Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol.99, No.23, 9313-9315, 1995
Evidence for Adsorbed SO2 at the Aqueous Air Interface
We present direct experimental evidence for the existence of a surface-bound state of partially hydrated SO2 on water. Surface second harmonic generation (SHG) and static surface tension measurements are used to examine the SO2 surface coverage as a function of its bulk aqueous concentration. The results indicate a Langmuir-type adsorption of SO2 at the air-water interface. These experiments represent the first report of the application of surface SHG techniques to detect gas adsorption onto a liquid surface.