Relative tropospheric photolysis rates of HCHO and HCDO measured at the European Photoreactor Facility

The relative photolysis rates of HCHO and HCDO have been studied in May 2004 at the European Photoreactor Facility (EUPHORE) in Valencia, Spain. The photolytic loss of HCDO was measured relative to HCHO by long path FT-IR and DOAS detection during the course of the experiment. The isotopic composition of the reaction product H(2) was determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) on air samples taken during the photolysis experiments. The relative photolysis rate obtained by FTIR is j(HCHO)/j(HCDO) = 1.58 +/- 0.03. The ratios of the photolysis rates for the molecular and the radical channels obtained from the IRMS data, in combination with the quantum yield of the molecular channel in the photolysis of HCHO, Phi(HCHO-->H(2)+CO) (JPL Publication 06-2), are j(HCHO-->H(2)+CO/jHCDO-->HD+CO) = 1.82 +/- 0.07 and j(HCHO-->H+HCO/(jHCDO-->H+DCO + jHCDO-->D+HCO)) = 1.10 +/- 0.06. The atmospheric implications of the large isotope effect in the relative rate of photolysis and quantum yield of the formaldehyde isotopologues are discussed in relation to the global hydrogen budget.     

Relative tropospheric photolysis rates of HCHO, H13CHO, HCH18O, and DCDO measured at the European photoreactor facility

The relative photolysis rates of HCHO, H13CHO, HCH18O, and DCDO were studied in pseudo-natural tropospheric conditions in July 2003 at the European Photoreactor Facility (EUPHORE) in Valencia, Spain. The photolytic decay of HCHO, H13CHO, and HCH18O is measured relative to DCDO by long path FT-IR detection during the course of about 3 h of sunlight. The relative photolysis rates obtained are as follows: JH13CHO/JHCHO = 0.894 +/- 0.006, JHCH18O/JHCHO = 0.911 +/- 0.011, and JDCDO/JHCHO = 0.597 +/- 0.001. The errors represent 1sigma and do not include possible systematic errors. The atmospheric implications of the large isotope effects in the photolysis of formaldehyde are discussed.     

Ultraviolet photolysis of HCHO: absolute HCO quantum yields by direct detection of the HCO radical photoproduct

Absolute quantum yields for the radical (H + HCO) channel of HCHO photolysis, Phi(HCO), have been measured for the tropospherically relevant range of wavelengths (lambda) between 300 and 330 nm. The HCO photoproduct was directly detected by using a custom-built, combined ultra-violet (UV) absorption and cavity ring down (CRD) detection spectrometer. This instrument was previously employed for high-resolution (spectral resolution approximately 0.0035 nm) measurements of absorption cross-sections of HCHO, sigma(HCHO)(lambda), and relative HCO quantum yields. Absolute Phi(HCO) values were measured at seven wavelengths, lambda = 303.70, 305.13, 308.87, 314.31, 320.67, 325.59, and 329.51 nm, using an independent calibration technique based on the simultaneous UV photolysis of HCHO and Cl(2). These Phi(HCO) measurements display greater variability as a function of wavelength than the current NASA-JPL recommendations for Phi(HCO). The absolute Phi(HCO)(lambda) determinations and previously measured sigma(HCHO)(lambda) were used to scale an extensive set of relative HCO yield measurements. The outcome of this procedure is a full suite of data for the product of the absolute radical quantum yield and HCHO absorption cross-section, Phi(HCO)(lambda)sigma(HCHO)(lambda), at wavelengths from 302.6 to 331.0 nm with a wavelength resolution of 0.005 nm. This product of photochemical parameters is combined with high-resolution solar photon flux data to calculate the integrated photolysis rate of HCHO to the radical (H + HCO) channel, J(HCO). Comparison with the latest NASA-JPL recommendations, reported at 1 nm wavelength resolution, suggests an increased J(HCO) of 25% at 0 degrees solar zenith angle (SZA) increasing to 33% at high SZA (80 degrees). The differences in the calculated photolysis rate compared with the current HCHO data arise, in part, from the higher wavelength resolution of the current data set and highlight the importance of using high-resolution spectroscopic techniques to achieve a complete and accurate picture of HCHO photodissociation processes. All experimental Phi(HCO)(lambda)sigma(HCHO)(lambda) data are available for the wavelength range 302.6-331.0 nm (at 294 and 245 K and under 200 Torr of N(2) bath gas) as Supporting Information with wavelength resolutions of 0.005, 0.1, and 1.0 nm. Equivalent data sets of Phi(H(2)+CO)(lambda)sigma(HCHO)(lambda) for the molecular (H(2) + CO) photofragmentation channel, produced using the measured Phi(HCO)(lambda) sigma(HCHO)(tau) values, are also provided at 0.1 and 1.0 nm resolution.     

