Organic hydrotrioxides (ROOOH), an extremely uncommon reactive chemical, have been detected in the Earth's atmosphere for the first time. The news came after University of Copenhagen scientists partnered with worldwide colleagues to record the creation of trioxides.
The oxidizing chemical molecule has a significant impact on human health and the global climate. Peroxides, which have two oxygen atoms bonded, are more reactive than these.
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Rare Highly-Reactive Chemical Found in Earth's Atmosphere
Professor Henrik Grum Kjaergaard of the University of Copenhagen's Department of Chemistry said in a SciTech Daily report: "This is what we have now accomplished."
According to the professor, the structure of the chemicals found by the researchers is unique because these compounds are highly oxidizing. Thus, they are likely to have various side effects that we have yet to discover.
The researchers noted that hydrotrioxides are generated during atmospheric degradation. They release various chemical compounds, including isoprene and dimethyl sulfide.
They are created by the reaction of two different kinds of radicals. Almost all chemical substances, according to experts, will generate hydrotrioxides in the atmosphere. Their life expectancy is estimated to be between minutes and hours.
Jing Chen, a Ph.D. student at the Department of Chemistry and the study's second author, said it was "significant" that they were able to show that the said compounds were formed in the atmosphere and were actually stable. Furthermore, they were formed from almost all chemical compounds.
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Trioxide, Aerosols and Climate Change
Almost all chemical substances, according to researchers, may generate trioxides in the atmosphere, with lifetimes ranging from minutes to hours. As a result, these molecules are stable enough to react with various other atmospheric chemicals.
Researchers mentioned that trioxides might be able to infiltrate tiny airborne particles called aerosols, which can be readily absorbed and cause various health problems, including cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Furthermore, these aerosols may considerably influence climate change, Earth.com reported.
Aerosols absorb and reflect sunlight, affecting the Earth's thermal balance - the percentage of sunlight that the Earth absorbs and emits back into space. Aerosols absorb chemicals, proliferate, and contribute to cloud formation, which impacts the Earth's climate.
More study is needed to understand the entire spectrum of consequences that atmospheric trioxides may have on human health and the climate, as well as to design targeted remedies if they are shown to be harmful. Furthermore, further research into the atmosphere's chemical makeup is required to find other possibly dangerous compounds.
The discovery shows that there may be a lot more substances in the air that people may not be aware of. The air we breathe is, in fact, a massive tangle of intricate chemical interactions. If we want to improve our ability to uncover solutions as researchers, we must retain an open mind.
The research, "Hydrotrioxide (ROOOH) formation in the atmosphere," was published in Science.
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