magnitude on a 38-micron film compared to the bulk liquid. However, the first order rate constant increased by 349%. This has implications in atmospheric systems like fog and mist which have large specific surface areas. The enhanced reactivity is attributable to both the partial solvation and faster diffusion at the air-water interface compared to the bulk liquid.
Highlights
Aerosol particles contribute to cloud formation in the upper atmosphere and are implicated in lower atmospheric pollution
The products resulting from this oxidation were shown to form secondary organic aerosols (SOA) with a yield of (68% ± 8%) [10]
For a more critical look into this reaction, it would be recommended to perform additional experiments at even smaller film thicknesses. Obtaining these rate constants would allow for the derivation of a function that describes to what extent the change in film thickness affects the reaction rate [13] [14] [18]
Summary
Aerosol particles contribute to cloud formation in the upper atmosphere and are implicated in lower atmospheric pollution. Particles that are hygroscopic grow by accumulation of water to make fog in the lower atmosphere. Water is an important component of atmospheric dispersoids such as fog, mist, dew, and rain. Atmospheric water retains pollutants via both adsorption and absorption, and facilitates and participates in their transformation to other species [1] [2] [3] [4]. The uptake of organic and inorganic gases leads to transformations in atmospheric water films that lead to more polar and less volatile compounds. When the water evaporates, the resulting com-
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