Uptake of HNO3 to Deliquescent Sea-Salt and Mineral Dust Aerosol Particles

Uptake of HNO₃ to aerosol particles is an important removal pathway of nitrogen oxides in the troposphere. Uptake of HNO₃ to deliquescent sea-salt aerosol particles was studied in an aerosol flow reactor. Submicron sea-salt particles were used to avoid diffusion limitation in the gas-phase at atmospheric pressure. To overcome the sensitivity problems associated with low amount of reactants processed in such low aerosol masses, we used the short-lived radioactive tracer 13N to label the trace gas molecules at very low concentration. Uptake of HNO₃ to deliquescent sea-salt particles was studied under a wide range of HNO₃ concentration. Between 1 and 60 ppbv, the uptake coefficient was constant at 0.5+/-0.2 within the first few seconds, whereas at higher concentrations of about 600ppbv, the uptake coefficient rapidly dropped to 0.1 after about 1 second. This drop was due to complete release of chloride as HCl. The equilibrium conditions for these experiments were explored using the North American Aerosol Inorganics (AIM) model, which accounts for the activities of the concentrated solution of the deliquescent aerosol. It is concluded that the rates of uptake at low concentration were limited by the mass accommodation coefficient as both the diffusion in the liquid phase or the rate of release of HCl were not rate limiting. Using an identical approach, we started to investigate the uptake of HNO₃ to mineral dust aerosol particles in a similar flow reactor, and first results will be presented. References Ammann, M, Using 13N as tracer in heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry experiments, Radiochim. Acta., 89, 831-838, 2001 Guimbaud, C., F., Arens, L., Gutzwiller, H.W, Gäggeler, and M. Ammann, Uptake of HNO3 to Deliquescent Sea-Salt Aerosol Particles, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 2, 739-763, 2002