Multivariate statistics to investigate metal contamination in surface soil

The modification of soil composition in the urbanized area of Ankara due to wet-dry deposition and pollution-derived particles from the atmosphere is investigated by analyzing 120 surface soil samples, collected from the urbanized area and its un-urbanized surrounding, for major, minor and trace elements. Concentrations of elements from human activity (e.g. Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu and Ca) in the urbanized area were higher than their corresponding concentrations in global average soil and soil in un-urbanized areas outside the urbanized area. Metal contents in soil were very high in densely populated districts and around some industrial facilities. The only exception was Pb distribution, which was more dispersed, due to the nature of motor vehicle emissions. Alteration of the Cd, Zn, Cu and Cr content of soil was confined to the inhabited and industrial areas, whereas enrichment factors of these elements were close to unity in the remaining study area. Factor analysis identified two polluted soil factor associations. One factor includes elements, such as Zn and Cd, which had high factor scores in inhabited areas and the other factor (high loading of Pb) represents soil polluted by motor vehicle emissions.     

Ubiquity of bisphenol A in the atmosphere

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a suspected endocrine disruptor in the environment. However, little is known about its distribution and transport in the atmosphere. Here, the concentrations of BPA in the atmospheric aerosols from urban, rural, marine, and the polar regions were measured using solvent extraction/derivatization and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique. The concentrations of BPA (1-17,400 pg m⁻³) ranged over 4 orders of magnitude in the world with a declining trend from the continent (except for the Antarctica) to remote sites. A positive correlation was found between BPA and 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene, a tracer for plastic burning, in urban regions, indicating that the open burning of plastics in domestic waste should be a significant emission source of atmospheric BPA. Our results suggest that the ubiquity of BPA in the atmosphere may raise a requirement for the evaluation of health effects of BPA in order to control its emission sources, for example, from plastic burning.     

Phenol transformation induced by UVA photolysis of the complex FeCl<Superscript>2+</Superscript>

Here we show that the photolysis of FeCl²⁺ upon UV irradiation of Fe(III) at pH 0.5, yielding Cl^• and then Cl₂^−•, upon further reaction with Cl⁻, induces phenol degradation. The photolysis of FeCl²⁺ can be highlighted and studied as the huge interference by FeOH²⁺ can be avoided under such conditions. Our data allowed the assessment of a photolysis quantum yield for FeCl²⁺ of 5.8 × 10⁻⁴ under UVA irradiation, much lower compared to the literature value of 0.5. The discrepancy can be explained if the photolysis process is efficient but photoformed Fe²⁺ and Cl^• undergo recombination inside the solvent cage.     

Iron isotopic fractionation in industrial emissions and urban aerosols

A study on tropospheric aerosols involving Fe particles with an industrial origin is tackled here. Aerosols were collected at the largest exhausts of a major European steel metallurgy plant and around its near urban environment. A combination of bulk and individual particle analysis performed by SEM–EDX provides the chemical composition of Fe-bearing aerosols emitted within the factory process (hematite, magnetite and agglomerates of these oxides with sylvite (KCl), calcite (CaCO₃) and graphite carbon). Fe isotopic compositions of those emissions fall within the range (0.08‰ < δ⁵⁶Fe < +0.80‰) of enriched ores processed by the manufacturer (−0.16‰ < δ⁵⁶Fe < +1.19‰). No significant evolution of Fe fractionation during steelworks processes is observed. At the industrial source, Fe is mainly present as oxide particles, to some extent in 3–4 μm aggregates. In the close urban area, 5 km away from the steel plant, individual particle analysis of collected aerosols presents, in addition to the industrial particle type, aluminosilicates and related natural particles (gypsum, quartz, calcite and reacted sea salt). The Fe isotopic composition (δ⁵⁶Fe = 0.14 ± 0.11‰) measured in the close urban environment of the steel metallurgy plant appears coherent with an external mixing of industrial and continental Fe-containing tropospheric aerosols, as evidenced by individual particle chemical analysis. Our isotopic data provide a first estimation of an anthropogenic source term as part of the study of photochemically promoted dissolution processes and related Fe fractionations in tropospheric aerosols.     

Deposition and Resuspension of Selected Aerosols Particles on Electrically Charged Filter Materials for Respiratory Protective Devices

The primary aim of the study was to analyse the non-steady state of filtration for selected electrostatic filter materials designed for use in respiratory protective devices. The obtained results showed that the filtration process in electrostatic filters was dependent in the main on the following factors: type of the filter material, electrostatic field strength of the material, and the charge of the aerosol.

To a lesser degree the filtration process depended on the sign of the charge and the relative humidity of the air. A significant correlation was found between the increase in the penetration and the decrease in breathing resistance while the filter was being loaded.

The effect of resuspension (tearing off and re-deposition of dust agglomerates inside the filter) on the filtration process very significant. It was also observed that under certain conditions electrostatic filter materials lost their protection properties.     

