Characteristics of airborne particles inside southern California museums

The concentrations and chemical composition of suspended particulate matter were measured in both the fine and total size modes inside and outside five southern California museums over summer and winter periods. The seasonally averaged indoor/outdoor ratios for particulate matter mass concentrations ranged from 0.16 to 0.96 for fine particles and from 0.06 to 0.53 for coarse particles, with the lower values observed for buildings with sophisticated ventilation systems which include filters for particulate matter removal. Museums with deliberate particle filtration systems showed indoor fine particle concentrations generally averaging less than 10 μg m⁻³. One museum with no environmental control system showed indoor fine particle concentrations averaging nearly 60 μg m⁻³ in winter and coarse particle concentrations in the 30–40 μg m⁻³ range. Analyses of indoor vs outdoor concentrations of major chemical species indicated that indoor sources of organic matter may exist at all sites, but that none of the other measured species appear to have major indoor sources at the museums studied. Significant fractions of the dark-colored fine elemental (black) carbon and soil dust particles present in outdoor air are able to penetrate to the indoor atmosphere of the museums studied, and may constitute a soiling hazard to works of art displayed in museums.     

The transport of Cu and Zn from agricultural soils to surface water in a small catchment

Long-term manure-borne copper and zinc inputs (18–324 mg Cu m⁻² yr⁻¹ and 100–800 mg Zn m⁻² yr⁻¹) to grassland soils resulted in their catchment in water concentrations that often exceeded the surface water quality criteria (2 μg Cu l⁻¹ and 5 μg Zn l⁻¹). This paper compares retention and release of Cu and Zn by two types of soil, a mineral soil (MS) and a dark colored soil rich in organic matter (OS). On the basis of dry soil mass, the OS has a higher retention/affinity for Cu and Zn than the MS, but much less Zn accumulated in the MS when compared on an areal basis. This is largely because of the much smaller bulk OS density and larger dissolved metal concentrations in the OS drainage than that for the MS. However, because of the greater water retention capacity of the OS, elevated metal concentrations in the soil solution do not necessarily cause greater loss to water. It is concluded that artificially drained OS can contribute significantly to the observed elevated Cu and Zn concentrations of the river, especially during relatively dry weather conditions when the contribution of water seeping from OS to the total river water discharge becomes increasingly important.     

Monitoring the dry deposition of SO2 in the Netherlands: Results for grassland and heather vegetation

An automated system based on the micrometeorological gradient technique has been developed to measure the dry deposition of SO₂ on a routine basis. Measurements were made at two locations in the Netherlands. From these results dry deposition fluxes, dry deposition velocities and surface resistances for a heathland and for an agricultural grassland site were estimated using a selected set of data and a calculation procedure based on micrometeorological considerations. An extensive analysis was made to determine uncertainties in the resulting deposition parameters. From this analysis it has been concluded that the uncertainty in these parameters is almost completely determined by the random errors in measured concentrations. The meteorological surface exchange parameters can be estimated sufficiently accurately (<20% uncertainty). At the grassland site, average surface resistances to deposition of 6(±8) and 13(±12) s m⁻¹ were calculated for wet and dry conditions, respectively. At the heathland site, a similar distinct difference between R_c values for wet and dry conditions was found. These values are 20(±21) and 70(±90) s m⁻¹, respectively. The yearly average dry deposition flux for SO₂ at the grassland site amounts to 585(±330) mol ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, while at the heathland site the yearly average flux was 300(±270) mol ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. The yearly average dry deposition velocity at 4 m height was 1.2(±0.3) cm s⁻¹ at the grassland site and 0.8(±0.4) cm s⁻¹ at the heathland site.     

A chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosol in Sapporo

Monthly mean chemical composition of aerosol with diameter less than 8 μm was identified in Sapporo in 1982. The mass of aerosol was made up of nine components: elemental C, organics, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺, Cl⁻, Na⁺, soil particles and water. The concentrations of carbonaceous particles (elemental C and organics) was relatively high (12.7–16.0μ m⁻³) in autumn and winter (October–February) due to emission from domestic heating and comprised 36–41% of total aerosol mass. Higher concentration of soil particles was observed in spring (March–May) (9.7–13.1 μg m⁻³) and comprised 22–29% of total aerosol mass due to suspension by strong wind. On the other hand, the concentration of excess SO₄²⁻ (non-sea salt SO₄²⁻), which ranged from 2.6–5.2 μg m⁻³, did not change remarkably with season, and the fraction of excess sulfate increased to 21% in summer (July–August) probably due to photochemical transformation from SO₂. Nitrate concentration was far less than that of SO₄²⁻ throughout the year in Sapporo.     

