The HOCl heterogeneous reaction on frozen natural (NSS) and recrystallized (RSS) sea salt KCl and NaCl solutions was studied using a low pressure flow reactor in order to measure the uptake coefficient gamma and products of reaction The HOCl sample used in these experiments always contained up to 25% Cl2O which was also studied separately as a pure gas in order to understand the heterogeneous chemistry of both gases By performing HOCl uptake on frozen NSS solution at 200 K and a gas phase residence time of (1 6 +/- 0 6) s we obtained a steady state uptake coefficient gamma(HOCl) (on NSS) = (2 5 +/- 0 7) X 10(-3) and gamma(Cl2O on NSS) = (2 8 +/- 0 8) X 10(-3) On frozen KCl solution at 200 K we obtain gamma(HOCl on KCl) = (2 8 +/- 1 3) X 10(-3) identical to NSS and gamma(Cl2O on) (KCl) = (4 6 +/- 0 8) X 10(-4) The main product formed during the uptake, on frozen NSS solution is Cl-2 which is sustained for at least one hour In contrast only a transient Cl-2 flow (pulse) decreasing on the time scale of 100 s was observed on frozen KCl (NaCl) solution 25 +/- 10 % of the HOCl taken up on all chloride containing frozen substrates at 200 K react to produce Cl-2 at high HOCl concentration (4 5 X 10(11) molecule cm(-3)) and at a residence time of 1 6 s in comparison with twice that for Cl2O For smaller concentrations such as [HOCl] = 3 7 X 10(10) molecule cm(-3) and/or a shorter residence time (0 137 +/- 0 004s) HOCl uptake did not generate Cl-2 in contrast to Cl2O A single Br-2 burst event was monitored when a Cl2O or HOCl/Cl2O mixture is taken up on fresh frozen NSS solution during the first uptake at 200 K Further Cl2O or HOCl/Cl2O uptake on the same sample even after annealing at 240 K does not show an additional Br-2 pulse This Br-2 release may be significant in the autocatalytic ozone destruction mechanism in the troposphere during polar sunrise Some of the atmospheric implications of the present results are highlighted with emphasis on the preequilibrium Cl2O(ads) + H2O(ice) reversible arrow 2 HOCl(ads) between adsorbed HOCl and Cl2O with the latter being the gateway to reactive uptake of HOCl at low temperatures