Nitrogen Oxide - NO_x

NO_x

NO_x (often written NOx) refers to NO and NO₂. They are produced during combustion, especially at high temperature. These two chemicals are important trace species in Earth's atmosphere. In the troposphere, during daylight, NO reacts with partly oxidized organic species (or the peroxy radical) to form NO₂, which is then photolyzed by sunlight to reform NO:

NO + CH₃O₂ → NO₂ + CH₃O

NO₂ + sunlight → NO + O

The oxygen atom formed in the second reaction then goes on to form ozone; this series of reactions is the main source of tropospheric ozone. CH₃O₂ is just one example of many partly oxidized organic molecules that can react with NO to form NO₂.

These reactions are rather fast so NO and NO₂ cycle, but the sum of their concentration ( + ) tends to remain fairly constant. Because of this cycling, it is convenient to think of the two chemicals as a group; hence the term NO_x.

In addition to acting as a main precursor for tropospheric ozone, NO_x is also harmful to human health in its own right.

NO_x may react with water to make nitric acid, which may end up in the soil, where it makes nitrate, which is of use to growing plants.