Experimental determination of the absorption cross-section and molar extinction coefficient of CdSe and CdTe nanowires

Absorption cross-sections and corresponding molar extinction coefficients of solution-based CdSe and CdTe nanowires (NWs) are determined. Chemically grown semiconductor NWs are made via a recently developed solution-liquid-solid (SLS) synthesis, employing low melting Au/Bi bimetallic nanoparticle "catalysts" to induce one-dimensional (1D) growth. Resulting wires are highly crystalline and have diameters between 5 and 12 nm as well as lengths exceeding 10 microm. Narrow diameters, below twice the corresponding bulk exciton Bohr radius of each material, place CdSe and CdTe NWs within their respective intermediate to weak confinement regimes. Supporting this are solution linear absorption spectra of NW ensembles showing blue shifts relative to the bulk band gap as well as structure at higher energies. In the case of CdSe, the wires exhibit band edge emission as well as strong absorption/emission polarization anisotropies at the ensemble and single-wire levels. Analogous photocurrent polarization anisotropies have been measured in recently developed CdSe NW photodetectors. To further support fundamental NW optical/electrical studies as well as to promote their use in device applications, experimental absorption cross-sections are determined using correlated transmission electron microscopy, UV/visible extinction spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Measured CdSe NW cross-sections for 1 microm long wires (diameters, 6-42 nm) range from 6.93 x 10(-13) to 3.91 x 10(-11) cm2 at the band edge (692-715 nm, 1.73-1.79 eV) and between 3.38 x 10(-12) and 5.50 x 10(-11) cm2 at 488 nm (2.54 eV). Similar values are obtained for 1 microm long CdTe NWs (diameters, 7.5-11.5 nm) ranging from 4.32 x 10(-13) to 5.10 x 10(-12) cm2 at the band edge (689-752 nm, 1.65-1.80 eV) and between 1.80 x 10(-12) and 1.99 x 10(-11) cm2 at 2.54 eV. These numbers compare well with previous theoretical estimates of CdSe/CdTe NW cross-sections far to the blue of the band edge, having order of magnitude values of 1.0 x 10(-11) cm2 at 488 nm. In all cases, experimental NW absorption cross-sections are 4-5 orders of magnitude larger than those for corresponding colloidal CdSe and CdTe quantum dots. Even when volume differences are accounted for, band edge NW cross-sections are larger by up to a factor of 8. When considered along with their intrinsic polarization sensitivity, obtained NW cross-sections illustrate fundamental and potentially exploitable differences between 0D and 1D materials.     

Performance of a 2,4-DNPH coated annular denuder/HPLC system for formaldehyde monitoring in air

Summary The performance of annular denuders coated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine for collection of atmospheric HCHO has been evaluated by HPLC/UV analysis of samples coming from laboratory tests and field experiments. A number of parameters, such as collection efficiency at varying air humidity, detection limit, operative capacity and temporal self-consistency have been investigated to optimize the denuder behaviour under different weather conditions and to obtain short-term concentration profiles of HCHO. Deviations between measurements made simultaneously by the DNPH denuder method and differential optical absorption spectrometry (DOAS) have been found to average approximately 30% in the 0–5 ppb HCHO concentration range.     

