US EPA

34493 

Journal Article 

The gas-phase reaction of naphthalene with N2O5 to form nitronaphthalenes 

Pitts, JN, Jr; Atkinson, R; Sweetman, JA; Zielinska, B 

1985 

1 

Atmospheric Environment
ISSN: 1352-2310
EISSN: 1873-2844 

19 

5 

701-705 

English 

10.1016/0004-6981(85)90057-5 

WOS:A1985AJY2000002 

http://://WOS:A1985AJY2000002
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While the formation of nitroarenes from the reaction of NO2, containing traces of HNO3, in air with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) adsorbed on combustion generated particles is now well recognized, little is known about the gas-phase reactions of PAH. In this study, the gas-phase reactions in air of N2O3 with part-per-million levels of naphthalene have been studied at room temperature and atmospheric pressure in a 5800V Teflon-coated environmental chamber. The kinetic data obtained showed that in these N2O5-NO3-NO2-air mixtures studied, naphthalene did not react with the NO3 radical at an observable rate, but that it reacted with N2O5 with a rate constant of ~ (2–3) × 10−17 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. Significant yields of 1-nitronaphthalene and 2-nitronaphthalene ( ~ 18 and ~ 7.5%, respectively) were obtained from this reaction. The latter is a procarcinogen capable of being metabolized in animals to the carcinogen β-naphthylamine. These results and their atmospheric implications are discussed. 

naphthalene; U165; dinitrogen pentoxide; Monitoring; Substance Identification; Monitoring Methods; Air Analysis; Hydrocarbons; Nitro Compounds