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The halocarbon contamination problem. 1. Atmospheric effects of halocarbons.

Author(s) : THRUSH B. A.

Type of article: Article, IJR article

Summary

The remarkable chemical and biological stability of many halocarbons, which makes them ideal refrigerants and aerosol propellants, has led to their accumulation in the lower atmosphere. In 1974, Rowland and Molina pointed out that these substances would eventually travel up to the stratosphere where they decompose to yield free chlorine atoms which catalytically destroy ozone. Continued release of F11 and F12 at 1973 production rates was calculated to produce an eventual ozone depletion of the order of 10%. Much subsequent research has not modified this estimate to any large extent but has emphasized the considerable uncertainties of such estimates. These uncertainties, and particularly the differences between calculated and measured concentrations of chlorine species in the atmosphere, will be considered. Other topics to be discussed are the difficulties of detecting ozone depletions and the atmospheric lifetimes of plausible substitutes as refrigerants for the fully halogenated methanes and ethanes. Recent developments have modified our views on both these topics.

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Pages: 145-147

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Details

  • Original title: The halocarbon contamination problem. 1. Atmospheric effects of halocarbons.
  • Record ID : 30000845
  • Languages: English
  • Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 2 - n.5
  • Publication date: 1979/09

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