Abstract
The concentration of formaldehyde in the atmospheric aerosol has been determined. The aerosol was collected on glass fibre filters by means of high volume samplers. A small amount of gaseous formaldehyde passing the filter is also retained and must be taken into account in the determination of aerosol formaldehyde. For rural continental aerosol the average formaldehyde concentration is ~ 40 ng m −3. In urban air at Mainz 65 ng m −3 were found. In clean maritime air masses the concentration is ≤ 2 ng m −3, the average concentration in the coastal region of West Ireland is 5 ng m −3. All these values are much smaller than the concentrations of gaseous formaldehyde, so that aerosol formaldehyde contributes little to the overall budget of formaldehyde in the atmosphere. A simple solution equilibrium between gaseous formaldehyde and that occurring in the aqueous phase of the aerosol is not established: the aerosol concentration is about a thousand times higher than the predicted equilibrium value. The formation of formaldehyde addition compounds may account for this enrichment.
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