Abstract
A statistically relevant correlation between the reaction rate coefficient, k OH, for the OH radical reaction with 161 organic compounds in the gas phase at 300 K, and the corresponding vertical ionisation energies E i,v, reveals two classes of compounds: aromatics where −log(k OH/cm3s-1)≃3/2E i,v(eV)−2 and aliphatics where −log(k OH/cm3s-1)≃4/5E i,v(eV)+3. The prediction of the rate coefficient, k OH, for the reaction of OH with organic molecules from the above equations has a probability of about 90%. Assuming a global diurnal mean of the OH radical concentration of 5×105 cm3, the upper limit of the tropospheric half-life of organic compounds and their persistence can be estimated.
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Güsten, H., Klasinc, L. & Marić, D. Prediction of the abiotic degradability of organic compounds in the troposphere. J Atmos Chem 2, 83–93 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00127264
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00127264