Accelerated Zymonic Acid Formation from Pyruvic Acid at the Interface of Aqueous Nanodroplets.

To explore the role of the liquid interface in mediating reactivity in small compartments, the formation kinetics of zymonic acid (ZA) is measured in submicron aerosols (average radius = 240 nm) using mass spectrometry. The formation of ZA, from a condensation reaction of two pyruvic acid (PA) molecules, proceeds over days in bulk solutions, while in submicron aerosols, it occurs in minutes. The experimental results are replicated in a kinetic model using an apparent interfacial reaction rate coefficient of = (0.

Oxygen Effect on the Ultraviolet-C Photochemistry of Lactic Acid.

Lactic acid, a small α-hydroxyacid, is ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments. Recently, the photochemistry of lactic acid has garnered interest among the abiotic organic chemistry community as it would have been present in abiotic settings and photoactive with the high-energy solar radiation that would have been available in the low oxygen early Earth environment. Additionally, we propose that the photochemistry of lactic acid is relevant to modern Earth during indoor ultraviolet-C (UVC) sterilization procedures as lactic acid is emitted by humans and is thus prevalent in indoor environments where UVC sterilization is increasingly being used.

Infrared Reflection-Absorption Spectroscopy of α-Hydroxyacids at the Water-Air Interface.

Organic molecules, including α-hydroxyacids, are ubiquitous in the natural environment. Often found at water-air interfaces, organic molecules can alter the structure of the interface or participate in interfacial chemistry. Despite their prevalence in the environment, the structure and ordering of α-hydroxyacids have not been widely investigated at water-air interfaces, and the impact of the hydrophobic tail length on structure has not been explored.

Spectroscopy of Retinoic Acid at the Air-Water Interface.

The spectroscopy of all--retinoic acid (ATRA), an important molecule of biological origin that can be found in nature, is investigated at the air-water interface using UV-Vis and IR reflection spectroscopy. We employ a UV-Vis reflection absorption spectroscopy (RAS) experiment along with infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IR-RAS) to probe ATRA at the air-water interface. We elucidate the factors influencing the spectroscopy of ATRA at the air-water interface and compare its spectra at the water surface with results of bulk samples obtained with conventional spectroscopic methods and computational chemistry.