Heterogeneous Reaction of HO2 Radical with Dicarboxylic Acid Particles

HOx(OH+ HO2) radical plays a central role in the tropospheric chemistry. Recently, the heterogeneous loss of HO2 by aerosol particles is a potentially important HOx sink in the troposphere suggested from observation study. However, there have been few studies for loss of HO2 by aerosols. In this study, we measured the HO2 uptake coefficients for four dicarboxylic acids (succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, and pimelic acid) aerosol particles under ambient conditions (760Torr and 296K) using an aerosol flow tube(AFT) coupled with a chemical conversion /laser-induced fluorescence(CC/LIF) technique. The CC/LIF technique enabled experiments to be performed at almost the same HO2 radical concentration as that in the atmosphere(-10^8 molecules/cm^3). In this system, the effect of the self-reaction of HO2 in the gas phase can be neglected. HO2 radicals were injected into the AFT through a vertically movable Pyrex tube. Injector position dependent profiles of LIF intensity were measured as a function of aerosol concentration at 30% and 70% of relative humilities (RH). Determined HO2 uptake coefficients by succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, and pimelic acid aerosol particles at 30% RH were 0.05 +/- 0.02, 0.07 +/- 0.03, 0.02 +/- 0.01, and 0.06 +/- 0.03, respectively, while the uptake coefficients by those particles at 70% RH were 0.13 +/- 0.05, 0.13 +/- 0.03, 0.06 +/- 0.01, and 0.11 +/- 0.03, respectively. These results suggest that compositions and relative humidity are significant to the HO2 uptake. We will discuss the potential HO2 loss processes.