Comment on "Charge-enhanced uptake of SO2 at the water/air interface" [Chem. Phys. Lett. 298 (1998) 183]

Zhang and Aker [Chem. Phys. Lett. 298 (1998) 183] presented experimental re sults from which they concluded that the mass accommodation coefficient (al pha) for SO2 is 0.084 and 0.109 for droplet pH 7 and 12, respectively. Furt her, they stated that a droplet electric charge of -1.14 x 10(-5) C m(-2) c auses alpha to increase by similar to 50%. These conclusions are incorrect. Proper analysis of the data shows that their measurements yield a solubili ty-limited uptake coefficient on the order 10(-4) The mass accommodation co efficient was not measured in the experiment. The observed effect of drople t charge on the uptake cannot be attributed to charge-induced structural or chemical effects on water. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.