SCIENCE@home

Electrochemistry as a Tool for Studies of Complex Reaction Mechanisms: The Case of the Atmospheric Aqueous-Phase Aging of Catechols.

Kristijan Vidović,A. Kroflič,P. Jovanovič,Martin Šala,Martin Šala,I. Grgić

Published 2019 in Environmental Science and Technology

ABSTRACT

The ultimate goal in the understanding of complex chemical processes is a complete description of the underlying reaction mechanism. In the present study and for this purpose, a novel experimental platform is introduced that builds upon electrochemistry being able of generating reactive intermediate species at the electrode surface. The atmospherically relevant nitration of catechols is taken as a case example. First, we confirm the recently proposed nitration mechanism, advancing the understanding of atmospheric brown carbon formation in the dark. We are able to selectively quantify aromatic isomers, which is beyond the limits of conventional electroanalysis. Second, we identify a new pathway of nitrocatechol hydroxylation, which proceeds simply by oxidation and the addition of water and can be environmentally significant in the dark aqueous-phase formation of secondary organic aerosols. Third, the developed methodology is capable of selectively detecting a wide range of nitroaromatics; a possible application in environmental monitoring is proposed.

PUBLICATION RECORD

CITATION MAP

EXTRACTION MAP

CLAIMS

  • No claims are published for this paper.

CONCEPTS

  • No concepts are published for this paper.

REFERENCES

Showing 1-46 of 46 references · Page 1 of 1

CITED BY

Showing 1-16 of 16 citing papers · Page 1 of 1