A Self-Cleaning Atmosphere
Scientists Find Mystery Ingredient Has Been Cleaning Chinese Air
Hydroxyl radicals are a continuous presence in our atmosphere, mostly being recycled through interactions with water vapor and naturally-occurring nitric oxide. These OH radicals' reactions in the air can break down pollutants. However, when they react with nitric oxide, they produce ozone.
While well-known as the component of our most protective atmospheric layer, ozone is also a greenhouse gas, and a toxic pollutant. Ozone is the more common name for the O3 molecule, and is formed in different ways at different levels of our atmosphere. The so-called "Ozone Layer" is formed by the interaction of O2 molecules with ultra-violet radiation. Also dependent on heat and sunlight, ozone on the ground forms primarily from reactions between two major classes of air pollutants: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). NOx is emitted by cars, industrial plants, and the like. VOCs, on the other hand, can be either chemically or organically based, and are emitted by everything from gasoline pumps to oil-based paints to some trees. Once these compounds interact with O2 molecules in the air, especially in the hot summer months, they produce ozone.
When scientists went to test the Pearl River Delta, a warm area where there is the highest concentration of OH radicals found so far worldwide, the scientists expected to find high levels of ozone. Instead, the researchers found that the air in the delta's region contained very little ozone. The result was so unexpected that the scientists were not prepared with the right tools to test what else there could be as a result of the OH's unexpected reactions. Instead, samples of the Chinese air are going to be tested in a controlled laboratory atmosphere, in an attempt to solve the mystery.
While still in the preliminary stages, researcher Franz Rohrer, of the Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere in Jülich, Germany, is very excited about the prospects of the study. The ramifications could be that we discover a naturally-occurring chemical that could help clean the atmosphere in an extremely efficient manner. "You have the advantage that the harmful pollutants are degraded fast, but you don't have the misfortune that ozone is generated for it," he said. "You are gaining on both sides."
Since the discovery is ground-breaking, and directly contradicts all previous studies of air pollution, it is being met with skepticism by scientists worldwide. There will need to be a good deal more research done before people should become excited about the possibility that our atmosphere might be able to be cleaned organically.
"Mystery Ingredient Cleaning Earth's Atmosphere"
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090604-air-pollution-self-clean.html
news.nationalgeographic.com
"What is Ozone?"
http://epa.gov/airnow/airaware/day1-ozone.html
epa.gov
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- While well-known as the component of our most protective atmospheric layer, ozone is also toxic.
- The researchers found that the air in the delta's region contained very little ozone.
- The result was so unexpected that the scientists were not prepared with the right tools to test.