Snow chemistry is important because of the impact chemical reactions in snow have on health and the environment. Two complementary experiments were designed to gain quantitative data on the surface-to-air equilibrium of 3-pentanone and acetone in artificial snow as a function of temperature. The data collected will be compared to Henry’s Law constants for gas in equilibrium with aqueous solutions. In one experiment, a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and headspace gas bottles were used to analyze the air over artificial snow made with 5.0 × 10<sup>-2 </sup>M 3-pentanone in water while the temperature of the snow was regulated by a low-temperature thermostat (-30°C to 15°C). Two different sized snow grains were used. It was found that as temperature increased, the concentration in the gas phase also increased. Additionally, there is a greater concentration of 3-pentanone in the gas phase over snow compared to when the snow has melted. The main results from these static experiments is that there is equilibrium between gas and the surface, and the surface area of snow influences the equilibrium. A dynamic experiment was also developed to monitor the desorption of acetone from artificial snow over time at different air flow rates using a mass spectrometer. Both the static and dynamic experiments were conducted to quantify the equilibrium of ketones with snow surfaces and the results will be compared to between the two experiments.

Interaction of small ketones with artificial snow surface

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.