Deposition and forest canopy interactions of airborne sulfur: Results from the integrated forest study

The Integrated Forest Study (IFS) was a long-term research project designed to determine the effects of atmospheric deposition on forest nutrient cycles. Concentrations and fluxes of airborne sulfur compounds were determined for several years at the 13 IFS research forests in North America and Europe using a standard set of protocols. Annual mean air concentrations of sulfur ranged from ∼1.5 to 8 μgSm⁻³ and were generally dominated by SO₂ (∼60% of total sulfur on the average). Atmospheric deposition of sulfate at these forests was highest at the high elevation (∼ 1000–2000 eq ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) and at the southeastern U.S. sites (∼800–1000 eq ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), and lowest in the Pacific northwest (∼300 eq ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). Cloud water contributed significantly to the sulfur flux at the mountain sites (45–50%), and dry deposition was comparable to wet at the drier southeastern sites (>40% of total). Deposited sulfur appeared to behave more or less conservatively in these canopies, showing little net uptake (ofSO₂) and minor foliar leaching (of soil-derived, internal SO₄²⁻) relative to the total atmospheric flux. The estimated fluxes in total deposition were generally within 15% of the measured fluxes in throughfall plus stemflow, indicating that useful estimates of total atmospheric deposition of sulfur can be derived from measurements of throughfall.     

Modeling of SO2, Pb and Cd atmospheric deposition over a one-year period

Atmospheric deposition of SO₂, and fine particles of Pb and Cd are calculated over a one-year period in a 66 km² airshed with a segment-puff model. Emission variations, hourly mixing heights and meteorological values are considered to compute monthly averages of concentrations and deposition. Dry deposition is calculated by means of deposition velocities which are season- and land use-dependent. Wet deposition is determined using a washout coefficient. To assess the simulation performance, calculated SO₂ results from the combination between the deposition velocity, the windspeed and direction and the location and type of sources. As annual averages, results for dry plus wet deposition are computed to be 0.84 mg m⁻²d⁻¹ for sulfur, 4.15 μgm⁻²d⁻¹ for lead and 0.0013 μgm⁻²d⁻¹ for cadmium. A variation factor is derived from a sensitivity analysis. This factor amounts to 2.3−2.8 for the concentrations and 2.6−3.1 for the deposition, depending on the pollutant.     

Measurements of ammonia flux to a spruce stand in Denmark

This work demonstrates the existence of a linear relation between the deposition velocity of ammonia and the friction velocity measured above a spruce stand in the western part of Denmark. In order to estimate the ammonia deposition velocity and flux to a Norway spruce forest, concentration gradients of ammonia and several meteorological parameters were measured in a meteorology tower during two periods, 1 week in spring and 1 week in late summer 1991. The estimated deposition velocities lie in the range −0.125 to 0.201 m s⁻¹, with a mean of 0.026 m s⁻¹. The deposition velocity and the flux were generally largest in the afternoon. On the basis of 24-h measurements of ammonia and routine meteorological measurements the relation between deposition velocity and friction velocity is extrapolated to an estimate of the average flux for the growing season May to September 1991. The estimate gave an average flux of 87 μg NH₃N m⁻² h⁻¹ (=0.02 μg NH₃N m⁻² s⁻¹). The average deposition velocity for the period was 0.045 m s⁻¹.     

Nitrogen depositions to the Baltic Sea: Experimental and model estimates

Air pollution in the Baltic region is being monitored and assessed within the framework of the Helsinki Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment in the Baltic Sea. Measurements of inorganic nitrogen compounds in precipitation, and to a lesser extent in air, have been performed since the mid-1980s under the supervision of HELCOM's Expert Group on Air Pollution, EGAP. The purpose is to establish a basis for evaluating the airborne pollution load to the Baltic Sea. These data have been used to estimate deposition of nitrogen to the sea surface by using various methods of extrapolating coastal data on concentrations and precipitation amounts. These estimates are supplemented by model calculations with the EMEP models. Estimates for the period 1986–1990 show that the annual wet deposition fluxes vary from about 650 kg N km⁻² in the north to about 1100 kg N km ⁻² in the southern Baltic Sea, resulting in a total wet deposition of about 325 kT N yr⁻¹. Other authors have estimated dry depositions for 1980–1986 at about 60 kT N yr⁻¹. O the other hand, model calculations lead to a total dry and wet deposition of about 275 kT N yr⁻¹. The reasons for the deviations are discussed and used to infer methodological limitations.     

