Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)

<p>Chai et al. (2021) recently published measurements of wildfire-derived (WF) oxides of nitrogen (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span>) and nitrous acid (HONO) and their isotopic composition. The method used to sample NO<sp...

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Main Author: J. M. Roberts
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2021-11-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/16793/2021/acp-21-16793-2021.pdf
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author J. M. Roberts
author_facet J. M. Roberts
author_sort J. M. Roberts
collection DOAJ
description <p>Chai et al. (2021) recently published measurements of wildfire-derived (WF) oxides of nitrogen (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span>) and nitrous acid (HONO) and their isotopic composition. The method used to sample NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span>, collection in alkaline solution, has a known <span class="inline-formula">1:1</span> interference from another reactive nitrogen compound, acetyl peroxynitrate (PAN). Although PAN is thermally unstable, subsequent reactions with nitrogen dioxide (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>) in effect extend the lifetime of PAN many times longer than the initial decomposition reaction would indicate. This, coupled with the rapid and efficient formation of PAN in WF plumes, means the NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> measurements reported by Chai et al.​​​​​​​ were severely impacted by PAN. In addition, the model reactions in the original paper included neither the reactions of NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> with hydroxyl radical (OH) to form nitric acid nor the efficient reaction of larger organic radicals with nitric oxide to form organic nitrates (RONO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>).</p>
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spelling doaj.art-8177f1e182924fa69b4455217e045c012022-12-21T20:37:53ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242021-11-0121167931679510.5194/acp-21-16793-2021Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)J. M. Roberts<p>Chai et al. (2021) recently published measurements of wildfire-derived (WF) oxides of nitrogen (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span>) and nitrous acid (HONO) and their isotopic composition. The method used to sample NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span>, collection in alkaline solution, has a known <span class="inline-formula">1:1</span> interference from another reactive nitrogen compound, acetyl peroxynitrate (PAN). Although PAN is thermally unstable, subsequent reactions with nitrogen dioxide (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>) in effect extend the lifetime of PAN many times longer than the initial decomposition reaction would indicate. This, coupled with the rapid and efficient formation of PAN in WF plumes, means the NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> measurements reported by Chai et al.​​​​​​​ were severely impacted by PAN. In addition, the model reactions in the original paper included neither the reactions of NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> with hydroxyl radical (OH) to form nitric acid nor the efficient reaction of larger organic radicals with nitric oxide to form organic nitrates (RONO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>).</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/16793/2021/acp-21-16793-2021.pdf
spellingShingle J. M. Roberts
Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)
title_full Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)
title_fullStr Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)
title_full_unstemmed Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)
title_short Comment on “Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes” by Chai et al. (2021)
title_sort comment on isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of hono in near ground wildfire plumes by chai et al 2021
url https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/16793/2021/acp-21-16793-2021.pdf
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