Deposition Of Atmospheric Particles Research Articles

Sources, spatial-distributions and fluxes of PAH-contaminated dusts in the Athabasca oil sands region

Atmospheric deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has increased in northern Alberta, Canada, due to industrial development in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR). However, the sources, summertime deposition fluxes and associated spatial patterns are poorly characterized, and the magnitude of contamination has not been directly contrasted with comparable measurements around large Canadian cities. PAHs were measured in Sphagnum moss collected from 30 bogs in the AOSR and compared with reference moss collected from various remote, rural and near-urban sites in Alberta and Ontario. At all 39 locations, strong correlations between depositional fluxes of PAHs and accumulation rates of ash (n = 117, r = 0.877, p < 0.001) implied that the main source of PAHs to moss was atmospheric deposition of particles. Average PAH concentrations at near-field AOSR sites (mean [SD], 62.4 [24.3] ng/g) were significantly higher than at far-field AOSR sites (44.9 [20.8] ng/g; p = 0.038) or the 7 reference sites in Alberta (20.6 [3.5] ng/g; p < 0.001). In fact, average PAH concentrations across the entire AOSR (7,850 km2) were approximately twice as high as in London, Ontario, or near petroleum upgrading and major traffic corridors in Edmonton, Alberta. A chemical mass balance model estimated that both delayed petcoke (33 % of PAHs) and fine tailings (38 % of PAHs) were the major sources of PAHs in the AOSR. Over the 2015 summer growing season, we estimate that 101–110 kg of PAHs (on 14,300–17,300 tonnes of PAH-containing dusts) were deposited to the AOSR within a 50 km radius of surface mining. Given that the highest PAH deposition was to the northern quadrant of the AOSR, which includes the First Nations community of Fort MacKay, further dust control measures should be considered to protect human and environmental health in the region.

Impact of dust addition on Mediterranean plankton communities under present and future conditions of pH and temperature: an experimental overview

Abstract. In low-nutrient low-chlorophyll areas, such as the Mediterranean Sea, atmospheric fluxes represent a considerable external source of nutrients likely supporting primary production, especially during periods of stratification. These areas are expected to expand in the future due to lower nutrient supply from sub-surface waters caused by climate-driven enhanced stratification, likely further increasing the role of atmospheric deposition as a source of new nutrients to surface waters. Whether plankton communities will react differently to dust deposition in a warmer and acidified environment remains; however, an open question. The potential impact of dust deposition both in present and future climate conditions was investigated in three perturbation experiments in the open Mediterranean Sea. Climate reactors (300 L) were filled with surface water collected in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Ionian Sea and in the Algerian basin during a cruise conducted in the frame of the PEACETIME project in May–June 2017. The experiments comprised two unmodified control tanks, two tanks enriched with a Saharan dust analogue and two tanks enriched with the dust analogue and maintained under warmer (+3 ∘C) and acidified (−0.3 pH unit) conditions. Samples for the analysis of an extensive number of biogeochemical parameters and processes were taken over the duration (3–4 d) of the experiments. Dust addition led to a rapid release of nitrate and phosphate, however, nitrate inputs were much higher than phosphate. Our results showed that the impacts of Saharan dust deposition in three different basins of the open northwestern Mediterranean Sea are at least as strong as those observed previously, all performed in coastal waters. The effects of dust deposition on biological stocks were different for the three investigated stations and could not be attributed to differences in their degree of oligotrophy but rather to the initial metabolic state of the community. Ocean acidification and warming did not drastically modify the composition of the autotrophic assemblage, with all groups positively impacted by warming and acidification. Although autotrophic biomass was more positively impacted than heterotrophic biomass under future environmental conditions, a stronger impact of warming and acidification on mineralization processes suggests a decreased capacity of Mediterranean surface plankton communities to sequester atmospheric CO2 following the deposition of atmospheric particles.

