Perchlorate in stratospheric aerosol particles.

ABSTRACT: Perchlorate is a toxic, regulated contaminant in drinking water. According to previous isotopic studies, much of the perchlorate deposited to the Earth's surface is formed in the atmosphere, with ³⁶Cl suggesting a large contribution from the stratosphere. Here, we present measurements of perchlorate in stratospheric aerosol particles and confirm that the stratosphere is an important source of perchlorate, whereas we did not observe production in the troposphere. Mass mixing ratios of aerosol perchlorate in the stratosphere were 1 to 10 parts per trillion by mass (pptm), with the highest concentrations observed in summer and in the Southern Hemisphere. Almost all of the perchlorate is in biomass burning and nitrogen-rich particles, despite those types contributing only a few perc

SUBMITTER: Murphy DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12337282 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature