Feasibility of the detection of trace elements in particulate matter using online High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometry
The feasibility of using an online thermal-desorption electron-ionization high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) for the detection of particulate trace elements was investigated analyzing data from Mexico City obtained during the MILAGRO 2006 field campaign, where relatively high concentrations of trace elements have been reported. This potential application is of interest due to the real-time data provided by the AMS, its high sensitivity and time resolution, and the widespread availability and use of this instrument. High resolution mass spectral analysis, isotopic ratios, and ratios of different ions containing the same elements are used to constrain the chemical identity of the measured ions. The detection of Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sn, and Sb is reported. There was no convincing evidence for the detection of other trace elements commonly reported in PM. The elements detected tend to be those with lower melting and boiling points, as expected given the use of a vaporizer at 600oC in this instrument. Operation of the AMS vaporizer at higher temperatures is likely to improve trace element detection. The detection limit is estimated at approximately 0.3 ng m-3 for 5-min of data averaging. Concentration time series obtained from the AMS data were compared to concentration records determined from offline analysis of particle samples from the same times and locations by ICP (PM2.5) and PIXE (PM1.1 and PM0.3). The degree of correlation and agreement between the three instruments (AMS, ICP, and PIXE) varied depending on the element. The AMS shows promise for real-time detection of some trace elements, although additional work including laboratory calibrations with different chemical forms of these elements are needed to further develop this technique and to understand the differences with the ambient data from the other techniques. The trace elements peaked in the morning as expected for primary sources, and the many detected plumes suggest the presence of multiple point sources, probably industrial, in Mexico City which are variable in time and space, in agreement with previous studies.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1049658
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-88809; ASTYDQ; 44638; KP1701000; TRN: US201218%%136
- Journal Information:
- Aerosol Science and Technology, Vol. 46, Issue 11; ISSN 0278-6826
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Comparative Analysis of Urban Atmospheric Aerosol by Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Proton Elastic Scattering Analysis (PESA), and Aerosol Mass Spectrometry (AMS)
Related Subjects
AEROSOLS
AVAILABILITY
BOILING POINTS
DETECTION
ELEMENTS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MELTING
MEXICO
PARTICULATES
PLUMES
POINT SOURCES
RESOLUTION
SENSITIVITY
TIME RESOLUTION
TRACE AMOUNTS
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory