Every breath of air we breathe is mostly composed of nitrogen, oxygen, and a small amount of carbon dioxide, but there are trace elements in it that scientists don’t know. Scientists have just detected a completely new compound in the atmosphere that could affect human health and the global climate.
All peroxide compounds have 2 interconnected oxygen atoms, making them highly reactive and flammable and explosive. These compounds, which are used for everything from whitening teeth, cleaning wounds, and even rocket fuel, are also present in the atmosphere.
In recent years, scientists have speculated that there may be trioxide compounds interconnected by 3 oxygen atoms in the atmosphere, which are more reactive and easily oxidized than peroxides, but no clear evidence has been obtained. Until now, Henrik, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen The team of Professor Grum Kjærgaard has finally recorded hydrogen trioxide (ROOOH) in the atmosphere, which is also formed when the atmosphere breaks down several emissions, including isoprene and dimethyl sulfide.
Almost all compounds form hydrogen trioxide in the atmosphere, the researchers said. This compound is extremely oxidizing and can last for minutes to hours after being formed. It may react with other compounds during this period, bringing many of our unknowns. The effects found, such as the ability of trioxides to permeate tiny particles (aerosols) into the air, could lead to respiratory and cardiovascular disease in humans.
While aerosols can have an impact on climate (albeit one of the hardest to describe in climate models), the researchers believe that how much hydrogen trioxide affects the amount of aerosols formed. Of course, these compounds have been in the atmosphere for some time, it’s just that we had no evidence in the past, and now scientists can start to study new chemistries and respond when they pose a danger. In chemistry, often adding a new ingredient can radically change the behavior of a material.
The new paper is published in the journal Science.
(Source of the first image: pixabay)
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