Integrated approach to environmental pollution investigation – Spatial and temporal patterns of potentially toxic elements and magnetic particles in vineyard through the entire grapevine season

An integrated approach to the investigation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was applied to the soil and grapevine leaf samples collected from vineyard environment through the grapevine season. To investigate mobile and bioavailable concentrations of PTEs, six single extraction procedures and pseudo-total digestion were applied to the samples. The element concentrations in the samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To assess atmospheric particle deposition, saturation isothermal remanent magnetisation (SIRM) was applied to the leaf samples. The obtained PTE concentrations in samples were used for calculating various ecological implications in the vineyard environment. The notable environmental pollution implications were estimated for As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Sr. The environmental risk (RI) of the elements soluble under low-acid conditions influenced soil bioavailability risk. The most bioavailable elements from soil to leaves were Mn, Ni and Sr, followed by Cr and Cu. Cadmium and Co were strongly-bonded in the soil and were not bioavailable. The most suitable extractants for assessing bioavailability in the soil-leaf system were chelating agent Na2EDTA, and weak salt solutions CaCl2 and NH4NO3. The biological accumulation concentrations (BACs) of B, Ba, Cd, Co, Ni and Zn were decreasing in the leaves through the grapevine growing phases, that is contributed to the decreasing agrochemical application through the season. The BACs of Co, Cr, Sb and Pb, in July (veraison), were higher than in other phases, which indicate anthropogenic activities. According to correlations between biogeochemical index (BGI) and BAC, Cu and Na were mostly bioaccumulated from soil to leaves due to agrochemical applications, while bioaccumulation of B, Cd, Sb and Sr could be influenced by the other anthropogenic sources. Significant correlations between PTE concentrations and SIRM imply that leaves indicate Co, Cr and Ni air pollution in the vineyard environment.

Effects of suspended particulates on atmospheric environmental corrosion by mathematical analysis

Kelvin probe technique was adopted in this paper to continuously monitor the SKP potential of iron and steel materials in smog environment. The monitoring results show that the deposition of atmospheric particles can promote the atmospheric corrosion of the sample surface. The contribution rate of relative humidity, suspended particles and other factors to promote the iron and steel corrosion was studied by variance analysis. The analysis results show that the corrosion tendency of steel in atmospheric environment containing suspended particles increase at least 33.62%, under the same relative humidity. As long as these particles have been deposited on the steel surface, the risk of acceleratting corrosion always exists.

An impact of moss sample cleaning on uncertainty of analytical measurement and pattern profiles of rare earth elements

The main source of rare earth elements (REE) in mosses is atmospheric deposition of particles. Sample treatment operations including shaking, rinsing or washing, which are made in a standard way on moss samples prior to chemical analysis, may lead to removing particles adsorbed onto their tissues. This in turn causes differences in REE concentrations in treated and untreated samples. For the present study, 27 combined moss samples were collected within three wooded areas and prepared for REE determinations by ICP-MS using both manual cleaning by shaking and triple rinsing with deionized water. Higher concentrations of REE were found in manually cleaned samples. The comparison of REE signatures and shale-normalized REE concentration patterns showed that the treatment procedure did not lead to fractionation of REE. All the samples were enriched in medium rare earth elements, and the δMREE factor remained practically unchanged after rinsing. Positive anomalies of Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er and Yb were observed in both, manually cleaned and rinsed samples. For all the elements examined, analytical uncertainty was below 3.0% whereas sample preparation uncertainty computed with ANOVA, RANOVA, modified RANOVA and range statistics methods varied from 3.5 to 29.7%. In most cases the lowest srprep values were obtained with the modified RANOVA method.

Major and trace elements in Sphagnum moss from four southern German bogs, and comparison with available moss monitoring data

In this paper, we present concentrations of an array of major and trace elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Th, Tl, U, V, Zn) in living Sphagnum mosses from four southern German bogs and compare them with moss monitoring data of the respective regions. To do this, Sphagnum mosses were collected in Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern, OB) and the Northern Black Forest (Nordschwarzwald, NBF). Surfaces of Sphagnum carpets were marked with plastic mesh and, one year later, the annual moss production was harvested. Up to 12 samples (40cm×40cm) were collected per site, and 6–10 sites investigated per bog. The concentrations of these elements were then determined in acid digests using sector field ICP-MS. Variations within a given sampling site were in the range of 2 to 3-fold for all major and trace element concentrations except for Mn (12-fold) and Tl (38-fold). For most of the elements, concentrations between bogs of a given region were significantly different and atmospheric deposition of particles seems to be considerably affected by local circumstances such as tree canopy interception and microtopography. Comparing trace element concentrations measured in Sphagnum mosses for 2007 with published moss monitoring data for 2005 resulted in a very good agreement for most elements. Clearly, Sphagnum mosses from bogs are useful biomonitors for estimating atmospheric contamination by metals. This supports the use of Sphagnum in atmospheric deposition monitoring especially in cases where Sphagnum is abundant (e.g., boreal forests). In regions with neither bogs nor forests, living Sphagnum moss bags could be used to the same effect.

