Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter
Abstract Particulate sulphate (pSO4 2−) is an atmospheric pollutant known to affect human/environmental health and global radiative-forcing. The Rio Tinto (RT) aluminium smelting facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, is the primary source of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions to the surrounding Kitima...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200528 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Particulate sulphate (pSO4 2−) is an atmospheric pollutant known to affect human/environmental health and global radiative-forcing. The Rio Tinto (RT) aluminium smelting facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, is the primary source of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions to the surrounding Kitimat Valley, a relatively isolated and unpolluted region. A network of active two-stage filter-packs and passive-diffusive samplers was established between June 2017 to October 2018 with the objective to evaluate the spatiotemporal variation and relative contribution of pSO4 2− to total anthropogenic atmospheric oxidized sulphur (SOx = SO2 + pSO4 2−). Average pSO4 2− across all sites (n = 9) was 0.41 µg m−3 (24–48 hour exposures) and ranged from 0.03 to 2.03 µg m−3. In contrast, average filter-pack SO2 ranged from 0.11 to 8.9 µg m−3 (during the same exposure periods). The filter-pack pSO4 2−/SOx concentration ratio (Fs) increased downwind of the smelter, indicating that the relative concentration of pSO4 2− increased with distance from the smelter. Furthermore, the increasing pSO4 2−/vanadium (V) ratio (used as a tracer of smelter emissions) relative to distance confirmed particulate formation was occurring within the emission plume during the sampling period. Irrespective of in-plume aerosol formation, pSO4 2− contributed a relatively minor fraction of total atmospheric SOx within the emission plume (field campaign averages Fs < 20%; pSO4 2− < 0.1 µg S m−3; SO2 > 1.0 µg S m−3). |
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| ISSN: | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |