Freeze-Induced Formation of Bromine/Chlorine Interhalogen Species from Aqueous Halide Ion Solutions

Both gaseous bromine and bromine chloride have been monitored in polar environments and implicated in the destruction of tropospheric ozone. The formation mechanisms operating for these halogen compounds have been suggested previously. However, few laboratory studies have been performed using environmentally relevant concentrations of bromide and chloride ions in polar ice mimics. In aqueous solutions held at room temperature, previous studies have shown that the major product is the Cl₂Br¯ trihalide ion when solutions of bromate, hydrochloric acid, and bromide ions are left to equilibrate. In contrast, the results of the cryochemical experiments presented here suggest that the dibromochloride ion (BrBrCl¯) is the major product when solutions of bromate, sulfuric acid, bromide, and chloride ions are frozen. Such a species would preferentially release bromine to the gas phase. Hence, similar halide starting materials form structurally different trihalide ions when frozen, which are capable of releasing differing active halogens, BrCl and Br₂, to the gas-phase. This is a potentially important finding because Br₂ is photolyzed more readily and to longer wavelengths than BrCl and therefore the efficiency in forming products that can lead to ozone destruction in the atmosphere would be increased. Evidence is provided for the mechanism to occur by means of both the freeze-concentration effect and the incorporation of ions into the growing ice phase.