Elemental carbon in urban soils and road dusts in Xi'an,China and its implication for air pollution |
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Authors: | YM Han JJ Cao JC Chow JG Watson ZS An SX Liu |
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Institution: | 1. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Urban Ambient Air Particulate Matter Pollution Prevention and Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China;2. Tianjin Environmental Monitoring Center, Tianjin 300191, China |
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Abstract: | Increasing evidence confirms that elemental carbon (EC) is not only a light-absorbing constituent that warms the atmosphere but also a significant environmental pollutant. Investigations were conducted to identify carbonaceous pollution signatures in road dusts and urban soils and to evaluate potential sources in Xi'an. Average concentrations of EC, char-EC, and soot-EC in soils were 0.90, 0.51, and 0.39 mg g?1, respectively, a little higher than or comparable to prior studies on the Loess Plateau. Vertical profiles in soils revealed soot-EC concentrations from pre-industrialized samples close to ~0.20 mg g?1, while EC and char-EC varied widely, with no distinct pattern. Enrichment factor analysis indicated that EC, char-EC, and soot-EC in road dusts were all elevated by an order of magnitude. The spatial distribution of total EC, char-EC, and soot-EC in road dusts revealed close correspondence with human activities such as coal combustion and vehicle emissions. The average char-EC/soot-EC ratio was 1.66 for road dusts, suggesting that the main sources of carbonaceous particles are local coal combustion and vehicle emissions. The study demonstrated that EC, char-EC, and soot-EC levels in road dusts are effective indicators of anthropogenic pollution. |
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