Abstract
Zinc concentrations in hobby rocket exhaust aerosols were measured by ICP-MS to be approximately 300 mg/g, revealing that hobby rocket motors emit particulate matter highly enriched in zinc. Zinc is a commonly used indicator species in receptor models for atmospheric particulate matter and is assumed to be emitted only by well-established point sources and mobile sources. The potential impact of the ephemeral particle-bound zinc from hobby rockets on atmospheric particulate zinc concentrations was estimated using a Gaussian puff model. The results from the model were compared to 24-hour averaged particulate zinc concentration data collected in three US urban centers. Potential impacts several kilometers downwind of the rocket launch site were found to be significant. Clearly the impact of ephemeral and unregistered emissions such as those from hobby rockets needs to be considered when using zinc in source apportionment models.
Highlights
IntroductionTrace metals are widely used as source indicators for atmospheric particulate matter in receptor modeling studies (Chueinta et al, 2000, Ramadan et al, 2000, Song et al, 2001, Shah et al, 2004, Zhou et al, 2004, Bennet et al, 2005, Lough et al, 2005, Schauer et al, 2006)
The propellant compositions for these rockets were assumed to be a mixtures of zinc, ammonium perchlorate and a polymeric binder, analogous to the aluminum, ammonium perchlorate and polymeric binder fuel used in the commercial solid rocket motors, SRMs (Rutter, 2002)
This study illustrates how a small, unregistered and ephemeral source of particulate matter that is enriched in an atmospheric particulate indicator species, might significantly impact receptor model calculations performed using data from 24-hour averaged filter samples
Summary
Trace metals are widely used as source indicators for atmospheric particulate matter in receptor modeling studies (Chueinta et al, 2000, Ramadan et al, 2000, Song et al, 2001, Shah et al, 2004, Zhou et al, 2004, Bennet et al, 2005, Lough et al, 2005, Schauer et al, 2006). Size distributions of hobby rocket particle emissions have not previously been characterized This information is necessary for determining the exact influence of the emitted particles on PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations
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