Influence of air mass source region on nanoparticle events and hygroscopicity in central Virginia,U.S.

During autumn, 2006, variation in the frequency of aerosol nucleation events, as inferred from nanoparticle growth events, and associated hygroscopicity were investigated as a function of air mass transport history at a mixed deciduous forest in central Virginia, U.S. Above-canopy size distributions of aerosols between 0.012 and 0.700 μm diameter, size-resolved particle hygroscopicity at eight dry diameters between 0.012 and 0.400 μm, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity were characterized. Air mass back trajectories were clustered to identify source regions. Growth events were most frequent in fast-moving air masses (mean = 9 m s^?1) that originated over the north central U.S. Under these flow regimes, mean values for preexisting sub-μm aerosol number concentrations (4700 cm^?3), corresponding surface area (142 μm² cm^?3), air temperature (6.2 °C), and relative humidity (RH, 49.4%) were relatively low compared to other regimes. Under stagnant flow conditions (mean = 3 m s^?1), mean number concentrations were higher (>6000 cm^?3) and size fractions <0.1 μm diameter exhibited enhanced hygroscopicity compared to other source regions. These results indicate that precursors emitted into relatively clean, cold, and dry air transported over the southeastern U.S. reacted to form condensable intermediates that subsequently produced new aerosols via nucleation and growth. This pathway was an important source for CCN. During events in October, nanoparticles were produced in greater numbers and grew more rapidly compared to November and December.     

Analysis of air pollution data at a mixed source location using boosted regression trees

This paper explores the use of boosted regression trees to draw inferences concerning the source characteristics at a location of high source complexity. Models are developed for hourly concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO_X) close to a large international airport. Model development is discussed and methods to quantify model uncertainties developed. It is shown that good explanatory models can be developed and further, allowing for interactions between model variables significantly improves the model fits compared with non-interacting models. Methods are used to determine which variables exert most influence over predicted concentrations and to explore the NO_X dependency for each. Model predictions are used to estimate aircraft take-off contributions to total concentrations of NO_X and determine how these predictions are affected by annual variations in meteorological conditions and runway use patterns. Furthermore, the results relating to the aircraft contributions to total NO_X concentration are compared with those from a more detailed independent field campaign. Finally, we find empirical evidence that plumes from larger aircraft disperse more rapidly from the point of release compared with smaller aircraft. The reasons for this behaviour and the implications are discussed.     

Further studies on the uptake of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by polyurethane foam disk passive air samplers

Passive air samplers (PAS) can be used to monitor semi-volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. Polyurethane foam (PUF) disks are a popular sampling medium because they have a high retention capacity for such compounds. This paper reports a highly time-resolved uptake study, to derive uptake rate data under field conditions, and investigate the effects of using different foam densities on the uptake rate. PUF disks were deployed alongside an active sampler, for periods of up to 12 weeks. The uptake rates were measured for a range of gas- and particle-bound persistent organic pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)), of different properties, to explore whether gas–particle partitioning affected uptake rate. Uptake rates for two different densities of foam (0.021 and 0.035 g cm^?3) were not statistically significantly different from each other. Uptake rates of light PCBs averaged ～6.5 m³ day^?1, somewhat higher than in previous studies; higher wind speeds and lower temperatures in this study are the likely reason for this difference. The study showed: i) the uptake rate of the compound with lowest K_OA considered in this study (PCB-28/31) declined in the later weeks, indicating an approach to equilibrium; ii) uptake rates of lighter BDEs and heavier PCBs (compounds of intermediate K_OA in this study) remain similar throughout the study period, indicating that they are not approaching equilibrium during the 12-week-study; iii) uptake rates were typically: ～8 m³ day^?1 for PCB-52; ～9.5 m³ day^?1 for PCB-95; ～11 m³ day^?1 for BDE-28 and ～2 m³ day^?1 BDE-99. The latter compound has an important particle-bound component and this lowers the sampling rate compared to predicted uptake rates for compounds which are in the gas phase only. It is shown that knowledge of gas–particle partitioning is needed to correct for this effect, and to improve predicted uptake rates.     