Atmospheric deposition of particles at a sensitive alpine lake: Size-segregated daily and annual fluxes from passive sampling techniques.

Lake Tahoe, a North American alpine lake long appreciated for its clear water and geographic setting, has experienced a trend of declining water clarity due to increasing nutrient and particle inputs. Contributions from atmospheric deposition of particulate matter (PM) could be important, yet they are inadequately quantified. This study established a yearlong deposition monitoring network in the northern Lake Tahoe Basin. Dry deposition was quantified on surrogate surfaces while wet deposition was based on particles suspended in precipitation at 24-hour resolution. The particle size ranges by these passive techniques were 1-64μm and 0.5-20μm in diameter for dry and wet deposition, respectively. Dry deposition of submicrometer (0.5-1μm) particles was also estimated by extrapolation of a lognormal size distribution. Higher daily number deposition fluxes (NDFdry and NDFwet) were found at a near-shore site, confirming substantial impacts of commercial and tourist activities. The two more isolated sites indicated a uniform regional background. On average, daily NDFdry is about one order of magnitude lower than daily NDFwet. Dry deposition velocities increased rapidly with particle size, as evidenced by collocated measurements of NDFdry and ambient particle number concentrations, though it seems less so for wet deposition due to different scavenging mechanisms. Despite fewer "wet" days than "dry" days during the monitoring period, wet processes dominated seasonal particle deposition, particularly in winter and spring when most precipitation occurred. Adopting sediment (insoluble, inorganic) particle fraction estimates from the literature, this study reports an annual particle flux of 2.9-5.2×1010#m-2yr-1 for sediment particles with 1-20μm diameter and 6.1-11×1010#m-2yr-1 for those with 0.5-20μm diameter. Implications of these findings to the current knowledge of atmospheric deposition in the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) are discussed.

Changes in land use, climate and the environment during a period of rapid economic development in Jiangsu Province, China

Understanding changes in climate and environment on a regional scale can provide useful guidance for regional socio-economic development. The present study characterizes changes in the environment, climate, land use and cover types via in situ observed, statistical data and remote sensing images for Jiangsu Province, China, during the period 1980–2012. Statistical and spatial analyses indicate that the pace of urbanization in southern Jiangsu is more rapid than that in northern Jiangsu. Urbanization (92.7%) results primarily from the loss of farmland. While emissions of pollutants from industrial sources were well controlled, and wastewater, which more frequently derives from urban domestic sources, was found to be increasing. The rates of wastewater to population increased from 0.17±0.017 to 0.32±0.090 (billionton/million persons) during the two periods of 1980–2000 and 2000–2012. However, the rates of wastewater to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased from 0.26±0.20 to 0.014±0.009 (billionton/billion Yuan), respectively. The significant increase in scattering radiance and Earth's albedo caused by the urbanization and its process (Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between urban land and scattering radiance=0.86, p<0.0001; r between farmland and scattering radiance=−0.92, p<0.0001) aggravates the warming in the regional scale. This correlation analysis indicates that temperature will decrease with the increase of woodland, grassland and farmland, and will increase with the increase of urbanized and unexploited lands. Added to warming caused by an increase in CO2, land use/cover change and human activities may be the primary reason for the rising temperatures in Jiangsu Province. The change in regional thermal conditions reduces both local humidity and land atmosphere flux exchange. The low atmosphere flux exhange contributes to the spread of atmospheric pollutants and the deposition of atmospheric particles.

