Photodecay of guaiacol is faster in ice, and even more rapid on ice, than in aqueous solution.

Snowpacks contain a wide variety of inorganic and organic compounds, including some that absorb sunlight and undergo direct photoreactions. How the rates of these reactions in, and on, ice compare to rates in water is unclear: some studies report similar rates, while others find faster rates in/on ice. Further complicating our understanding, there is conflicting evidence whether chemicals react more quickly at the air-ice interface compared to in liquid-like regions (LLRs) within the ice.