Fine mode aerosol composition at three long‐term atmospheric monitoring sites in the Amazon Basin

Abstract

The Amazon Basin tropical rain forest is a key region to study processes that are changing the composition of the global atmosphere, including the large amount of fine mode aerosol particles emitted during biomass burning that might influence the global atmosphere. Three background monitoring stations, Alta Floresta, Cuiabá, and Serra do Navio, are operating continuously measuring aerosol composition. Fine (dp < 2.0 μm) and coarse (2.0 < dp < 10 μm) mode aerosol particles were collected using stacked filter units. Particle‐induced X‐ray emission was used to measure concentrations of up to 20 elements in the fine mode: Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, and Pb. Soot carbon and gravimetric mass analysis were also performed. Absolute Principal Factor Analysis (APFA) has derived absolute elemental source profiles. APFA showed four aerosol particle components: soil dust (Al, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe), biomass burning (soot, fine mode mass concentration, K, Cl), natural primary biogenic particles with gas‐to‐particle component (K, S, Ca, Mn, Zn), and marine aerosol (Cl). Biogenic and biomass burning aerosol particles dominate the fine mode mass concentration, with the presence of K, P, S, Cl, Zn, Br, and fine mode mass concentration (FPM). At the Alta Floresta and Cuiabá sites, during the dry season, a strong component of biomass burning is observed. Inhalable particulate matter (dp < 10 μm) mass concentration up to 700 μg/m3 was measured. Fine particle mass concentration alone can go as high as 400 μg/m3 for large regions. The fine mode biogenic and biomass burning components show remarkable similarities in the elemental composition, even though the sampling sites are more than 3000 km apart. Fine mode sulfur concentration is entirely associated with the primary biogenic aerosol particles, with gas‐to‐particle conversion and the biomass burning component. Large amounts of essential plant nutrients like P are mobilized into the atmosphere and possibly lost from the Amazon Basin ecosystem by long‐range transport.