US EPA

625143 

Journal Article 

Atmospheric chemistry of toxic contaminants 1. Reaction rates and atmospheric persistence 

Grosjean, D 

1990 

Yes 

Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association
ISSN: 1096-2247
EISSN: 2162-2906 

40 

10 

1397-1402 

English 

10.1080/10473289.1990.10466792 

WOS:A1990EE97200010 

Using structure-reactivity relationships between reaction rate constants and ionization potentials for structural homologues, estimates are presented for the rate constants of the reactions of ozone, the hydroxyl radical, and the nitrate radical with forty toxic air contaminants for which no or little data are available. These rate constants are in turn used to estimate the atmospheric persistence of saturated aliphatics, unsaturated aliphatics, and aromatic toxic organics. The corresponding atmospheric half-lives for removal by chemical reactions range from a few hours for the most reactive toxics (chloroprene, hexachlorocyclo-pentadiene, cresols, nitrosamines, maleic anhydride) to several months for the least reactive compounds (nitrobenzene, methyl bromide, phosgene). 

Aerospace and Underwater Biological Effects-Engineering and Instrumentation; Ecology; Biochemical Studies-General; Toxicology-Environmental and Industrial Toxicology; Public Health: Environmental Health-Air