Abstract
The conversion of SO2 gas to sulfuric acid particles is a very important problem in the air pollution control. A new approach using a PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) technique is attempted to determine the conversion rate of SO2 to H2SO4 particles. Sulfuric acid particles were formed photochemically in the SO2/clean air or SO2/atmospheric air systems using a flow type smog chamber. The total number concentration was monitored with a CNC and the particle size distribution was measured with an EAA. Sulfuric acid particles were collected onto the 0.2 μm pore-size Nuclepore filter to determine the conversion rate. The first order conversion rates of SO2 to H2SO4 particles ranged from 0.007 to 0.035 h-1 under the conditions of dry(<2 % r.h.)-80 % r.h., 5-20 ppm SO2 and 75-300 s reaction time.
