Soil surface acidity plays a determining role in the atmospheric-terrestrial exchange of nitrous acid

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  • Melissa A. Donaldson
    School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-2204;
  • David L. Bish
    Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-1405; and
  • Jonathan D. Raff
    School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-2204;

Abstract

<jats:title>Significance</jats:title> <jats:p>Nitrous acid (HONO) emitted from soil plays an important role in regulating the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere. Unexpectedly high emissions of HONO are observed from soils with close to neutral pH, where aqueous acid–base and Henry’s law equilibria would predict that nitrite is the dominant nitrogen species. We show that surface acidity of soil minerals rather than aqueous acid–base equilibria controls nitrite speciation in soil, implying that up to 70% of global soils are capable of emitting HONO due to their acidic or close to neutral pH; this suggests that soil nitrite, whether microbially derived or otherwise deposited, likely plays a more widespread role in terrestrial–atmospheric cycling of nitrogen affecting air pollution and climate than previously thought.</jats:p>

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