BEHAVIOR OF ATMOSPHERIC FORMIC AND ACETIC-ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROMETEORS

The partitioning of formic and acetic acid between the atmospheric liquid and gaseous phase is modelled for a range of liquid water contents. At low liquid water content, formic acid is dissolved preferentially over acetic acid. Applying these results to the analysis of processes taking place in clouds, one can explain the frequently found enrichment of formic over acetic acid in rainwater, which results from selective transport by washout. We assess the ability of dew to act as a temporary sink and source for organic acids, and propose that the diel variation of mixing ratios often found during surface measurements, may in part be due to the dissolution in dew and subsequent evaporation on the following day.