Application of radiocarbon analysis and receptor modeling to the source apportionment of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in the atmosphere
The radiocarbon tracer technique was used to demonstrate that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be used for quantitative receptor modeling of air pollution. Fine-particle samples were collected during December, 1985, in Albuquerque, NM. Motor vehicles (fossil) and residential wood combustion (RWC, modern) were the major PAH-sources. For each sample, the PAH-fraction was solvent-extracted, isolated by liquid chromatography, and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The PAH-fractions from sixteen samples were analyzed for {sup 14}C by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Radiocarbon data were used to calculate the relative RWC contribution (f{sub RWC}) for samples analyzed for {sup 14}C. Normalized concentrations of a prospective motor vehicle tracer, benzo(ghi)perylene (BGP) had a strong, negative correlation with f{sub RWC}. Normalized BGP concentrations were used to apportion sources for samples not analyzed for {sup 14}C. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) vs. ADCS and BGP was used to estimate source profiles for use in Target Factor Analysis (TFA). Profiles predicted by TFA were used in Chemical Mass Balances (CMBs). For non-volatile, stable PAHs, agreement between observed and predicted concentrations was excellent. The worst fits were observed for the most volatile PAHs and for coronene. The total RWC contributions predicted by CMBs correlated well with the radiocarbon data.
- Research Organization:
- Maryland Univ., College Park, MD (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6811631
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540111 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (1990-)
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AROMATICS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXTRACTION
FEDERAL REGION VI
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HYDROCARBONS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATHEMATICS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPECTROSCOPY
STATISTICS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USA
VEHICLES
WOOD