Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T19:56:18.186Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Power of 14C Measurements Combined with Chemical Characterization for Tracing Urban Aerosol in Norway

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

L A Currie
Affiliation:
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
G A Klouda
Affiliation:
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
Jørgen Schjoldager
Affiliation:
Norwegian Institute for Air Research, 2001 Lillestrøm, Norway
Thomas Ramdahl
Affiliation:
Central Institute for Industrial Research, Blindern, Oslo 3, Norway
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Changing fuel patterns and increased awareness of health effects from combustion aerosols have generated considerable interest in the use of 14C as a biogenic-fossil aerosol source discriminator. Prior studies in the US demonstrated the importance of 14C measurement for estimating the wood-burning contribution to urban aerosols. The present work treats a specific air-pollution problem in the town of Elverum, Norway where large wintertime concentrations of aerosol carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were suspected to come from residential wood combustion (RWC). The problem was significant in that up to 50/μg/m3[C] and 490ng/m3[PAH] were found during pollution episodes. Samples collected during two winters were analyzed for 14C, C, PAH, and several elements in the fine fraction (<3μm) aerosol. Source apportionment based on these species indicated an average of ca 65% RWC-carbon (14C), ca 5% fine particle mass from motor vehicles (Pb), but negligible contributions from heavy fuel oil (Ni, V). Patterns of 14C and total C, examined as a function of temperature and PAH, indicated large increases in RWC aerosol on the coldest days, and a major RWC contribution to the PAH fraction. Patterns with inorganic species implied multiple tracer sources, and one important case of long-range transport.

Type
VI. Anthropogenic Variations
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Air Pollution Control Association, 1982, Residential wood and coal combustion, SP-45: Pittsburgh, Air Pollution Control Assoc.Google Scholar
Cooper, J A and Malek, D, eds, 1982, Residential solid fuels: Beaverton, Oregon Graduate Center.Google Scholar
Currie, L A, Gerlach, R W, Klouda, G A, Ruegg, F C and Tompkins, G B, 1983, Miniature signals and miniature counters: accuracy assurance via microprocessors and multiparameter control techniques, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 11th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 553564.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Currie, L A, Klouda, G A and Cooper, , 1980, Mini-radiocarbon measurements, chemical selectivity, and the impact of man on environmental pollution and climate in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 10th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 22, no. 2, p 349362.Google Scholar
Currie, L A, Klouda, G A and Voorhees, K J, 1984, Atmospheric carbon: the importance of accelerator mass spectrometry, in Wölfli, W, Polach, H A, and Andersen, H H, eds, Internatl symposium on AMS, 3rd, Proc: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 233 [B5], p 371379.Google Scholar
Edgerton, S, Khalil, M and Rasmussen, R, 1984, Estimates of air pollution from backyard burning: Jour Air Pollution Control Assoc, v 34, p 661.Google Scholar
Klouda, G A, Currie, L A, Donahue, D J, Jull, T and Zabel, T H, 1984, Accelerator mass spectrometry sample preparation: methods for 14C in 50–1000μg samples, in Wölfli, W, Polach, H A, and Andersen, H H, eds, Internatl symposium on AMS, 3rd, Proc: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 233 [B5], p 265.Google Scholar
Lipfert, F W and Dungan, J L, 1983, Residential firewood use in the US: Science, v 219, p 14251427.Google Scholar
Naylor, M H, 1985, Air pollution from fireplaces in Las Vegas, Nevada: Las Vegas, Clark Co Health Dist rept.Google Scholar
Ramdahl, T, 1983, Retene—a molecular marker of wood combustion in ambient air: Nature, v 306, p 580.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramdahl, T, Schjoldager, J, Currie, L A, Hanssen, J E, Møller, M, Klouda, G A and Alfheim, I, 1984, Ambient impact of residential wood combustion in Elverum, Norway: Sci Total Environment, v 36, p 8190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramdahl, T, Schjoldager, J, Hanssen, J E and Møller, M, 1982, Luftforurensning frå vedfyring, malinger i Elverum vintrene 1981 og 1982: Lillestrøm, Norwegian Inst Air Research, Rept no. 82 01 36–1.Google Scholar
Stevens, R K and Pace, F, 1984, Overview of the mathematical and empirical receptor models workshop (Quail Roost II): Atm Environment, v 18, p 1499.Google Scholar
Zak, B D, Einfeld, W, Church, H W, Gay, G T, Jensen, A L, Trijonis, J, Ivey, M D, Homann, P S and Tipton, C, 1984, The Albuquerque winter visibility study: Albuquerque, Sandia Natl Labs, Rept Sand 84–0173.Google Scholar