Abstract
Initial measurements of black carbon (BC) content at both 880 and 370 nm, obtained in two sites in southern Italy by an aethalometer, have been analyzed. The sites are located in the same region (Basilicata), but are affected by different emission sources. In one case the main source of BC is related to vehicular traffic from a nearby freeway. Data were collected, although not continuously, during 2008, 2009 and 2010. In the second case, a fresh crude-oil pre-treatment plant continuously burns petroleum-derived products, thus contributing to emissions of both carbonaceous matter and its organic component. The corresponding data-set was collected in the period January–April 2011. At the first site, two daily peaks were found for the BC content, typical of vehicles emissions, with maximum values ranging from 2000 ng/m 3 to 4700 3 found during weekdays. This behavior disappears at the weekend or when polluted air-masses from north-east Europe are transported over the measurement site. At the second site, two daily peaks were never found, suggesting that crude oil chemical processes were the main source of the emissions. In this case, the maximum BC values ranged between 1000–8000 ng/m 3 , depending on the processes occurring at the fresh crude-oil pre-treatment plant. Moreover, the estimated level of BC at 370 nm was higher than that of BC at 880 nm in all months, expect for April, indicating a clear organic component in atmospheric aerosols. Finally, based on a best-fit procedure applied to the seven wavelengths’ absorption coefficients, aerosols with different spectroscopic properties have been detected at these two sites.
Highlights
Black Carbon or dark soot is a carbonaceous aerosol emitted in the atmosphere as the residual of incomplete combustion processes in industrial flames, car combustion engine, domestic heating systems, natural fires.The term “Black Carbon” is commonly used to indicate light-absorbing aerosols being black carbon (BC) defined by the optical method used to measure it
The maximum BC values ranged between 1000–8000 ng/m3, depending on the processes occurring at the fresh crude-oil pre-treatment plant
Considering past papers on BC content variations in different sites, the values obtained in Tito Scalo are well below those found in January by Madhavi Latha and Badarinath (2005) in an urban site close to two freeways: in this case, on a daily base, the BC content was varying between 1471 ng/m3 and 11175 ng/m3
Summary
Black Carbon (hereafter BC) or dark soot is a carbonaceous aerosol emitted in the atmosphere as the residual of incomplete combustion processes in industrial flames, car combustion engine, domestic heating systems, natural fires.The term “Black Carbon” is commonly used to indicate light-absorbing aerosols being BC defined by the optical method used to measure it. As a result of some combustion processes such as residential wood burning or biomass burning, other organic compounds considered toxic and carcinogenic for human health as such as PAHs, furans, Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCBs), Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and dioxins (Shresta et al, 2010) can be produced. They can be sorbed to BC surface or can undergo a gas-to-particle conversion process and carried into the lungs
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