Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Originally published in Science Express on 3 July 2003
Science 18 July 2003:
Vol. 301. no. 5631, pp. 340 - 344
DOI: 10.1126/science.1085374
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Research Articles

Reactions at Interfaces As a Source of Sulfate Formation in Sea-Salt Particles

Alexander Laskin,*1 Daniel J. Gaspar,1 Weihong Wang,2 Sherri W. Hunt,2 James P. Cowin,1 Steven D. Colson,1 Barbara J. Finlayson-Pitts*2

Understanding the formation of sulfate particles in the troposphere is critical because of their health effects and their direct and indirect effects on radiative forcing, and hence on climate. Laboratory studies of the chemical and physical changes in sodium chloride, the major component of sea-salt particles, show that sodium hydroxide is generated upon reaction of deliquesced sodium chloride particles with gas-phase hydroxide. The increase in alkalinity will lead to an increase in the uptake and oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfate in sea-salt particles. This chemistry is missing from current models but is consistent with a number of previously unexplained field study observations.

1 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Post Office Box 999, MSIN K8-88, Richland, WA 99352, USA. 2 Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697–2025, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bjfinlay{at}uci.edu (B.J.F.P.); alexander.laskin{at}pnl.gov (A.L.)

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Atmospheric New Particle Formation Enhanced by Organic Acids.
R. Zhang, I. Suh, J. Zhao, D. Zhang, E. C. Fortner, X. Tie, L. T. Molina, and M. J. Molina (2004)
Science 304, 1487-1490
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Comment on "Reactions at Interfaces As a Source of Sulfate Formation in Sea-Salt Particles" (I).
W. C. Keene and A. A. P. Pszenny (2004)
Science 303, 628b
   Full Text »    PDF »
Comment on "Reactions at Interfaces As a Source of Sulfate Formation in Sea-Salt Particles" (II).
R. Sander, P. J. Crutzen, and R. von Glasow (2004)
Science 303, 628c
   Full Text »    PDF »
Response to Comments on "Reactions at Interfaces As a Source of Sulfate Formation in Sea-Salt Particles".
A. Laskin, D. J. Gaspar, W. Wang, S. W. Hunt, J. P. Cowin, S. D. Colson, and B. J. Finlayson-Pitts (2004)
Science 303, 628d
   Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)