In the atmosphere, photolysis of formaldehyde generates H and HCO radicals, which then react with O2 to form HO2 (important in converting atmospheric carbon to CO2). Now it has been shown that internally excited formaldehyde can also react with atmospheric O2 to make HO2 in a direct, one-step ‘photophysical oxidation’, a mechanism likely to be general in the troposphere.
- Blair A. Welsh
- Maggie E. Corrigan
- Scott H. Kable
