Phase partitioning of phenol and nitrophenols in clouds

During five different cloud events at the summit of Great Dun Fell (GDF) the gas and liquid phases of clouds were collected simultaneously. Phenol, 2-nitrophenol (2-NP), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) and dinitroorthocresol (DNOC) were analysed in both phases and their partitioning between the phases was studied. The Henry constants derived from the field experiments were compared with those calculated from data for water solubility and vapour pressure and with experimentally determined Henry constants. For 4-nitrophenol the observed distribution between cloud water and air shows significantly higher gas-phase values than expected. For 2-nitrophenol an enrichment in the liquid phase was found. The experimental partitioning coefficients of the other phenols are in agreement with the published values. Reasons for the observed deviations from Henryʹs law are discussed.