The atmosphere's primary oxidizing agent, this is an ionic (electrically charged) molecule composed of one oxygen and one hydrogen atom (OH). Present as a gas in the atmosphere, hydroxyl reacts easily with methane; this reaction leads to the production of CO and CO2. Because it reacts in this way with several different compounds, including CFCs, hydroxyl (which is only present as a gas, in minute quantities in the atmosphere) is dubbed "the detergent of the atmosphere." 


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