Project aguila: In situ measurements of Mexico City air pollution by a research aircraft

Measurements of aerosol concentrations, chemical species and meteorological quantities in the air above Mexico City were obtained from an instrumented research aircraft. Concentrations of particles in the size range between 0.12 and 3.12 μm were nearly invariant with height, and typical values were of the order of 5000 cm⁻³. However, particles smaller than 0.12 μm were confined to the lowest few hundred meters of the atmosphere until the morning temperature inversion dissipated, after which time those particles, together with newly formed particles created by secondary processes, mixed to a greater height above the city. Total particle concentrations near the surface attained values in excess of 60,000 cm⁻³. An examination of the corresponding profiles of SO₂ suggests that combustion processes are likely sources for the additional small particles.     

A study on the characterization of dustfall

A study was conducted of the dustfall around Elaziǧ cement plant in Turkey. The work concentrated, particularly, on the characterization of particles. The soluble, insoluble, ignitable and unignitable fractions of particles were determined. The composition of dust pollution and its variation with meteorological parameters, location and seasons, and the chemical and mineralogical composition, and trace element contents of particles were also studied. The experimental work was carried out at seven sampling station for 15 months. The average rate of dust deposition over the area was 36.37 gm⁻² month⁻¹. The rates of deposition for insoluble (in water) and ignitable (at 900°C) particles are 26.95 and 8.51 gm⁻² month⁻¹, respectively. The equilibrium pH of solutions shows that the particles deposited are rather alkaline in character. During the warm season the mean pH value is 8.63, during the cold season it is 6.49. The reduction of pH may be caused by acidic oxides such as SO₂ originating from combustion processes. Calcium, silicon, aluminiun and iron are the main constituents of the particles. The general view of composition is similar to cement or its raw materials. The XRD analysis shows that crystalline compounds are calcite, quartz, albite, muscovite, chlorite, edenite, dicalcium silicate and, possibly, other cement compounds and hydration products. The ratios of heavy metals such as Pb, Mn, Ni and Co are significant. The maximum concentration of lead was found to be 3600 mg kg⁻¹.     

Submicron aerosol size distributions measured over the tropical and South Pacific

Size distributions of aerosol particles in the radius range of 0.006–0.53 μm were measured over the Pacific Ocean along the 150° longitude from about 20°N to 55°S. Throughout the tropical trade wind region, the size distribution of fine particles was relatively stable and exhibited a double-peaked characteristic with one peak at about 0.1 μm and the other in the 0.02–0.04 μm region, separated by a minimum at about 0.06 μm. The total concentrations of particles were in the 150–300 cm⁻³ range with 60–150 cm⁻³ residing in the accumulation mode (0.06<r<0.5 μm). South of the trade wind region, the measured size distributions and meteorological conditions were more diverse. Periods with very low concentrations in the accumulation mode were associated with regions of large-scale precipitation. Large increases in the number of nucleation mode particles were found in air masses with low concentrations of particles in the accumulation mode.     

Optical investigations of dust storms during U.S.S.R.-U.S. experiments in Tadzhikistan, 1989

The results of studies on dust aerosol optical properties obtained during the U.S.S.R.-U.S. experiment are discussed. The ground-based and aircraft measurements carried out during the experiment allow the estimation of characteristic values of aerosol optical depth, aerosol light-scattering coefficients, the degree of linear polarization, and aureole phase functions for different atmospheric conditions in Central Soviet Asia. Two dust storms were observed for which the recorded aerosol optical depth at λ = 0.55 μm {τ_a(0.55)} reached 1.5 on 16 and 17 September 1989, and 3.5 on 20 and 21 September 1989. The optical characteristics (spectral dependence of the optical depth, degree of linear polarization) were similar for two dust episodes.     

