Overview of the Rio de Janeiro Aerosol Characterization study

Journal Article · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1986 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/08940630.1987.10466194· OSTI ID:7096201

Daisey, J M; Miguel, A H; de Andrade, J B; Pereira, P A.P.; Tanner, R L

The Rio de Janeiro Aerosol Characterization Study was a joint U.S.-Brazilian project undertaken 1) to provide more complete information on the chemical composition of the wintertime Rio aerosol, with emphasis on its carbonaceous and sulfate components and 2) to compare the chemical composition of the Rio aerosol with those of urban U.S. aerosols. Concentration of inhalable (D/sub 50/ = 15 ..mu..m) particulate matter (IPM) in Rio de Janeiro averaged 80.7 and 58.6 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ for day and night samples, respectively, at a site impacted by heavy motor vehicle traffic, during a wintertime sampling period. The average IPM concentration was higher than concentrations of IPM in many U.S. cities. Atmospheric concentrations of extractable organic matter (EOM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were similar to those measured in eastern U.S. cities during the wintertime while organic and elemental carbon concentrations were somewhat higher than those reported for most urban aerosols in the United States. Concentrations of sulfate were only about one-third of those measured in the United States. The overall composition of the Rio aerosol also differed from those of U.S. urban aerosols. Sulfate (as NH/sub 4/HSO/sub 4/) was only 7.7 percent of IPM, compared to 20-40 percent for most U.S. cities. EOM was only 24 percent of the Rio IPM as compared to 27-36 of wintertime IPM samples from urban New Jersey sites. The ratio of organic to elemental carbon (OC/EC) in Rio was about 1 and was lower than the ratios observed in most U.S. cities. This appears to be a consequence of the 8-10 percent diesel powered buses in the Rio traffic mix.

• Research Organization: New York Univ. Medical Center, NY
• OSTI ID: 7096201
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 37:1; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOL MONITORING
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AROMATICS
BRAZIL
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COOPERATION
DATA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
LATIN AMERICA
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOUTH AMERICA
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
URBAN AREAS
USA
VARIATIONS