Theoretical calculation of oxygen equilibrium isotope fractionation factors involving various NOy molecules, OH, and H2O and its implications for isotope variations in atmospheric nitrate

The oxygen stable isotope composition (δ18O) of nitrogen oxides [NOx = nitric oxide (NO) + nitrogen dioxide (NO2)] and their oxidation products (NOy = NOx + nitric acid (HNO3) + particulate nitrate (p-NO3−) + nitrate radical (NO3) + dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) + nitrous acid (HONO) + …) have been shown to be a useful tool for inferring the proportion of NOx that is oxidized by ozone (O3). However, isotopic fractionation processes may have an influence on δ18O of various NOy molecules and other atmospheric O-bearing molecules pertinent to NOx oxidation chemistry. Here we have evaluated the impacts of O isotopic exchange involving NOy molecules, the hydroxyl radical (OH), and water (H2O) using reduced partition function ratios (xβ) calculated by hybrid density functional theory. Assuming atmospheric isotopic equilibrium is achieved between NO and NO2 during the daytime, and NO2, NO3, and N2O5 during the nighttime, δ18O-δ15N compositions were predicted for the major atmospheric nitrate formation pathways using our calculated exchange fractionation factors and isotopic mass-balance. Our equilibrium model predicts that various atmospheric nitrate formation pathways, including NO2 + OH → HNO3, N2O5 + H2O + surface → 2HNO3, and NO3 + R → HNO3 + R will yield distinctive δ18O-δ15N compositions. Our calculated δ18O-δ15N compositions match well with previous atmospheric nitrate measurements, and will potentially help better understand the role oxidation chemistry plays on the N and O isotopic composition of atmospheric nitrate.