Detection of nitric acid (HNO3) in the atmosphere using the LOPAP technique.

A new instrument (LOPAP: LOng Path liquid Absorption Photometer) for the sensitive detection of nitric acid (HNO₃) in the atmosphere is described. HNO₃ is sampled in a temperature controlled stripping coil mounted in an external sampling module to minimize sampling artefacts in sampling lines. After conversion into a strongly absorbing dye, HNO₃ is detected in long path absorption in special Teflon® AF 2400 tubes used as liquid core wave guides. For the correction of some interferences, due to for example HONO and particle nitrate, two channels are used in series. The interferences from several potential interfering compounds including particle nitrate were quantified in the laboratory and in a large outdoor simulation chamber. With the exception of the interference caused by N₂O₅, which is quantitatively measured by the instrument, all tested interferences can be corrected under atmospheric conditions. Thus, in the instrument only the sum of N( V) from HNO₃ and N₂O₅ is determined, which is expected to be a common problem of wet chemical HNO₃ instruments. The instrument has a detection limit of 5–30 pptv for a time response of 6–2 min, respectively and was validated against the FTIR technique in a large outdoor simulation chamber. In addition, the applicability of the instrument was demonstrated in a field campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]