On the relation between tree crown morphology and particulate matter deposition on urban tree leaves: A ground-based LiDAR approach

Urban dwellers often breathe air that does not meet the European and WHO standards. Next to legislative initiatives to lower atmospheric pollutants, much research has been conducted on the potential of urban trees as mitigation tool for atmospheric particles. While leaf-deposited dust has shown to vary significantly throughout single tree crowns, this study evaluated the influence of micro-scale tree crown morphology (leaf density) on the amount of leaf-deposited dust. Using a ground-based LiDAR approach, the three-dimensional tree crown morphology was obtained and compared to gravimetric measurements of leaf-deposited dust within three different size fractions (>10, 3–10 and 0.2–3 μm). To our knowledge, this is the first application of ground-based LiDAR for comparison with gravimetric results of leaf-deposited particulate matter. Overall, an increasing leaf density appears to reduce leaf-deposition of atmospheric particles. This might be explained by a reduced wind velocity, suppressing turbulent deposition of atmospheric particles through impaction. Nevertheless, the effect of tree crown morphology on particulate deposition appears almost negligible (7% AIC decrease) compared to the influence of physical factors like height, azimuth and tree position.

Simultaneous quantification of the contributions of dry, washout and rainout deposition to the total deposition of particle-bound 7Be and 210Pb on an urban catchment area on a monthly scale

This study deals with the time-evolution of the relative contributions of the three forms of atmospheric particle deposition under dry and wet weather conditions in an urban environment: dry deposition, washout and rainout deposition. An experimental set-up was installed in situ to measure the dry and wet deposition by integrating the processes of deposition over monthly periods. A semi-empirical model (PArticle Washout: PAW) was developed to distinguish the deposition by washout and rainout contained in the wet deposition over these same periods. These two parallel approaches allowed to quantify simultaneously the dry deposition as well as the washout and the rainout deposition of two natural radionuclides of different origin (7Be and 210Pb) on an urban catchment area. The dry deposition on a heterogeneous urban surface was estimated knowing the dry deposition on homogeneous substrates and the distribution of these substrates on the developed surface of the Pin Sec catchment area in Nantes. On average, during the 15 months of experimental monitoring, deposition by rainout was the predominant mechanism contributing to the monthly total deposition of 7Be and 210Pb, to the extent of 67% and 55%, respectively. Dry deposition contributed less to the total deposition, accounting for 21% and 28% of the 7Be and 210Pb, respectively. Lastly, washout was the weakest contributor to total deposition, with 12% for 7Be and 17% for 210Pb. The distribution of the contributions in the case of cosmic 7Be and terrigenous 210Pb is in agreement with the origin of these two radionuclides. By applying this method to other substrates and under different environmental conditions, the calibration of operational models could be refined to obtain a better prediction of the atmospheric particle-bound pollutant deposition.

Foliar exposure of the crop Lactuca sativa to silver nanoparticles: Evidence for internalization and changes in Ag speciation

The impact of engineered nanomaterials on plants, which act as a major point of entry of contaminants into trophic chains, is little documented. The foliar pathway is even less known than the soil-root pathway. However, significant inputs of nanoparticles (NPs) on plant foliage may be expected due to deposition of atmospheric particles or application of NP-containing pesticides. The uptake of Ag-NPs in the crop species Lactuca sativa after foliar exposure and their possible biotransformation and phytotoxic effects were studied. In addition to chemical analyses and ecotoxicological tests, micro X-ray fluorescence, micro X-ray absorption spectroscopy, time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and electron microscopy were used to localize and determine the speciation of Ag at sub-micrometer resolution. Although no sign of phytotoxicity was observed, Ag was effectively trapped on lettuce leaves and a thorough washing did not decrease Ag content significantly. We provide first evidence for the entrapment of Ag-NPs by the cuticle and penetration in the leaf tissue through stomata, for the diffusion of Ag in leaf tissues, and oxidation of Ag-NPs and complexation of Ag+ by thiol-containing molecules. Such type of information is crucial for better assessing the risk associated to Ag-NP containing products.