Urban air pollution in Brazil: Acetaldehyde and other carbonyls

We have measured ambient levels of carbonyls in three major urban areas of Brazil: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. The most abundant carbonyls were acetaldehyde (up to 63 μg m⁻³, or 35 ppb) followed by formaldehyde (up to 42 μg m⁻³, or 34 ppb), and acetone (up to 20 ppb). Levels of 10 other aliphatic and aromatic carbonyls were in the range 0–5 ppb. Total carbonyl concentrations were in the range 11–75 ppb. Indoor levels were also measured at several locations in Salvador. High levels of acetaldehyde, 430 μg m⁻³ or 240 ppb, were measured in a highway tunnel.Using carbonyl/CO concentration ratios, mobile source emissions of carbonyls are estimated for the Sao Paulo area. Ambient levels of acetaldehyde and acetaldehyde/formaldehyde concentration ratios in Brazil are compared to those for other urban areas, and are briefly discussed in relation with the large scale use of ethanol as a vehicle fuel.     

Measured components in total suspended particulate matter in a Kenyan urban area

Nairobi city has a population of over 1.5 million and is growing at a rate of about 70 persons per day. Various activities in the city such as construction work, industrial processes, use of unroadworthy cars, and dust blown off unpaved roads contribute enormously to suspended particulate matter in the air. In this paper, analysis by gravimetric and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) of the suspended particulate matter in the air in the city centre, an industrial area and one residential area was carried out. The total suspended particulate matter (TSP) mean levels ranged from 69.983 to 397.903 μg m⁻³. The following components were measured from the TSP, mean values in μg m⁻³: iron 6.014–7.547, potassium 1.252–6.432, titanium 0.286–1.698, manganese 0.158–1.683, lead 0.395–1.321, bromine 0.122–0.707, zinc 0.159–0.678 and zirconium 0.017–0.245. The values of lead obtained (0.395–1.321 μg m⁻³) fall within the WHO recommendations, but compared to the values reported in some European countries, they are high. Most of the elements had low enrichment factors except for lead (104–353), bromine (429–1533) and zinc (14–79). Bromine and lead were highly correlated to the number of light vehicles (p=0.874 and 0.942, respectively). In addition the ratio of Br:Pb by weight was in the range 0.309–0.535, while the correlation factor for Br:Pb was 0.951, leading to the conclusion that both elements came from leaded gasoline.     

Spatial and temporal patterns in nitrogen dioxide concentrations in a hot desert region

This paper reports seasonal and spatial variations in the ambient air concentration of nitrogen dioxide throughout the State of Bahrain, from February to December 1992. Monitoring sites were chosen to include urban areas with high traffic density, suburban areas with low traffic density, commercial and industrial areas. Correlations between meteorological parameters and mean NO₂ concentrations were analysed, and NO₂ levels were only significantly correlated with temperature (r = 0.63). Only February, a winter month, showed a significantly lower concentration of NO₂ with an overall mean value of 23 μgm⁻³, whereas in August, a summer month, it was 33 μgm⁻³. The results revealed that in a hot region like Bahrain, NO₂ concentrations do not show significant monthly variations. Also summer-averaged NO₂ values exceeded corresponding spring and winter values. In cold regions opposite patterns were observed. Moreover, the results revealed significant spatial variations in NO₂ concentrations. In suburban areas with low traffic density, the overall mean NO₂ level was 15, with a range of 12–17 μg m⁻³, while in urban areas with high traffic density, the overall mean value was 52 with a range of 44–60 μg m⁻³. The mean NO₂ value in industrial sites with low traffic density was 21 with a range of 14–27 μg m⁻³, whereas in the same areas near major roads, it was 32 with a range of 31–32 μg m⁻³. These results indicate that automobiles exhaust are the dominant source of NO₂ in Bahrain. The highest NO₂ levels were found in roads with high traffic density, which are narrow, with several traffic lights and roundabouts, suggesting the effect of road geometry on NO₂ levels.     

