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Dry acid deposition: monitoring technique for nitric acid and particulate nitrate - size distributions of acidic particles. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5609295

This research project involved three related efforts: (1) field and laboratory evaluation of the dichotomous sampler to measure nitric acid and particulate nitrate; (2) measurement of aerosol size distribution for nitrate and major ionic species using the Berner impactor; (3) direct measurement of dry-deposition fluxes of particles on natural and surrogate surfaces. Two parallel sampling trains, one consisting of a dichotomous sampler with a modified filter holder, and the other consisting of an AIHL cyclone and filter pack, sampled nitric acid and particulate nitrate (both fine and coarse fraction). Under a wide range of laboratory and field conditions, it was found that the dichotomous sampler quantitatively denudes nitric acid and, therefore, provides a method for the sampling of particulate nitrate that is free of positive artifacts from nitric acid. The Berner Cascade impactor was used to test the techniques needed to measure the size distribution of inorganic ions. Detailed evidence was obtained for the production of coarse nitrate and hydrochloric acid by the reaction of nitric acid with sea salt aerosol.

Research Organization:
California Dept. of Health Services, Berkeley (USA). Air and Industrial Hygiene Lab.
OSTI ID:
5609295
Report Number(s):
PB-88-131610/XAB; CA/DOH/AIHL/SP-46
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English