Adsorption sites, adsorption enthalpies and potential removal of terpenoids by atmospheric ice

Abstract Ice crystal formation and its effect on atmospheric trace gases are currently an important area of research because of its radiation and climate effects. However, the processes of adsorption of trace gases on ice surfaces and absorption into ice crystals are poorly understood. Both processes are investigated by lattice-energy minimisation for a selected number of atmospherically relevant volatile organic compounds, i.e. isoprene, methacrolein, acetone, methylbutenol, perillyl alcohol and 2,10-pinanediol, which can be considered as exemplary substances for similar structured compounds. Adsorption and absorption geometries and enthalpies are computed and the potential uptake strength is approximated. According to our calculations non-polar terpenes like isoprene are not significantly adsorbed by ice crystals. Oxidized terpenoids have stronger interactions with the ice surface (at least two hydrogen bonds) leading to larger adsorption enthalpies. Absorption into the ice crystal plays only a minor role. Correspondingly, in the atmosphere terpenoid compounds are increasingly adsorbed to ice surfaces with increasing oxygen numbers. Subsequently this process can contribute to the wet removal of terpenoids by ice, which is so far ignored in global transport models.