Linking Climate Trends to Population Dynamics in the Baltic Ringed Seal: Impacts of Historical and Future Winter Temperatures

A global trend of a warming climate may seriously affect species dependent on sea ice. We investigated the impact of climate on the Baltic ringed seals (Phoca hispida botnica), using historical and future climatological time series. Availability of suitable breeding ice is known to affect pup survival. We used detailed information on how winter temperatures affect the extent of breeding ice and a climatological model (RCA3) to project the expected effects on the Baltic ringed seal population. The population comprises of three sub-populations, and our simulations suggest that all of them will experience severely hampered growth rates during the coming 90 years. The projected 30 730 seals at the end of the twenty-first century constitutes only 16 % of the historical population size, and thus reduced ice cover alone will severely limit their growth rate. This adds burden to a species already haunted by other anthropogenic impacts.     

The herbicide paraquat induces alterations in the elemental and biochemical composition of non-target microalgal species

Huge quantities of pesticides are dispersed in the environment, affecting non-target organisms. Since paraquat affects the photosynthetic process, the biochemical composition of affected species should be altered. The effect of paraquat on Chlamydomonas moewusii, a freshwater non-target species, was studied. After 48 h of herbicide exposure, growth rate, dry weight, and chlorophyll a and protein content were affected by paraquat concentrations above 0.05 μM. C/N ratio was also affected due to a decrease in nitrogen content in the dry biomass, while the carbon content remained constant for all paraquat concentrations assayed. Enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation were affected by paraquat, being nitrate reductase activity more sensitive to paraquat than nitrite reductase. Based on the results obtained in the present study, paraquat exerts adverse effects upon a common freshwater green microalga, thus the application of this herbicide for weed control must be carried out very carefully, so that any disturbance affecting algae will have severe repercussions on higher trophic levels and on the elemental biogeochemical cycles.     

A new direct thermal desorption-GC/MS method: Organic speciation of ambient particulate matter collected in Golden, BC

Particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) is thought to be implicated in a number of medical conditions, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart attack, and aging. However, very little chemical speciation data is available for the organic fraction of ambient aerosols. A new direct thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) method was developed for the analysis of the organic fraction of PM2.5. Samples were collected in Golden, British Columbia, over a 15-month period. n-Alkanes constituted 33–98% by mass of the organic compounds identified. PAHs accounted for 1–65% and biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) 1–8% of the organic mass. Annual mean concentrations were: n-alkanes (0.07–1.55 ng m⁻³), 16 PAHs (0.02–1.83 ng m⁻³), and biomarkers (0.02–0.18 ng m⁻³). Daily levels of these organics were 4.89–74.38 ng m⁻³, 0.27–100.24 ng m⁻³, 0.14–4.39 ng m⁻³, respectively. Ratios of organic carbon to elemental carbon (OC/EC) and trends over time were similar to those observed for PM2.5. There was no clear seasonal variation in the distribution of petroleum biomarkers, but elevated levels of other organic species were observed during the winter. Strong correlations between PAHs and EC, and between petroleum biomarkers and EC, suggest a common emission source – most likely motor vehicles and space heating.     

A detailed field-based evaluation of naphthenic acid mobility in groundwater

An anaerobic plume of process-affected groundwater was characterized in a shallow sand aquifer adjacent to an oil sands tailings impoundment. Based on biological oxygen demand measurements, the reductive capacity of the plume is considered minimal. Major dissolved components associated with the plume include HCO₃, Na, Cl, SO₄, and naphthenic acids (NAs). Quantitative and qualitative NA analyses were performed on groundwater samples to investigate NA fate and transport in the subsurface. Despite subsurface residence times exceeding 20 years, significant attenuation of NAs by biodegradation was not observed based on screening techniques developed at the time of the investigation. Relative to conservative tracers (i.e., Cl), overall NA attenuation in the subsurface is limited, which is consistent with batch sorption and microcosm studies performed by other authors. Insignificant biological oxygen demand and low concentrations of dissolved As (< 10 µg L^− 1) in the plume suggest that the potential for secondary trace metal release, specifically As, via reductive dissolution reactions driven by ingress of process-affected water is minimal. It is also possible that readily leachable As is not present in significant quantities within the sediments of the study area. Thus, for similar plumes of process-affected groundwater in shallow sand aquifers which may occur as oil sands mining expands, a reasonable expectation is for NA persistence, but minimal trace metal mobilization.     