Atmospheric deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to a coastal site of Hong Kong, South China

Dry and wet deposition of atmospheric particles is a dominant pathway for PAHs to the coastal environments. Very few studies have been conducted to quantify the contribution of atmospheric deposition to PAH levels in the coastal regions. In this study, PAHs were analyzed in samples collected during a year-round campaign using atmospheric (gas and particle) and depositional samples at a coastal site South China. The average PAH particle deposition fluxes observed calculated 260 ± 190 ng m−2 d−1. Remarkable seasonal variations were recorded in the total PAH deposition fluxes, with higher deposition fluxes in the dry seasons and lower fluxes in the wet seasons. The temporal trend of deposition fluxes was influenced by PAH concentration in the aerosols and changes in meteorological parameters, such as temperature, rainfall, and wind speed etc. Dry deposition velocities of individual PAH compound ranged from 0.02 to 1.03 cm s−1, and there was a decrease pattern in dry deposition velocity with increasing molecular weight of PAHs. The annual mean washout ratio, defined as the ratio between the particle-associated concentrations of PAHs in precipitations and aerosols, was 3.4 × 105 in this study. Washout ratios decreased with increasing rainfall frequency and reached a consistent level afterward. The contribution of atmospheric deposition to PAH concentrations in the sediments was estimated to be 30%–40% in the coastal regions of South China.

Forensic Assessment of Refined Tar-Based Sealers as a Source of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Urban Sediments

Atmospheric deposition of particles and their subsequent transport by stormwater are a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban sediments. Recently, the results of forensic analysis have been used to promote a hypothesis that refined tar-based pavement sealers (RT-sealers) are another significant source. To evaluate this hypothesis, a suite of forensic methods was applied to a wider range of PAH data for this study. Sediments PAH profiles are no more similar to RT-sealers than they are to a number of other environmental inputs. While RT-sealers were not eliminated as a potential source in some locations, forensic methods did not differentiate their contribution from other sources of PAHs, indicating RT-sealers are not a unique or readily quantifiable source of PAHs to the urban environment.

Potential sources affecting the activity concentrations of 238U, 235U, 232Th and some decay products in lettuce and wheat samples.

The activity concentrations of radionuclides within the uranium and thorium series were determined in wheat and lettuce at five sites in France, and in their respective potential sources: crop soils of wheat and crop soils and irrigation waters of lettuce. These data were used to calculate concentration ratios and to enrich the database supported by the technical report series N°472 of the IAEA (2010). For wheat and lettuce, the activity concentrations were in the same range for all radionuclides studied, except for (210)Pb, which had higher activity concentrations in wheat, ranging between 1.3 and 11 Bq kg(−1) (fresh weight) as compared to 0.4 and 0.7 Bq kg(−1) (fresh weight) for lettuce. For wheat, the range of activity concentrations (mBq kg(−1); fresh weight) decreased as (210)Pb > (226)Ra (56–1511) ≈ (228)Ra (86–769) > (228)Th (19–176) ≈ (238)U (11–169) ≈ (234)U (12–150) ≈ (230)Th (9.08–197.18) ≈ (232)Th (8.61–121.45) > (235)U (0.53–7.9). For lettuce, it decreased as (228)Ra (<320–1221) > (210)Pb (409–746) > (226)Ra (30–599) ≈ (228)Th (<29–347) > (238)U (8–120) ≈ (234)U (8–121) ≈ (230)Th (5.21–134.63) ≈ (232)Th (5.25–156.99) > (235)U (0.35–5.63). The species differences may reflect different plant physiologies. Through the study of activity ratios of wheat and lettuce in relation with those of the various radionuclide sources it has been possible to highlight the contribution of the main sources of natural radionuclides. Indeed, irrigation water when the uranium concentration is enhanced (>30 mBq L(−1)) contributed significantly to the activity concentration of uranium in lettuces. Concerning the high activity concentrations of (210)Pb, it could be explained by atmospheric particle deposition. The effect of soil particles resuspension and their adhesion to the plant surface seemed to be important in some cases. The soil-to-plant transfer factors were calculated for lettuce and wheat. The values were lower in wheat than in lettuce except for (210)Pb which had similar values in the two species (0.11–0.13 respectively). For both species, (210)Pb followed by (228)Ra (0.015–0.10) and (226)Ra (0.010–0.051) displayed the highest transfer factor, whereas (238)U had intermediate values (0.0015–0.030) and (232)Th exhibited the lowest (0.0014–0.013).

The possible effect of dirtiness on structurally based ultraviolet plumage

Colourful feathers are important traits in female mate choice in birds because the colour properties of the feathers are often correlated with individual condition during moult. Feather colour can change after moult, and dirt accumulation has been suggested to contribute to this variation. However, we still know little about the influence of dirt on feather colour change, possibly because it is difficult to experimentally manipulate the level of feather dirtiness. We investigated whether reflectance properties of feathers exposed to naturally deposited soil (atmospheric particle deposition such as dust, pollution and smoke) differ from feathers for which this contact was prevented. To achieve this, we compared the spectral colour of throat-breast feathers of European starling, Sturnus vulgaris, kept in the open air (dirty group) with those preserved within a plastic envelope (clean group). Before treatment and three and six weeks after the beginning of the treatment we measured the plumage reflectance of the two groups of feathers. While clean feathers did not change their reflectance spectra, the dirty group showed a reduced reflectance along the entire spectrum (300–700 nm). The reduction in reflectance was particularly pronounced in the UV range (300–400 nm). These preliminary results are consistent with the idea that feather colours are not static signals but are plastic traits. However, much work remains to determine the role of soil and air pollution in altering plumage colouration.

Size‐resolved fluxes of sub‐100‐nm particles over forests

Dry deposition of atmospheric particles is critically dependent on particle size and plays a key role in dictating the mass and number distributions of atmospheric particles. However, modeling dry deposition is constrained by a lack of understanding of controlling dependencies and accurate size‐resolved observations. We present size‐resolved particle number fluxes for sub‐100‐nm particle diameters (Dp) over a deciduous forest derived using eddy covariance applied to data from a fast mobility particle sizer. The size‐resolved particle number fluxes in 18 diameters between 8 and 100 nm were collected during leaf‐on and are statistically robust. Particle deposition velocities normalized by friction velocity (vd+) are approximately four times smaller than comparable values for coniferous forests reported elsewhere. Comparison of the data with output from a new one‐dimensional mechanistic particle deposition model designed for broadleaf forest exhibits greater accord with the measurements than two previous analytical models, but modeled vd+ underestimate observed values by at least a factor of two for all Dp between 6 and 100 nm. When size‐resolved particle deposition velocities for Dp &lt; 100 nm are normalized by friction velocity, the key controlling role of particle diffusivity is strongly manifest. On the basis of analyses of these new measurements and recently published size‐resolved particle number fluxes from a conifer forest, we present working parameterizations for size‐resolved particle deposition velocities over forests that could reasonably be applied in regional and global atmospheric chemistry transport models.

A size‐resolved model and a four‐mode parameterization of dry deposition of atmospheric aerosols

To deposit on the ground surface, an airborne aerosol particle needs to pass through an aerodynamic resistance layer and a quasi‐laminar sublayer just adjacent to the surface. Traditionally, it is believed that the main mechanisms through which a particle overcomes the resistance from the quasi‐laminar sublayer are Brownian diffusion, interception, inertial impaction, and gravitational settling. In this study, a size‐resolved dry deposition model is formulated, which includes a new proposed dry deposition mechanism, the burst effect of eddy turbulence. The effects on dry deposition of particles by Brownian diffusion and inertial impaction are parameterized through the Schmidt number and the Stokes number, respectively. On the basis of the similarity between deposition of particles on walls of pipes and deposition of atmospheric particles on the ground surface, the burst effect of eddy turbulence is parameterized with the roughness Reynolds number. Through the roughness Reynolds number the effect on dry deposition by the surface roughness is parameterized into the model. Since the dry deposition velocity depends on particle size strongly, a four‐mode parameterization of dry deposition is proposed for use in atmospheric dispersion models. For each aerosol mode the parameterization of the bulk dry deposition velocity is made up of two terms: the Reynolds term and another term that is a power law function of friction velocity. The dry deposition velocities predicted by the model and the four‐mode parameterization are compared with the measurements reported in the literature, and good agreements are achieved.

