Grantee Research Project Results

The Kinetic Study of Environmentally Important Stratospheric and Tropospheric Chlorine Reactions Over Atmospheric Temperatures and Pressures

EPA Grant Number: U916145
Title: The Kinetic Study of Environmentally Important Stratospheric and Tropospheric Chlorine Reactions Over Atmospheric Temperatures and Pressures
Investigators: Ho, Andy W.
Institution: Harvard University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 1, 2003 through January 1, 2006
Project Amount: $123,352
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (2003) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Academic Fellowships , Safer Chemicals , Fellowship - Chemistry and Materials Science

Objective:

The objective of this research project is to accurately and precisely determine the reaction rates of atmospherically relevant chlorine reactions. The reactions to be studied can be divided into two broad categories: Cl + CH4 and Cl + O3, which play key roles in stratospheric ozone loss, and the reaction of chlorine with tropospherically relevant species such as hydrocarbons. These rates will be determined by modifying our laboratory's high-pressure flow system.

Approach:

The experiments are to be conducted in our laboratory's high-pressure flow system, which satisfies three key requirements of obtaining good reaction rate data: the reaction should be free of secondary chemistry, the chlorine loss should be measured directly, and a large range of temperatures and pressures should be attainable. The necessary modifications involve extending the temperature range into and through the lowest temperatures present in the stratosphere and optimizing the chlorine detection system. Once this has been accomplished, a large variety of reactions can be studied with relative ease.

Supplemental Keywords:

fellowship, high-pressure flow system, chlorine, hydrocarbons, chlorine, air pollution.

Progress and Final Reports:

2003

2004

Final