Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: Two-component models are often used to determine the contributions made by fossil fuel and natural sources of carbon in airborne particulate matter (PM).The models reduce thousands of actual sources to two end members based on isotopic signature.Combustion of fossil fuels produces PM free of carbon-14 ( 14 C).Wood or charcoal smoke, restaurant fryer emissions, and natural emissions from plants produce PM with the contemporary concentration of 14 C approximately 1.2 x10 -12 14 C/C.Such data can be used to estimate the relative contributions of fossil fuels and biogenic aerosols to the total aerosol loading and radiocarbon analysis is becoming a popular source apportionment method.Emissions from incinerators combusting medical or biological wastes containing tracer 14 C can skew the 14 C/C ratio of PM, however, so critical analysis of sampling sites for possible sources of elevated PM needs to be completed prior to embarking on sampling campaigns.Results are presented for two ambient monitoring sites in different areas of U.S. where 14 C contamination is apparent.Our experience suggests that such contamination is uncommon but is also not rare (~ 10%) for PM sampling sites.
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1356433355, G14554683, G2145270357, G991281326
OpenAlex ID: W2478127157