青岛近海不同天气状况下大气气溶胶中金属元素浓度分布特征研究

为探究青岛近海不同天气下气溶胶中金属元素的浓度分布特征,于2012年4~5月,2012年8月~2013年3月在青岛近海采集了总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)样品,利用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)和电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICPAES)分析了主要微量金属元素.结果表明,Al、Ca、Fe、Na、K和Mg是TSP中主要的金属元素,质量浓度占所测元素总浓度的94.2%.TSP及金属元素浓度月变化明显,Fe、Al、K、Ca、Mg、Zn、Ba、Mn、Ti、Sr和Li均在11月和1月浓度最高,Be、Sc、Co、Ni和Cr在1月最高,Na在8、11和2月较高,12月最低,Pb在1月和2月最高,8月和12月最低.富集因子表明Be、Co、Al、Ca、Fe、K、Mg、Mn、Sr和Ti主要受自然源影响,Li、Cr、Ni、Zn、Ba和Na除受自然源外,还受部分人为源影响,Pb主要来自人为源.不同天气状况对TSP及其金属元素浓度影响较大,除Ti外,所测元素浓度均在烟雾天最高.与晴天相比,烟雾天除Ti外,其余元素均升高,增幅为1~4倍,雾天Li、Be、Cr、Ni、Al、Fe、Mg和Mn变化不大,Pb和Na升高较多,Co、Ca和Ti降低较多,霾天Cr、Co和Ti降低,其余元素浓度升高,增幅为1~3倍.大部分元素在晴天富集因子最小,雾天富集因子最大.Ni、Zn、Ba、K、Na、Pb和Sr富集因子为晴<霾<烟雾<雾,Fe和Mn为晴<烟雾<霾<雾,Al和Mg为晴<雾<霾<烟雾,其余金属不同天气下富集因子的变化规律各不相同.     

Haze insights and mitigation in China: An overview

The present article provides an overview of the chemical and physical features of haze in China, focusing on the relationship between haze and atmospheric fine particles, and the formation mechanism of haze. It also summarizes several of control technologies and strategies to mitigate the occurrence of haze. The development of instruments and the analysis of measurements of ambient particles and precursor concentrations have provided important information about haze formation. Indeed, the use of new instruments has greatly facilitated current haze research in China. Examples of insightful results include the relationship between fine particles and haze, the chemical compositions and sources of particles, the impacts of the aging process on haze formation, and the application of technologies that control the formation of haze. Based on these results, two relevant issues need to be addressed： understanding the relationship between haze and fine particles and understanding how to control PM2.5.     

环上海地区干霾气溶胶垂直分布的季节变化特征

采用2007年1月～2010年11月美国国家航空航天局(NASA)的CALIPSO星载激光雷达L1产品,通过532 nm总后向散射系数、体积退偏比和色比,分析了环上海地区干霾期间气溶胶光学和微物理属性的垂直分布特征.结果表明,干霾时各高度层中,0～2.0 km高度层的大气散射能力最强,且主要是规则气溶胶;2.0～8.0 km范围内各高度层大气散射强度、气溶胶规则性较接近;8.0～10.0 km高度层的大气散射能力最弱,且不规则气溶胶所占比例在各高度层中最大;细粒子气溶胶在各高度层均占主导地位,其中2.0～8.0 km范围内各高度层的细粒子气溶胶所占比例较大.春季大颗粒、不规则气溶胶所占比例大;夏季细粒子、规则气溶胶所占比例大.分析2007年5月7日个例发现,气溶胶粒子主要聚集在0～1.5 km范围内,在4.0～5.5 km范围内局部聚集;通过HYSPLIT轨迹模式分析表明,除本地排放的气溶胶粒子外,源于蒙古、中国西北和北部远程输送的沙尘也对霾产生了影响.     

华北地区霾期间对流层中低层气溶胶垂直分布

基于美国宇航局(NASA)的CALIPSO星载激光雷达监测数据,通过分析总后向散射系数、体积退偏比和色比,对华北地区2007年1月1日至2008年12月31日期间出现灰霾时对流层中低层气溶胶光学和微物理特性的垂直分布进行了研究.结果表明:灰霾期间对于4 km以下的对流层中低层大气总体来说,非球形气溶胶出现频率略高于球形气溶胶,小粒径气溶胶出现频率高于大粒径气溶胶.在4 km以下的大气中,气溶胶出现频率在1 ～2 km高度范围内最高,在2～3 km高度范围内最低;球形气溶胶在2～3 km高度范围内出现频率最高,非球形气溶胶出现频率在1 ～2 km高度范围内最高;大粒径气溶胶在l～2 km高度范围内出现频率最高,小粒径气溶胶在0～1 km高度范围内出现频率最高.     

西安泾河夏季黑碳气溶胶及其吸收特性的观测研究

为研究西安泾河夏季黑碳气溶胶及其吸收特性,利用2011年夏季西安远郊泾河大气成分站观测的黑碳气溶胶浓度、颗粒物质量浓度、探空资料、地面气象资料,计算边界层顶高度、气溶胶吸收系数、大气消光系数,导出单次散射反照率,并对其进行分析讨论.结果表明:西安夏季黑碳气溶胶浓度为6.07μg/m3;黑碳气溶胶占颗粒物质量浓度PM1.0比值为21.9%,黑碳气溶胶与颗粒物质量浓度PM1.0、PM2.5、PM10相关系数分别为0.69、0.85、0.91;黑碳气溶胶浓度受城市边界层顶高度影响,风向、风速对泾河黑碳气溶胶的堆积输送有不同作用;气溶胶吸收系数和大气消光系数日变化显著,气溶胶吸收系数占大气消光系数比值范围在12%~30%;季单次散射反照率平均值为0.76,变化范围在0.70~0.84.