Photochemical aspects of air pollution in Europe

Abstract

Todays theories on photochemical smog are discussed and new explications of the rapid oxidation of NO to NO2 presented. It is shown that oxygen singlet state can be produced very efficiently in the quenching reactions of excited singlet and triplet states of aromatic hydrocarbons by oxygen. The importance of such processes to the chemistry of polluted atmospheres is discussed, particularly with regard to the symptoms of photochemical pollution in Europe.