Imidazole-2-carboxaldehyde (IC) reactivity in the presence of halide anions (Cl−, Br−, I−) has been studied by laser flash photolysis in aqueous solution at room temperature. Iodide anions showed to be efficient quenchers of triplet state IC. We suggest that this type of quenching reaction is a driving force of oxidation reactions in the oceanic surface micro-layer (SML) and a source of halogen atoms in the atmosphere.
This study has been funded by the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC Grant Agreement 290852–AIRSEA.