A kinetic study of the gas-phase reaction between the hydroxylradical and atomic mercury

• The atom is the dominating species of mercury in the atmosphere. Its oxidation processes are of great interest since it is mainly oxidised mercury that undergoes deposition and thereby spreads into the ecosystems and becomes bioaccumulated. The kinetics of the gas-phase reaction between atomic mercury and hydroxyl radical has been determined at room temperature and atmospheric pressure of air by relative rate technique. OH radicals were produced by photolysis employing methyl nitrite. By using cyclohexane as the reference compound, the rate coefficient obtained was k(Hg0+·OH)=(8.7±2.8)×10−14 cm3 s−1 leading to natural lifetimes of mercury at global mean conditions of 4–7 month due to this reaction.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Rate coefficient

Oxidation

Atmosphere

Mercury

Tropospheric life-time

Rate coefficient

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)