Background reactivity in smog chambers

Abstract

Abstract Data from several smog chamber reaction vessels have been analyzed in an attempt to elucidate the chemical species which are responsible for chamber specific background phenomena, and the nature of the processes which determine the heterogeneous interactions of those species. There is good evidence for the emission of a compound which yields both NO x , and free radicals (probably HONO) and emissions of reactive organics (e.g. HCHO) may also be deduced. Total integrated chamber emission of these compounds may be as high as 20 to 60 ppb during a typical smog chamber experiment. In addition to the direct emission of these contaminants, the surface reaction of NO2 and H2O to HONO is examined. In some cases this reaction may have as great an effect on a smog chamber experiment as the emission of trace contaminants. Overall chamber perturbations to gas phase chemistry have been estimated for several experiments and were found to be less than 20 percent in the majority of cases, although higher perturbations were found in experiments involving compounds of low reactivity such as butane.