Insights into the behavior of nonanoic acid and its conjugate base at the air/water interface through a combined experimental and theoretical approach.

ABSTRACT: The partitioning of medium-chain fatty acid surfactants such as nonanoic acid (NA) between the bulk phase and the air/water interface is of interest to a number of fields including marine and atmospheric chemistry. However, questions remain about the behavior of these molecules, the contributions of various relevant chemical equilibria, and the impact of pH, salt and bulk surfactant concentrations. In this study, the surface adsorption of nonanoic acid and its conjugate base is quantitatively investigated at various pH values, surfactant concentrations and the presence of salts. Surface concentrations of protonated and deprotonated species are dictated by surface-bulk equilibria which can be calculated from thermodynamic considerations. Notably we conclude that the surface dissociation con

SUBMITTER: Luo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7583472 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature