Author(s)

L.M. Cardenas, G Mills and S.A. Penkett

Abstract

Tropospheric Measurements of Formaldehyde A contribution to subproject TOR-2 LM Cardenas^, G Mills* and S.A. Penkett* ' University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich, NR4 777, UK ^ Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 SDH, UK Introduction Measurements of formaldehyde (HCHO) are important in order to understand chemical processes occurring in the troposphere. HCHO is the first stable product in the degradation of atmospheric hydrocarbons (Levy, 1971; Zimmerman et al, 1978; Aikin et al, 1982) and is the most abundant carbonyl in the atmosphere. HCHO is also emitted from anthropogenic sources and is considered to be a contaminant in urban areas (Grosjean and Swanson, 1983; Tanner and Meng, 1984). Oxidation of methane (OHU) by OH is the main source of HCHO in the clean marine atmosphere. Oxidation of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) is a significant source in rural continental areas.

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