Earth can clean itself with use of hydroxide, claims study

A recent study suggests that a unique set of atmospheric conditions could generate hydroxide (OH) molecules that facilitate the atmosphere's self-purification process by neutralizing pollutants, even in the absence of sunlight.

The researchers, among them a scholar from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), discovered that a powerful electric field present at the boundary between airborne water droplets and the surrounding air can produce OH through a previously undiscovered process.

According to Sergey Nizkorodov, a professor of chemistry at UCI, the presence of OH is essential to oxidize hydrocarbons and prevent them from accumulating in the atmosphere.


Christian George, the lead author of the study and an atmospheric chemist at the University of Lyon in France, added that OH triggers reactions that decompose airborne pollutants and eliminates harmful chemicals like sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide from the atmosphere.


As a significant participant in atmospheric chemistry, understanding the sources and sinks of OH is crucial in reducing air pollution.

Sergey Nizkorodov noted that it is widely believed that OH is generated via photochemistry or redox chemistry, requiring sunlight or metal catalysts. However, the current study challenges this assumption.

This research builds on previous findings by Stanford University scientists, who reported the spontaneous formation of hydrogen peroxide on water droplet surfaces. The team examined different vials containing varying OH concentrations and determined OH production in the dark by including a "probe" molecule in the vials that fluoresced when reacting with OH.

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