Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-37
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-37
11 Jan 2023
 | 11 Jan 2023

On the importance of multiphase photolysis of organic nitrates on their global atmospheric removal

Juan Miguel González-Sánchez, Nicolas Brun, Junteng Wu, Sylvain Ravier, Jean-Louis Clément, and Anne Monod

Abstract. Organic nitrates (RONO2) are secondary compounds, and their fate is related to the transport and removal of NOx in the atmosphere. While previous research studies have focused on the reactivity of these molecules in the gas phase, their reactivity in condensed phases remains poorly explored despite their ubiquitous presence in submicron aerosol. This work investigated for the first time the aqueous-phase photolysis rate constants and quantum yields of four RONO2 (isopropyl nitrate, isobutyl nitrate, α-nitrooxyacetone, and 1-nitrooxy-2-propanol). Our results showed much lower photolysis rate constants for these RONO2 in the aqueous phase than in the gas phase. From alkyl nitrates to polyfunctional RONO2, no significant increase of their aqueous-phase photolysis rate constants was observed, even for RONO2 with conjugated carbonyl groups, in contrast with the corresponding gas-phase photolysis reactions. Using these new results, extrapolated to other alkyl and polyfunctional RONO2, as well as other atmospheric sinks (hydrolysis, gas phase photolysis, aqueous and gas phase ·OH oxidation, dry and wet deposition) multiphase atmospheric lifetimes were calculated for 45 atmospherically relevant RONO2 along with the relative importance of each sink. Their lifetimes range from a few minutes to several hours depending on the RONO2 chemical structure and its water solubility. In general, multiphase atmospheric lifetimes are lengthened when RONO2 partition to the aqueous phase, especially for conjugated carbonyl nitrates for which lifetimes can increase up to 100 %. Furthermore, our results show that aqueous-phase ·OH oxidation is a major sink for water-soluble RONO2 (KH > 105 M atm–1) ranging from 50 to 70 % of their total sink at high LWC (0.35 g m–3). These results highlight the importance of investigating the aqueous-phase RONO2 reactivity to understand how it affects their ability to transport air pollution.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

26 May 2023
On the importance of multiphase photolysis of organic nitrates on their global atmospheric removal
Juan Miguel González-Sánchez, Nicolas Brun, Junteng Wu, Sylvain Ravier, Jean-Louis Clément, and Anne Monod
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5851–5866, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5851-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5851-2023, 2023
Short summary

Juan Miguel González-Sánchez et al.

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-37', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Feb 2023
  • RC2: 'Review of ACP manuscript "On the importance of multiphase photolysis..." by J. M. González-Sánchez et al.', Anonymous Referee #2, 08 Mar 2023
  • AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-37', Juan Miguel Gonzalez-Sanchez, 07 Apr 2023

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-37', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Feb 2023
  • RC2: 'Review of ACP manuscript "On the importance of multiphase photolysis..." by J. M. González-Sánchez et al.', Anonymous Referee #2, 08 Mar 2023
  • AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-37', Juan Miguel Gonzalez-Sanchez, 07 Apr 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Juan Miguel Gonzalez-Sanchez on behalf of the Authors (07 Apr 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (29 Apr 2023) by Anne Perring
AR by Juan Miguel Gonzalez-Sanchez on behalf of the Authors (02 May 2023)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

26 May 2023
On the importance of multiphase photolysis of organic nitrates on their global atmospheric removal
Juan Miguel González-Sánchez, Nicolas Brun, Junteng Wu, Sylvain Ravier, Jean-Louis Clément, and Anne Monod
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5851–5866, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5851-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5851-2023, 2023
Short summary

Juan Miguel González-Sánchez et al.

Juan Miguel González-Sánchez et al.

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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
Organic nitrates play a crucial role in air pollution as they are NOx reservoirs. This work investigated for the first time their reactivity with light in the aqueous phase (cloud/fog, wet aerosol), proving it slower than in the gas phase. Therefore, our findings reveal that partitioning of organic nitrates in the aqueous phase leads to longer atmospheric lifetimes of these compounds, and thus a broader spatial distribution of their related pollution.