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On the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols — Part I: Some stoichiometric aspects of the problem

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Summary

Following a recent hypothesis on the role of activated sodium chloride particles as possible condensation and sublimation nuclei, an analysis of data given byC. Junge on the chemical composition of aerosols, is made. It is established that all reported giant nuclei fall into three distinct categories of composition and that within each of these categories the ratio of the sums of anions to the sums of cations for constituents for which analyses were made, remains remarkably constant throughout the days of sampling, and for both geographic positions at which sampling has been carried out. A dependence of the hydroxide-carbonate content, on that of nitrate is also indicated in the «alkaline» nuclei. The system is treated as a saturated solution, and it is shown by the procedure of continuous variations that singularities occur at particular ratios of the prevalent chemical groups in solution, possibly indicating formation of complex species. This, together with the presence of double salts in the solid phase may be partly the reason for the constancy of ratio of sums in the groups of particles studied byJunge, while the grouping itself may depend on the origin and subsequent transformations of the particles.

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  1. Division of Applied Chemistry, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

    Henry M. Papée

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Papée, H.M. On the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols — Part I: Some stoichiometric aspects of the problem. Geofisica Pura e Applicata 44, 191–203 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01997647

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