The role of fossil fuel combustion on the stability of dissolved iron in rainwater
The role of fossil fuel combustion on the stability of dissolved iron in rainwater
The concentration of dissolved Fe(II) has decreased in coastal NC rainwater because of less complexation and stabilization of Fe(II) (aq) by automobile and coal combustion emissions. Better emission control has removed stabilizing organic ligands hence dissolved Fe(II) currently occurs more as inorganic iron, which is not protected against oxidation. Increasing rainwater pH allows oxidation by molecular O2 in addition to H2O2 and also increases the ratio of the ion pair Fe(OH)+ to Fe(II) free ion, which increases the oxidation rates by both H2O2 and molecular oxygen. The concentration of H2O2 in rain has increased; hydrogen peroxide is the primary oxidant of inorganic Fe(II) in precipitation. The East Coast of the USA is also receiving less rain of terrestrial origin, which tends to be higher in dissolved iron and organic compounds. All these factors operate in the same direction and contribute to the lower concentrations and lack of stability of Fe(II) in rainwater currently observed. Results of this study suggest that wet deposition of soluble Fe(II) is an episodic, temporally variable factor in the iron cycle in oceanic regions adjacent to developed or developing coastal regions.
Rainwater trends, Iron speciation, Fossil fuel exhaust, Marine iron cycle
187-193
Willey, Joan D.
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Kieber, Robert J.
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Humphreys, Joshua J.
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Rice, Briana C.
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Hopwood, Mark J.
cb24a4ad-217e-4528-b11b-4dfa3d5a1e09
Avery, G. Brooks
6a965d6e-02c0-40dc-a76f-a354a69612d4
Mead, Ralph N.
b7dc2700-9122-4ed5-bc77-89b606994d05
April 2015
Willey, Joan D.
ee33544a-b482-4f88-874a-558291adb118
Kieber, Robert J.
56713e89-423a-46ee-82e9-df6f9c9197b3
Humphreys, Joshua J.
1c0bed61-6d4e-401c-846d-1710b77ef6a5
Rice, Briana C.
f22d3f86-487f-4701-aebc-d68cc2fd0599
Hopwood, Mark J.
cb24a4ad-217e-4528-b11b-4dfa3d5a1e09
Avery, G. Brooks
6a965d6e-02c0-40dc-a76f-a354a69612d4
Mead, Ralph N.
b7dc2700-9122-4ed5-bc77-89b606994d05
Willey, Joan D., Kieber, Robert J., Humphreys, Joshua J., Rice, Briana C., Hopwood, Mark J., Avery, G. Brooks and Mead, Ralph N.
(2015)
The role of fossil fuel combustion on the stability of dissolved iron in rainwater.
Atmospheric Environment, 107, .
(doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.02.033).
Abstract
The concentration of dissolved Fe(II) has decreased in coastal NC rainwater because of less complexation and stabilization of Fe(II) (aq) by automobile and coal combustion emissions. Better emission control has removed stabilizing organic ligands hence dissolved Fe(II) currently occurs more as inorganic iron, which is not protected against oxidation. Increasing rainwater pH allows oxidation by molecular O2 in addition to H2O2 and also increases the ratio of the ion pair Fe(OH)+ to Fe(II) free ion, which increases the oxidation rates by both H2O2 and molecular oxygen. The concentration of H2O2 in rain has increased; hydrogen peroxide is the primary oxidant of inorganic Fe(II) in precipitation. The East Coast of the USA is also receiving less rain of terrestrial origin, which tends to be higher in dissolved iron and organic compounds. All these factors operate in the same direction and contribute to the lower concentrations and lack of stability of Fe(II) in rainwater currently observed. Results of this study suggest that wet deposition of soluble Fe(II) is an episodic, temporally variable factor in the iron cycle in oceanic regions adjacent to developed or developing coastal regions.
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Published date: April 2015
Keywords:
Rainwater trends, Iron speciation, Fossil fuel exhaust, Marine iron cycle
Organisations:
Ocean and Earth Science
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 374695
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/374695
ISSN: 1352-2310
PURE UUID: fe3e9757-680e-47bd-b96f-c445c15d6665
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Date deposited: 26 Feb 2015 10:27
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 19:11
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Contributors
Author:
Joan D. Willey
Author:
Robert J. Kieber
Author:
Joshua J. Humphreys
Author:
Briana C. Rice
Author:
Mark J. Hopwood
Author:
G. Brooks Avery
Author:
Ralph N. Mead
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