Atmospheric hydrogen peroxide: Does it share a role with ozone in degrading air quality?

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 24; no. 10; pp. 1452 - 1462
• Main Authors: Sakugawa, H. (University of California, Los Angeles, CA), Kaplan, I.R, Tsai, W, Cohen, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.10.1990
• Subjects: 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 010900 - Coal, Lignite, & Peat- Environmental Aspects; 540120 - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); 540320 - Environment, Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); ACID RAIN; AIR POLLUTION; ANALYTICAL METHODS; Applied sciences; ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY; Atmospheric pollution; CHALCOGENIDES; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; CHEMISTRY; CONTAMINANTES; DEGRADACION; DEGRADATION; DEPOSITION; Dispersed sources and other; ECHANTILLONNAGE; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Exact sciences and technology; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; HYDROGEN PEROXIDE; LLUVIA ACIDA; MUESTREO; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; OZONE; PEROXIDES; PEROXIDO DE HIDROGENO; PEROXYDE D'HYDROGENE; PLUIE ACIDE; POLLUANT; POLLUTANTS; POLLUTION; POLLUTION ATMOSPHERIQUE; Pollution sources. Measurement results; POLUCION; POLUCION DEL AIRE; QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; SAMPLING; SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS; SEASONAL VARIATION; SOURCES; SULFUR COMPOUNDS; SULFUR DIOXIDE; SULFUR OXIDES; TECHNIQUE ANALYTIQUE; TECNICAS ANALITICAS; VARIACION ESTACIONAL; VARIATION SAISONNIERE; WATER CHEMISTRY; Ambient air concentration; Atmospheric fallout; Pollutant behavior; Chemical decomposition; Pollutant creation; Air pollution; Hydrogen Peroxides; Atmospheric interaction
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es00080a002

Numerous investigations regarding atmospheric H{sub 2}O{sub 2} have been conducted during the 1980s; nevertheless, the distribution pattern of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and its formation, decomposition, and deposition processes still are not clearly understood. In this article, the authors summarize previous investigators' findings concerning the levels of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} in the gas and aqueous phases at various locations in the world. They also review and evaluate previous studies on factors affecting the formation of gaseous H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. Additionally, they review studies on the decomposition and deposition of atmospheric H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, including its gas-phase and aqueous-phase reactions, to evaluate the role of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} as an oxidizer of sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) in the atmosphere. Finally, they suggest that although H{sub 2}O{sub 2} may be the dominant oxidant of atmospheric SO{sub 2} to sulfate, the limited amount of field data currently available on the temporal and geographic concentration and distribution of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} hinders the identification of major factors affecting the formation of atmospheric H{sub 2}O{sub 2}.