Previous research has established that up to one third of the hydroxyl radicals formed in the lower atmosphere come from the photochemical breakdown of nitrous acid (HONO).
To test their idea, they measured the concentration of HONO - a chemical term for gaseous nitrous acid - that escaped from a defined volume of arable soil.
Yuan, Effect of Free Ammonia and Free
Nitrous Acid Concentration on the Anabolic and Catabolic Processes of an Enriched Nitrosomonas Culture, Biotechnol Bioeng.
Unvented gas appliances are the main source of nitrous acid indoors.
Since most vehicle engines emit some nitrous acid that can infiltrate the passenger compartments, tests were also conducted on surfaces inside the truck of a heavy smoker, including the surface of a stainless steel glove compartment.
Dermal uptake of the nicotine through a child's skin is likely to occur when the smoker returns and if nitrous acid is in the air, which it usually is, then TSNAs will be formed," said Lara Gundel, one of the study authors.
What we see in this study is that the reactions of residual nicotine with nitrous acid at surface interfaces are a potential cancer hazard, and these results may be just the tip of the iceberg," Asotra added.
Identification and measurement of
nitrous acid in an indoor environment.
Nitrous acid (HONO) is one of the possible gaseous products of heterogeneous N[O.
Laboratory studies of the kinetics of formation of nitrous acid from the thermal reaction of nitrogen dioxide and water vapour.
Nitrous acid formation in an experimental exposure chamber.
3], and nitrous acid in homes with and without kerosene space heaters.
