Competitive reactions of SO2 and acetic acid on α-Al2O3 and CaCO3 particles

Abstract

Heterogeneous reactions between gaseous pollutants and mineral particles have gradually become a research hotspot in the field of atmospheric chemistry. In this paper, competitive reactions between SO2 and acetic acid on the surface of α-Al2O3 and CaCO3 particles were studied by the diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopic (DRIFTS) technique in dark and dry conditions. At the same time, the temporary evolution of the integrated absorbance of acetate and sulfite was investigated to further understand the interaction of SO2 and acetic acid on the mineral particles. On the surface of α-Al2O3 particles, acetate and sulfite can compete for surface-active sites, resulting in a decrease in the total amount of acetates. In dark and dry conditions, the effect of acetic acid on SO2 cannot be obtained by the DRIFTS method. On the surface of CaCO3 particles, SO2 can have a competitive impact on acetic acid by grabbing active sites, leading to a slight decrease of the amount of acetates. The heterogeneous reaction of SO2 can be impeded by coexisting acetic acid, resulting in a drastic reduction of the number of sulfites. It can be seen that the formation mechanisms of acetate and sulfite on the surface of different mineral particles in the atmosphere are different, which provides a variety of ideas and possibilities for the formation of related inorganic and organic salts in the atmosphere.