Journal
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
Volume 35, Issue 17, Pages 3039-3047Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/S1352-2310(01)00107-8
Keywords
biogeochemical cycling; flux; photolysis; redox reactions
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The rate constant for Hg-o + OH, k(Hgo)+(.OH) = (2.4 +/- 0.3)x 10(9) M-1 s(-1), in the aqueous phase was determined using a relative rate technique with methyl mercury as reference compound. The OH initiated mercury reaction proceeds via the molecular Hg(I) radical which is oxidised to Hg(II) by dissolved O-2. The reaction can be of importance under certain atmospheric circumstances, such as when the aqueous phase capacity of forming OH radicals is significant and the gas phase concentration of ozone drops. The same end product, i.e. Hg(II) was observed from the photodegradation of methylmercury hydroxide. In this case, molecular Hg(I) radicals are again likely to be formed after photodegradation of the Hg-C bond with subsequent oxidation. A lifetime of 230 h of methylmercury at outdoor conditions was estimated due to this reaction. The action of OW on methylmercury species also involves breaking of organometallic bonds and formation of Hg(II), Speciation of these reaction products from methylmercury is important for the estimation of biogeochemical cycling of mercury. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available