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| Titel |
Near-real-time trace element measurements in a rural, traffic-influenced
environment with some fireworks |
| VerfasserIn |
Markus Furger, Jay G. Slowik, María Cruz Minguillón, Christoph Hueglin, Chris Koch, André S. H. Prévôt, Urs Baltensperger |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2016
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
en
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 18 (2016) |
| Datensatznummer |
250123507
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2016-2777.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Aerosol-bound trace elements can affect the environment in significant ways especially when
they are toxic. Characterizing the trace element spatial and temporal variability is a
prerequisite for human exposure studies. The requirement for high time resolution and
consequently the low sample masses asked for analysis methods not easily accessible, such
as synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (SR-XRF). In
recent years, instrumentation that samples and analyzes airborne particulate matter
with time resolutions of less than an hour in near real time has entered the market.
We present the results of a three-week campaign in a rural environment close to a
freeway. The measurement period included the fireworks of the Swiss National
Day.
The XRF instrument was set up at the monitoring station Härkingen of the Swiss
Monitoring Network for Air Pollution (NABEL). It was configured to sample and
analyze ambient PM10 aerosols in 1-hour intervals. Sample analysis with XRF
was performed by the instrument immediately after collection, i.e. during the next
sampling interval. 24 elements were analyzed and quantified (Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V,
Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Pt, Hg, Pb, Bi). The element
concentrations obtained by the XRF instrument were compared to those determined
by ICP-AES and ICP-MS in PM10 samples collected by NABEL high volume
samplers.
The results demonstrate the capability of the instrument to measure over a wide range of
concentrations, from a few ng m−3 to μg m−3, under ambient conditions. The time resolution
allows for the characterization of diurnal variations of element concentrations, which
provides information on the contribution of emission sources, such as road traffic, soil, or
fireworks. Some elements (V, Co, As, Pt) were below their detection limit during most of the
time, but As could be quantified during the fireworks. Transition metals Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn
could be attributed to freeway traffic. K, S, Ba, and Bi were strongly linked to the
fireworks.
The field test provided good evidence for the applicability and ease of use of the
instrument. It provided also an idea on the sensitivity of the method in realistic, ambient
conditions, although the 3-week period was too short for a thorough assessment, e.g. for
different weather conditions. |
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