Atmospheric trace elements over source regions for Chinese dust: concentrations,sources and atmospheric deposition on the Loess plateau

The mass-particle size distributions of up to 17 trace elements in aerosol particle samples from dust storm and non-dust storm periods were determined for three sites in or near the source regions of Chinese dust. The mass of particulate material in the atmosphere at the sites is dominated by mineral aerosol particles. An absolute principal component analysis of the non-dust storm elemental data for the loess region allows the estimation of the mass contributions from two coarse-particle classes (soil dust and dust associated with pollutants), and two fine-particle classes (soil dust and anomalously enriched). For most elements (Al, Si, Ca, Fe, Ti, K, S and As), the mass-particle size distributions (MSDs) were approximately log-normal. The mass-median diameters (MMDs) of the soil-derived elements tended to decrease with distance from the desert region and when the dust storms subsided. Total dry deposition velocities were calculated by fitting a log-normal distribution to the aerosol data and calculating deposition rates for 100 particle-size intervals using a two-layer deposition model. The mean dry-deposition rates and fluxes were highest during dust storms over desert regions. In thloess region, the calculated dry deposition velocities of soil derived elements (Al, Si, Ca, Fe and Ti) during non-dust storm periods were from 3.1 to 3.7 cm s⁻¹. From the estimated mass-particles size distributions, the coarser and finer mineral particles were found to benriched with Ca, Fe, Ti and K relative to Al or Si. On a yearly basis, the dry atmospheric input to the Loess Plateau was mainly attributable to normal transport processes, i.e. non-dust storm conditions. Wet deposition fluxes estimated from scavenging ratios indicate that dry deposition dominated the total atmospheric deposition of mineral aerosol. The deposition of aerosol particles associated with coal burning or other anthropogenic sources also was considerable on the Loess Plateau.     

Atmospheric dry deposition on pines in the Eastern Brook Lake Watershed,Sierra Nevada,California

Atmospheric dry deposition to branches of Pinus contorta and P. albicaulis was measured during summer 1987 in a sub-alpine zone at Eastern Brook Lake Watershed (EBLW), eastern Sierra Nevada, California. Results are presented as deposition fluxes of NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, PO₄³⁻, Cl⁻, F⁻, NH₄⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mn²⁺, Pb²⁺ and H⁺, and compared with other locations in California and elsewhere. Deposition fluxes of anions and cations to the pine branches were low, several times lower than the values determined near the Emerald Lake Watershed (ELW), another sub-alpine location in the western Sierra Nevada. The sums of deposition fluxes of the measured cations and anions to pine surfaces were similar, in contrast to the ELW location where the sums of cation fluxes were much higher than the sums of anion fluxes. A strong positive correlation between depositions of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺, as well as SO₄²⁻ and Ca²⁺, suggested that large portions of these ions might have originated from particulate NH₄NO₃ and CaSO₄ deposited on pine surfaces. An estimated total N dry deposition (surface deposition of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ and internal uptake of NO₂ and HNO₃) to the forested area of the EBLW was 29.54 eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻ (about 414 g H ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹).     

Spatial and temporal patterns in summertime sulfate aerosol acidity and neutralization within a metropolitan area

A study of sulfate aerosol acidity in Metropolitan Toronto was conducted during the summer of 1986. Fine-fraction aerosol (<2.5-μm) were collected using Teflon membrane filters and analyzed for major ionic species (H⁺, NH⁺₄, NO⁻₃, SO²⁻₄). Samples were collected for 6 weeks at three study sites: one in the Center City and the others 13 km (WNW) and 20 km (NE) away. There were very strong correlations among the three sites with respect to measured aerosol species (r² > 0.9 for 24-h data). However, spatial variations in the magnitude of aerosol acidity were observed during sulfate episodes. For example, the peak concentrations for all sites occurred on 25–26 July 1986. While the 24-h data for sulfate were quite uniform at the three sites (34, 34 and 35 μg m⁻³), H⁺ concentrations were 9.4, 8.3 and 6.0 μg m⁻³ (as H₂SO₄) for the NE, WNW and Center City sites, respectively. For most of the summertime episodes, the downtown area also had lower aerosol acidity compared to the two sites in suburban areas.     

Design of an environmental chamber for high voltage testing in simulated dust and sand storms

This paper describes the design and the construction of an environmental chamber which enables the breakdown voltage of practically used electrodes to be determined during sand/dust storm conditions. The dust particles used were ⩽ 150 μm in dia. and ranged from a few mgm⁻³ to a few gm⁻³ in concentration. Studies were done using switching as well as lightning impulse voltages of up to 1 MV in addition to the high a.c. voltages of up to 200 kV. Using this facility, it was found that the presence of sand/dust particles can greatly affect the breakdown voltages of air gaps. This effect is dependent on the electrode shape, the gap length, and the type of applied voltage. Typical results are shown in this paper.