UV absorption cross-sections of a series of dimethylbenzaldehydes

The ultraviolet absorption cross-sections of 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,6-, 3,4- and 3,5- dimethylbenzaldehydes are reported in the wavelength range 240-320 nm. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range 318-363 K using two different experimental systems (D 2 lamp-monochromator and D 2 lamp-diode array). The absorption spectra of the five aldehydes have been found to exhibit relatively high absorption cross-sections in the region of the tropospheric interest with maxima around 290 nm. This work provides the first UV cross-section measurements for these aromatic aldehydes. The obtained cross-section values enable us to estimate the tropospheric photolysis lifetimes of these compounds. The results suggest that photolysis could be an important removal process for these species in the troposphere.     

Rotationally resolved absorption cross sections of formaldehyde in the 28100-28500 cm(-1) (351-356 nm) spectral region: implications for in situ LIF measurements

The rotationally resolved ultraviolet absorption cross sections for the 2(0)(0)4(1)(0) vibrational band of the A(1)A(2)-X(1)A(1) electronic transition of formaldehyde (HCHO) at an apodized resolution of 0.027 cm(-1) (approximately 0.0003 nm at 352 nm) over the spectral range 28100-28500 cm(-1) (351-356 nm) at 298 and 220 K, using Fourier transform spectroscopy, are first reported here. Accurate rotationally resolved cross sections are important for the development of in situ HCHO laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) instruments and for atmospheric monitoring. Pressure dependence of the cross sections between 75 and 400 Torr at 298 K was explored, and an average pressure broadening coefficient in dry air of 1.8 x 10(-4) cm(-1) Torr(-1) for several isolated lines is reported. Gaseous HCHO was quantitatively introduced into a flow cell by evaporating micron-sized droplets of HCHO solution, using a novel microinjector technique. The condensed-phase concentrations of HCHO were determined by iodometric titrations to an accuracy of <1%. Accuracy of the measured absorption cross sections is estimated to be better than +/-5%. Integrated and differential cross sections over the entire band at low resolution (approximately 1 cm(-1)) obtained with our calibration technique are in excellent agreement with previous measurements. A maximum differential cross section of 5.7 x 10(-19) cm(2) molecule(-1) was observed at high resolution-almost an order of magnitude greater than any previously reported data at low resolution.     

Simultaneous determination of HCHO,CH3CHO and O(x) in ambient air by hydrazine reagent and hplc

Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in ambient air are simultaneously collected on silica gel cartridges coated with 1-methyl-1-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazine (MDNPH), where the two aldehydes are derivatized to their respective hydrazones, while the two oxidants are converted into N-methyl-2,4-dinitroaniline (MDNA). The three products are then separated and quantified by HPLC with UV detection at 360 nm. The stoichiometric factors of the MDNPH reactions with O3 and NO2 in laboratory tests correspond to 2.0 +/- 0.1 moles of MDNA per mole of O(x) (O3 + NO2). The limits of detection (LOD) are 0.7 ppbv HCHO, 0.8 ppbv CH3CHO and 1.6 ppbv O(x) for 30 L (1 h) air sampled. The sampling performance is insensitive to relative humidities encountered in real atmospheres. When compared with Sep-Pak DNPH silica cartridges as well as with ozone photometric and nitrogen dioxide chemiluminescent analyzers, the proposed chromatographic method demonstrates a very good accuracy (12% for HCHO, 14% for CH3CHO and 7% for O(x), on the average) under field sampling conditions at concentrations lower than 3 and 1 ppbv, for HCHO and CH3CHO, respectively and ranging from 28 to 62 ppbv for O(x).     

Absorption cross sections of formaldehyde at wavelengths from 300 to 340 nm at 294 and 245 K

