Transport and deposition of pollutants downwind of St. Louis

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · ERDA Symp. Ser.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5026812

Young, J A; Wogman, N A; Tanner, T M; Thomas, C W

The St. Louis Metropolitan area introduces large quantities of pollutant materials into the atmosphere. These contaminants are carried large distances by prevailing winds and may affect regions considerably downwind of St. Louis. The concentrations of trace elements, sulfates, SO/sub 2/, and Freon-11 have been measured in air samples collected upwind, in, and downwind of St. Louis during July of 1973 to determine the atmospheric concentrations of these contaminants produced by St. Louis and to determine the rates at which the concentrations are decreased downwind by atmospheric mixing processes, dry deposition on the earth's surface, and, in the case of SO/sub 2/, chemical reactions. The rate of decrease in concentration due to mixing processes was determined from the rate of decrease in concentration of the essentially conservative gas Freon-11, which is released in large quantities by aerosol spray cans. The lead, bromine, and Freon-11 concentrations 60 miles downwind of the arch averaged 68%, 74% and 90%, respectively, of those at 20 miles. These numbers suggest that atmospheric mixing processes decreased the contaminant concentrations 10%, and dry deposition removed 20% between 20 miles and 60 miles downwind of St. Louis. The SO/sub 2/ concentration decreased much more rapidly with distance, and the concentrations 60 miles downwind averaged only 27% of the concentrations 20 miles downwind, giving a calculated atmospheric half-residence time of 3.5 hr. The surface concentrations increased somewhat with distance downwind of St. Louis due to the conversion of SO/sub 2/ to sulfate.

• Research Organization: Battelle, Northwest Laboratories, Richland, WA
• OSTI ID: 5026812
• Journal Information: ERDA Symp. Ser.; (United States), Journal Name: ERDA Symp. Ser.; (United States) Vol. 38; ISSN ERDSD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VII
FREONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
MASS TRANSFER
MISSOURI
MIXING
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
URBAN AREAS
USA
WIND