Homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions of atmospheric mercury(II) with sulfur(IV)

S.L. Scott; H. Yusuf; N. Lahoutifard; K. Mander

doi:doi:10.1051/jp4:20030516

Numéro		J. Phys. IV France Volume 107, May 2003


Page(s)		1201 - 1204
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:20030516

J. Phys. IV France 107 (2003) 1201
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:20030516

Homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions of atmospheric mercury(II) with sulfur(IV)

S.L. Scott^{1, 2}, H. Yusuf¹, N. Lahoutifard¹ and K. Mander^{1, 3}

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
² Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, U.S.A.
³ School of Chemistry, The University of Reading, P.O. Box 224, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, U.K.

Abstract
Atmospheric models suggest that the reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(O) by S(IV) prolongs the residence time of mercury. The redox reaction was investigated both in the aqueous phase (where the reductant is sulfite) and on particulate matter (where the reductant in SO ₂(g)). In both cases, one of the ultimate products is HgS. A mechanism is proposed involving formation of Hg(O) followed by mercury-induced disproportionation of SO ₂.