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Photooxidation of chloride by oxide minerals: implications for perchlorate on Mars
Jennifer D Schuttlefield1, Justin B Sambur, Melissa Gelwicks
1Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States.
Abstract:
We show that highly oxidizing valence band holes, produced by ultraviolet (UV) illumination of naturally occurring semiconducting minerals, are capable of oxidizing chloride ion to perchlorate in aqueous solutions at higher rates than other known natural perchlorate production processes. Our results support an alternative to atmospheric reactions leading to the formation of high concentrations of perchlorate on Mars.
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