Absorption cross sections for the A1A2-X1A1 electronic transition of formaldehyde have been measured by ultraviolet (UV) laser absorption spectroscopy in the tropospherically significant wavelength range 300-340 nm, over which HCHO is photochemically active. Absorption cross sections are reported at two temperatures, 294 and 245 K and at a spectral resolution of 0.0035 nm (0.35 cm-1). At this resolution, greater peak absorption cross sections are obtained for many of the sharp spectral features than were previously reported. To simulate atmospheric conditions in the troposphere, the effects of adding a pressure of nitrogen of up to 500 Torr and of reduced sample temperature were investigated. The overall magnitudes of peak absorption cross sections are largely unaffected by the added pressure of nitrogen, but a modest degree of pressure broadening (0.2-0.3 cm-1 atm-1) is evident in the line shapes. Computer simulations of spectra have been optimized by comparison with wavelength-dependent formaldehyde absorption cross sections for each major vibronic band in the chosen wavelength range. Experimental and computer simulated spectra at 294 and 245 K are compared to test the reliability of the computer simulations for quantification of the effects of temperature on absorption cross sections. All experimental absorption cross section data and tables of input parameters for spectral simulations are available as Supporting Information.     

甲醛在TiO_2颗粒物表面的非均相反应

使用漫反射红外傅里叶变换光谱(DRIFTS)原位反应器研究了甲醛在TiO2颗粒物表面的非均相反应,结合离子色谱定量分析了反应的主要产物甲酸盐,甲酸盐是由中间产物二氧亚甲基进一步氧化生成.研究了温度和紫外光照对反应的影响,结果表明升高温度和紫外光照可提高反应速率,推测了暗反应和紫外光照下甲醛在TiO2表面的非均相反应机制.结果表明常温下甲醛在TiO2颗粒物表面的反应级数接近2级,初始反应摄取系数为(0.5～5)×10-8([HCHO]:1×1013～2×1014molecule·cm-3),是甲醛浓度的一次函数,同时测定了表观活化能.     

One-photon photophysics and two-photon absorption of 4-[9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-7-diphenylaminofluoren-2-yl]-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine and their platinum chloride complexes

The synthesis, one-photon photophysics and two-photon absorption (2PA) of three dipolar D-π-A 4-[9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-7-diphenylaminofluoren-2-yl]-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine and their platinum chloride complexes with different linkers between the donor and acceptor are reported. All ligands exhibit (1)π,π* transition in the UV and (1)π,π*/(1)ICT (intramolecular charge transfer) transition in the visible regions, while the complexes display a lower-energy (1)π,π*/(1)CT (charge transfer) transition in the visible region in addition to the high-energy (1)π,π* transitions. All ligands and the complexes are emissive at room temperature and 77 K, with the emitting excited state assigned as the mixed (1)π,π* and (1)CT states at RT. Transient absorption from the ligands and the complexes were observed. 2PA was investigated for all ligands and complexes. The two-photon absorption cross-sections (σ(2)) of the complexes (600-2000 GM) measured by Z-scan experiment are much larger than those of their corresponding ligands measured by the two-photon induced fluorescence method. The ligand and the complex with the ethynylene linker show much stronger 2PA than those with the vinylene linker.     

Syntheses of Novel Asymmetric Cyclopentanone Dyes and Measurement of Two－photon Absorption Cross－section

A simple synthesis route with a high yield of novel asymmetric cyclopentanone dyes 3a—3e and their highly two-photon up-converted fluorescences are reported. The dyes have good solubilities in most of ordi-nary solvents, a wide UV absorption wavelength range from 380—540 nm, and high fluorescence quantum yields. The two-photon absorption cross-sections of dyes 3a—M were measured in chloroform by a two-pho-ton induced fluorescence method. All of these properties of the new dyes make them suitable for being used as two-photon fluorescent probes.     

Absorption and emission spectroscopic characterization of some azo dyes and a diamino-maleonitrile dye

A linear and nonlinear optical spectroscopic characterization is carried out on three azo dyes (Reactive orange 1, Reactive violet 8, and Acidproof purplish red), and on N-(p-hydroxybenzylidene)-diamino-maleonitrile. Fluorescence quantum distributions, fluorescence quantum yields, and fluorescence lifetimes are measured. The saturable absorption is studied by nonlinear transmission measurements with intense picosecond laser pulses. The ground-state absorption recovery is studied by picosecond time-resolved pump and probe measurements. Absolute ground-state absorption cross-sections, excited-state absorption cross-sections, and dye concentrations are extracted from saturable absorption studies. The azo dyes have fluorescence lifetimes and ground-state absorption recovery times of around 2 ps and their excited-state absorption cross-sections are small (measured at 527 nm) making them good mode-locking dyes for picosecond and femtosecond lasers. The investigated diamino-maleonitrile dye exhibits sub-picosecond fluorescence lifetime and slow ground-state absorption recovery (>1 ns).     

