ALKYL NITRATES AND BIFUNCTIONAL NITRATES OF ATMOSPHERIC INTEREST - HENRY LAW CONSTANTS AND THEIR TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCIES

Henry's law coefficients of 15 alkyl nitrates, keto-, hydroxy-, and dinitrates of atmospheric interest have been measured, mostly over the temperature range 1-25-degrees-C. The compounds are stable in aqueous solution. Where literature data were available, Henry's law coefficients are in very good agreement. It is concluded that dissolution in cloud and rain water is not an important loss process for alkyl mononitrates in the atmosphere. The residence times of the more soluble bifunctional organic nitrates, however, are significantly affected or even controlled by washout and rainout. Gas chromatographic analysis of bifunctional nitrates in preconcentrated atmospheric samples may be adversely affected by the adsorptive properties of these compounds.