Trace Elements and Common Ions in Southeastern Idaho Snow: Regional Air Pollutant Tracers for Source Area Emissions
Snow samples were collected in southeastern Idaho over two winters to assess trace elements and common ions concentrations in air pollutant fallout across the region. The objectives were to: 1) develop sampling and analysis techniques that would produce accurate measurements of a broad suite of elements and ions in snow, 2) identify the major elements in regional fallout and their spatial and temporal trends, 3) determine if there are unique combinations of elements that are characteristic to the major source areas in the region (source profiles), and 4) use pattern recognition and multivariate statistical techniques (principal component analysis and classical least squares regression) to investigate source apportionment of the fallout to the major source areas. In the winter of 2000-2001, 250 snow samples were collected across the region over a 4-month period and analyzed in triplicate using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ion chromatography (IC). Thirty-nine (39) trace elements and 9 common ions were positively identified in most samples. The data were analyzed using pattern recognition tools in the software, Pirouette® (Infometrix, Inc.). These results showed a large crustal component (Al, Zn, Mn, Ba, and rare earth elements), an overwhelming contribution from phosphate processing facilities located outside Pocatello in the southern portion of the ESRP, some changes in concentrations over time, and no obvious source area profiles (unique chemical signatures) other than at Pocatello. Concentrations near a major U.S. Department of Energy industrial complex on the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) were lower than those observed at major downwind communities. In the winter of 2001-2002, we tried a new sampling design (and collected 135 additional samples) in an attempt to estimate pure emission profiles from the major source areas in the region and used classical least squares regression (CLS) to source apportion these profiles at four downwind mixing sites.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-99ID-13727
- OSTI ID:
- 910760
- Report Number(s):
- INEEL/CON-02-00096; TRN: US200802%%137
- Resource Relation:
- Journal Volume: 85; Journal Issue: 6-7; Conference: Air Quality III - Mercury, Trace Elements, and Particulate Matter,Washington, DC,09/10/2002,09/12/2002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
37 - INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 - ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR
AIR QUALITY
ELEMENTS
FALLOUT
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MERCURY
PARTICULATES
PATTERN RECOGNITION
POLLUTANTS
RARE EARTHS
SNOW
TRACE AMOUNTS
air pollutant
southeastern idaho
trace elements