Synthesis, Characterization and Non-linear Optical Properties of a New Organic Dye： DEAHAS

Two-photon absorption (TPA) is a process in which two photons are simultaneously absorbed to an excited state via a virtual state. The synthesis of organic optical materials with large TPA cross section has become a subject of great interest in recent years due to various application such as three-dimensional fluorescence imaging1, optical data storage2,3 and lithographic microfabrication4-6. Recently we have synthesized a new organic dye DEAHAS that is a symmetrically substituted stilbe…     

Terbium (III) chelate complexes as fluorescence energy transfer donor in the determination of formaldehyde in aqueous solutions

The sensitized fluorescence intensity of the terbium (III) ion can be notably enhanced in the presence of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP). Based on this, water-soluble Tb-SHMP chelate complexes were synthesized in aqueous solutions, and characterized by spectrofluorometry. 6-Mercapto-5-triazole[4,3-b]-S-tetrazine was generated by the quantitative reaction of HCHO with 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole under alkaline conditions at room temperature. The spectral overlap between the emission of Tb-SHMP chelate complexes and absorption of 6-mercapto-5-triazole[4,3-b]-S-tetrazine meets the prerequisite for fluorescence energy transfer. Based on this, a novel efficient fluorescence energy transfer system between Tb-SHMP chelate complexes as donor and 6-mercapto-5-triazole[4,3-b]-S-tetrazine as acceptor was developed for the determination of HCHO in aqueous solutions. Under the optimal experimental conditions, this method is capable of detecting HCHO concentrations from 2.06×10(-5) to 6.18×10(-3) mg mL(-1) and the limit of detection was 7.11×10(-6) mg mL(-1). Compared with other general methods for the determination of HCHO, the proposed method improved the sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, the proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of HCHO in water samples.     

Determination of airborne formaldehyde by active sampling on 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride-coated glass fibre filters

Formaldehyde was sampled with the use of a standard miniature glass fibre filter coated with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride (MBTH). The formaldehyde hydrazone formed [i.e., the adduct of formaldehyde (HCHO) and MBTH] was desorbed from the filter with water and then oxidised by an iron(III) chloride-sulfamic acid solution to form a blue cationic dye in acidic medium which was subsequently determined by visible absorption at 628 nm. The recovery of HCHO as the cationic dye from MBTH-coated filters is 87-102% in the range 0.065-2.9 micrograms of HCHO. This corresponds to 4.3-193.3 micrograms m-3 in a 15 L air sample. The collection efficiency of the MBTH-coated filter is higher than 90%. When the filter sampling system is used in active mode, air can be sampled at a rate of up to 1 L min-1, affording an overall sensitivity of about 3 micrograms m-3, corresponding to about 2 ppb v/v HCHO at 1 atm and 273 K. The method was successfully applied to the determination of HCHO in samples of indoor and outdoor air with satisfactory results.     

Development of a Passive Sampler for Long-Term Measurements of Formaldehyde and Total Oxidants in Air

A diffusive sampling device is described that is capable of reliable measurements of formaldehyde and total oxidants (Ox = ozone + nitrogen dioxide) at sub-ppbv concentration levels in ambient air. These species are collected on silica gel particles coated with 1-methyl-1-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazine (MDNPH) and phosphoric acid. The formaldehyde hydrazone (HCHO-MDNPh) and the N-methyl-2,4-dinitroaniline (MDNA) formed are extracted with acetonitrile and determined by HPLC with UV detection at 365ánm. The measured sampling rate for HCHO, 15.0 mLmin^-1, agrees well with the theoretical value of 16.0, whilst an experimental sampling rate of 10.7 mLmin^-1 (25% lower than the calculated one) is observed for Ox. The sampling rates seem to be independent of the sampling duration up to one month. The precision of the measurements for co-located passive samplers averaged is 7.3% for HCHO and 7.2% for Ox in urban air.     

