Possible Sources for Some Trace Elements Found in Airborne Particles and Precipitation in Dorset, Ontario.

Abstract

Two types of potential source contribution function analysis- Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) and Total Potential Source Contribution Function (TPSCF) analysiswere employed to study the source-receptor relationships for several trace elements (vanadium, selenium, arsenic, manganese, and indium) found in precipitation and airborne particles collected at Dorset, Ontario. This study identified areas in the United States and Canada as possible emission source areas that could contribute to the trace element concentrations observed at Dorset. The identified regions in the United States generally coincide well with the locations of known emission sources, whereas the possible source regions revealed in Canada could not be adequately explained because of the absence of emission source information. The likely emission sources for these trace elements include oiland coal-fired power plants, incinerators, motor vehicles, nonferrous metal smelters, iron and steel mills, ferrous-Mn alloy plants, and Mn chemicals production.