title: Atmospheric lifetime of fluorotelomer alcohols.
abstract: Relative rate techniques were used to study the kinetics of the reactions of Cl atoms and OH radicals with a series of fluorotelomer alcohols, F(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2OH (n = 2, 3, 4), in 700 Torr of N2 or air, diluent at 296 +/- 2K. The length of the F(CF2CF2)n- group had no discernible impact on the reactivity of the molecule. For n = 2, 3, or 4, k(Cl + F(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2OH) = (1.61 +/- 0.49) x 10(-11) and k(OH + F(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2OH) = (1.07 +/- 0.22) x 10(-12) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). Consideration of the likely rates of other possible atmospheric loss mechanisms leads to the conclusion that the atmospheric lifetime of F(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2OH (n > or = 2) is determined by reaction with OH radicals and is approximately 20 d.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3H6.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mabury
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: M P Sulbaek
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wallington
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006207:Half-Life; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D016877:Oxidants / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D016877:Oxidants; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid