ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Structural Characterization of Fatty Acid Films on Rain Water: a Scaling Approach Using Physical Attributes
A. Z. Mazurek, S. J. Pogorzelski, A. D. Kogut
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Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Gdańsk,
Wita Stwosza 57, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2006;15(6):877-884
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ABSTRACT
A complete compositional or structural description of naturally-occurring surfactants on rain water is not currently feasible. A main limitation of previous work has been the lack of means for correlating force-area characteristics with the chemical makeup of the films. Instead of analyzing the chemical composition of rain waterfilm-forming organics, it is postulated here to introduce the novel scaling procedures (2D virial equation of state and 2d polymer film scaling theory) applied to the surface pressure-area (π-A) isotherms and surface pressure-temperature (π-t) isochors and resulting from generalized physical formalisms modified to a multicomponent surfactant film. A set of the introduced structural film state parameters (π, Γ, Alim, Eisoth, y, R, Mw, βs) could become sensitive indicators for surface-active source-specific organic matter pathway tracing, where the measurement of surfactant concentration and chemical analyses are avoided. The concept is quantified using the Langmuir trough film and disdrometer data on a set of rain water events observed in Gdańsk, Poland in May 2002.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.