A novel approach for the synthesis of visible-light-active nanocrystalline N-doped TiO2 photocatalytic hydrosol

A visible-light-active nitrogen doped nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (N–TiO₂) hydrosol was prepared by precipitation–peptization method and following with hydrothermal crystallization at 110 °C holding for 6 h. XPS results show that nitrogen ions have been doped into the TiO₂ lattice successfully and the UV–Vis absorption spectra indicate that the light absorption edge of the N-doped TiO₂ has been red-shifted into visible light region. The photocatalytic performance of the N-doped TiO₂ thin film prepared from the synthesized hydrosol was evaluated by photodegrading the gaseous formaldehyde (HCHO) under visible light irradiation. The photodegradation ratio of HCHO reached up to 90% within 24 h and the degradation ratio was stable for ten degradation cycles, indicating the prepared hydrosol has good reusable performance in photodegrading gaseous pollutants.     

o-nitrobenzyl photolabile protecting groups with red-shifted absorption: syntheses and uncaging cross-sections for one- and two-photon excitation

We evaluated the o-nitrobenzyl platform for designing photolabile protecting groups with red-shifted absorption that could be photolyzed upon one- and two-photon excitation. Several synthetic pathways to build different conjugated o-nitrobenzyl backbones, as well as to vary the benzylic position, are reported. Relative to the reference 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl group, several o-nitrobenzyl derivatives exhibit a large and red-shifted one-photon absorption within the near-UV range. Uncaging after one-photon excitation was studied by measuring UV-visible absorption and steady-state fluorescence emission on model caged ethers and esters. In the whole series investigated, the caged substrates were released cleanly upon photolysis. Quantum yields of uncaging after one-photon absorption lie within the 0.1-1 % range. We observed that these drop as the maximum wavelength absorption of the o-nitrobenzyl protecting group is increased. A new method based on fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) after two-photon excitation was used to measure the action uncaging cross section for two-photon excitation. The series of o-nitrobenzyl caged fluorescent coumarins investigated exhibit values within the 0.1-0.01 Goeppert-Mayer (GM) range. Such results are in line with the low quantum yields of uncaging associated with cross-sections of 1-50 GM for two-photon absorption. Although the cross-sections for one- and two-photon absorption of o-nitrobenzyl photolabile protecting groups can be readily improved, we emphasize the difficulty in enlarging the corresponding action uncaging cross-sections in view of the observed trend of their quantum yield of uncaging.     

Thermodynamics of the formaldehyde-water and formaldehyde-ice systems for atmospheric applications

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a species involved in numerous key atmospheric chemistry processes that can significantly impact the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere. Since gaseous HCHO is soluble in water, the water droplets of clouds and the ice crystals of snow exchange HCHO with the gas phase and the partitioning of HCHO between the air, water, and ice phases must be known to understand its chemistry. This study proposes thermodynamic formulations for the partitioning of HCHO between the gas phase and the ice and liquid water phases. A reanalysis of existing data on the vapor-liquid equilibrium has shown the inadequacy of the Henry's law formulation, and we instead propose the following equation to predict the mole fraction of HCHO in liquid water at equilibrium, X(HCHO,liq), as a function of the partial pressure P(HCHO) (Pa) and temperature T (K): X(HCHO,liq) = 1.700 × 10(-15)?e((8014/T))(P(HCHO))(1.105). Given the paucity of data on the gas-ice equilibrium, the solubility of HCHO and the diffusion coefficient (D(HCHO)) in ice were measured by exposing large single ice crystals to low P(HCHO). Our recommended value for D(HCHO) over the temperature range 243-266 K is D(HCHO) = 6 × 10(-12) cm(2) s(-1). The solubility of HCHO in ice follows the relationship X(HCHO,ice) = 9.898 × 10(-13)?e((4072/T))(P(HCHO))(0.803). Extrapolation of these data yields the P(HCHO) versus 1/T phase diagram for the H(2)O-HCHO system. The comparison of our results to existing data on the partitioning of HCHO between the snow and the atmosphere in the high arctic highlights the interplay between thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetics processes in natural systems.