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| Titel |
The Chemical Composition of Aerosols, Clouds, and Rainwater in a Caribbean Tropical Montane Cloud Forest |
| VerfasserIn |
O. L. Mayol-Bracero, A. Gioda, R. Rivera, P. Vallejo, J. Collett |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2009
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 11 (2009) |
| Datensatznummer |
250030020
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The chemical composition of aerosol, clouds, and rainwater samples collected in a Caribbean
tropical montane cloud forest in Puerto Rico was studied in order to investigate the influence
of air masses’ origins on the concentrations of water-soluble organic, inorganic, and nitrogen
species. The dominant inorganic species in aerosols, clouds, and rainwater were Na+, Cl-,
and SO42-. Total nitrogen (TN) and total organic carbon (TOC) represented about 2 and 4%,
respectively, with TN and TOC concentrations in the organic fractions of about 1 mg/L in
cloud water; and 0.4 mg/L (TOC) and 0.25 mg/L (TN) in rainwater. TOC was composed
mainly of organic acids (40%), with acetic acid (3 to 18 μeq/L) being the predominant
species (60% of the organic acids). TN was dominated by inorganic species (~60%). The
chemical composition of aerosols, clouds, and rainwater was related to the origin
of air masses. Air masses from North Africa showed a decrease in Na+ and Cl-
and an increase in TOC, TN, Ca2+, Fe2+ and Al3+, suggesting anthropogenic and
crustal origins for these species. The highest concentrations of Cl- and SO42- were
measured when ashes from the Soufriere Hills volcano reached the site, due to the
SO2 and HCl expelled in the eruptions. Air masses from North America brought
anthropogenic pollution as seen by the increase in the levels of nss-SO42-, TOC,
and TN in comparison with clean air from the North Atlantic Ocean. Differences
between the chemical composition of aerosols, clouds, and rainwater as well as the
influence of the different types of air masses in these matrices will be discussed. |
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