Several chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques were applied to Suwanne River reference fulvic acids (FA) and their permethylated derivatives. Retention mechanisms, structural characteristics, and thermal stabilities of FA and its derivatives and fractions were evaluated.

The recombination reaction Na + S02 + Ar was investigated at 787 16 K and at pressures from 1.7 to 80 kPa. NaI vapor was photolyzed by an excimer laser at 308 nm to create Na atoms, whose concentration was monitored by time-resolved resonance absorption at 589 nm. The rate constant at the low pressure limit is ko = (2.7 0.2) x 10-21 cm6 molecule-2 s~1. The Na-SO 2 dissociation energy E0 = 170 35 kJ mol1 was calculated with RRKM theory. The equilibrium constant gave a lower limit E0 > 172 kJ mol~ 1. By combination of these two results, E0 = 190 15 kJ mol~ 1 is obtained. The high pressure limit is k, = (1 - 3) x 10-10 cm3 molecule 1 s~1, depending on the extrapolation method used. Two versions of collision theory were employed to estimate k,.. The 'harpoon' model shows the best agreement with experiment.