Evaluation of effectiveness of EDTA and sodium thiosulfate in removing metal toxicity toward sea urchin embryo-larval applying the TIE

Since the development of the TIE (Toxicity Identification and Evaluation) in 1988 it has been assumed that the capacity of EDTA and sodium thiosulfate to complex some metals, and thus remove their toxicity, can be applied to both freshwater and seawater ecotoxicological tests and the results subsequently interpreted. However, it is now known that there is a wide variability in the extent of this complexation. In this context, the removal of toxicity caused by the presence of Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ag¹⁺ and Se²⁺, through metal complexation by EDTA and sodium thiosulfate, in relation to the performance of embryo-larval tests with the sea urchin Arbacia lixula was investigated. It was observed that EDTA was capable of removing the toxicity of Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ while sodium thiosulfate only reduced the toxicity of Ag¹⁺. Compared to the complexation observed in freshwater ecotoxicological tests, the complexing agents used in this study (EDTA and sodium thiosulfate) have a lower capacity to complex metals in the marine ecotoxicological test with A. lixula.     

Characterization of silver release from commercially available functional (nano)textiles

Silver, both in the nano as well as in other forms, is used in many applications including antimicrobial textiles. Washing of such textiles has already been identified as an important process that results in the release of silver into wastewater. This study thus investigated the release of silver from eight different commercially available silver-textiles during a washing and rinsing cycle. The silver released was size-fractionated and characterized using electron microscopy. In addition, the antimicrobial functionality of the textiles was tested before and after washing. Three of the textiles contained nanosized silver (labeled or confirmed by manufacturers’ information), another used a metallic silver wire and four contained silver in undeclared form. The initial silver content of the textiles was between 1.5 and 2925 mg Ag/kg. Only four of the investigated textiles leached detectable amounts of silver, of which 34-80% was in the form of particles larger than 450 nm. Microscopic analysis of the particles released in the washing solutions identified Ti/Si-AgCl nanocomposites, AgCl nanoparticles, large AgCl particles, nanosilver sulfide and metallic nano-Ag, respectively. The nanoparticles were mainly found in highly agglomerated form. The identified nanotextiles showed the highest antimicrobial activity, whereas some of the other textiles, e.g. the one with a silver wire and the one with the lowest silver content, did not reduce the growth of bacteria at all. The results show that different silver textiles release different forms of silver during washing and that among the textiles investigated AgCl was the most frequently observed chemical form in the washwater.     

Multi-step approach for comparing the local air pollution contributions of conventional and innovative MSW thermo-chemical treatments

In the sector of municipal solid waste management the debate on the performances of conventional and novel thermo-chemical technologies is still relevant. When a plant must be constructed, decision makers often select a technology prior to analyzing the local environmental impact of the available options, as this type of study is generally developed when the design of the plant has been carried out. Additionally, in the literature there is a lack of comparative analyses of the contributions to local air pollution from different technologies. The present study offers a multi-step approach, based on pollutant emission factors and atmospheric dilution coefficients, for a local comparative analysis. With this approach it is possible to check if some assumptions related to the advantages of the novel thermochemical technologies, in terms of local direct impact on air quality, can be applied to municipal solid waste treatment. The selected processes concern combustion, gasification and pyrolysis, alone or in combination. The pollutants considered are both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic. A case study is presented concerning the location of a plant in an alpine region and its contribution to the local air pollution. Results show that differences among technologies are less than expected. Performances of each technology are discussed in details.