Did Smoke from the Kuwait Oil Well Fires Affect Iranian Archaeological Heritage?

The combustion of crude oil produces a wide range of pollutants, including gases, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, acid compounds (e.g., sulfuric acid), and soot. Several of these pollutants have been linked with the deterioration and blackening of monuments. The paper reports the results of an investigation on the causes of the soiling of cultural remains at important archaeological sites in the provinces of Khuzestan and Fars, in southern Iran, assumed to be an effect of the Persian Gulf oil well fires of 1991. Different analytical techniques were applied to characterize the mineralogical composition of the damage layers, investigate the deposition of atmospheric particles, measure the anion concentrations, and identify and quantify the carbon components. The results showed that the black deposits on the surfaces of the Iranian monuments considered are mainly microbiotic crusts produced by cyanobacterial growth. No evidence was found of the deposition of particulate matter (smoke) produced by the Kuwait oil fires during the Gulf War.

Radioactive nuclides as tracers of environmental processes

Relatively short-lived radioactive nuclides of cosmogenic origin, such as7Be (T1/2=53.3 d),32P (14.3 d),33P (25.3 d),35S (87.4 d) as well as22Na (2.6 y) have come to be recognized as potential tools to trace environmental processes, such as precipitation, washout (precipitation scavenging), resuspension, atmospheric particle deposition and deposition patterns of airborne contaminants, aerosol deposition and aerosol trapping by above ground vegetation (air-to-vegetation transfer). Of the above radionuclides,7Be as well as210Pb of terrestrial origin and137Cs, a fission product radionuclide, are commonly used for determining the atmospheric particle deposition parameters. It was found that the deposition velocity of7Be-associated aerosol particles varied from 0.3 to 0.8 cm. s-1(average 0.5 cm. s-1), the washout ratio for7Be varied from 103 to 375 (average 144), the resuspension factor for the7Be-associated particles varied from 1.6. 10-4to 4.2. 10-4m-1(average 2.3. 10-4m-1) and the air-to-vegetation transfer rate for7Be varied from 5258 to 16180 m3.kg-1(average 9856 m3.kg-1) for grass, gramineae or poaceae the species. For the137Cs-associated aerosol particles the deposition velocity varied from 1.3 to 6.3 cm. s-1(average 3.4 cm. s-1), the washout ratio for137Cs varied from 284 to 3810 (average 1295), the resuspension factor for the137Cs-associated aerosol particles varied from 0.1. 10-4to 1.2. 10-4m-1(average 0.6. 10-4m-1) and the air-to-vegetation transfer rate for137Cs varied from 39638 to 345279 m3.kg-1(average 181197 m3.kg-1) for grass, gramineae or poaceaethe species.

Long term atmospheric deposition as the source of nitrate and other salts in the Atacama Desert, Chile: New evidence from mass-independent oxygen isotopic compositions

Isotopic analysis of nitrate and sulfate minerals from the nitrate ore fields of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile has shown anomalous 17O enrichments in both minerals. Δ 17O values of 14–21 ‰ in nitrate and 0.4 to 4 ‰ in sulfate are the most positive found in terrestrial minerals to date. Modeling of atmospheric processes indicates that the Δ 17O signatures are the result of photochemical reactions in the troposphere and stratosphere. We conclude that the bulk of the nitrate, sulfate and other soluble salts in some parts of the Atacama Desert must be the result of atmospheric deposition of particles produced by gas to particle conversion, with minor but varying amounts from sea spray and local terrestrial sources. Flux calculations indicate that the major salt deposits could have accumulated from atmospheric deposition in a period of 200,000 to 2.0 M years during hyper-arid conditions similar to those currently found in the Atacama Desert. Correlations between Δ 17O and δ 18O in nitrate salts from the Atacama Desert and Mojave Desert, California, indicate varying fractions of microbial and photochemical end-member sources. The photochemical nitrate isotope signature is well preserved in the driest surficial environments that are almost lifeless, whereas the microbial nitrate isotope signature becomes dominant rapidly with increasing moisture, biologic activity, and nitrogen cycling. These isotopic signatures have important implications for paleoclimate, astrobiology, and N cycling studies.