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...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2020-12-01
|
| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200528 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1825197541468143616 |
|---|---|
| author | Dane Blanchard Julian Aherne |
| author_facet | Dane Blanchard Julian Aherne |
| author_sort | Dane Blanchard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7871918f6ae4113816bbfc3bdc313a3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7871918f6ae4113816bbfc3bdc313a32025-02-09T12:21:00ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092020-12-0121512010.4209/aaqr.200528Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium SmelterDane Blanchard0Julian Aherne1School of the Environment, Trent UniversitySchool of the Environment, Trent UniversityAbstract 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).https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200528Atmospheric sulphurBritish ColumbiaFilter-packPassive sampler |
| spellingShingle | Dane Blanchard Julian Aherne Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter Aerosol and Air Quality Research Atmospheric sulphur British Columbia Filter-pack Passive sampler |
| title | Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter |
| title_full | Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter |
| title_fullStr | Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter |
| title_short | Ground-level Particulate Sulphate and Gaseous Sulphur Dioxide Downwind of an Aluminium Smelter |
| title_sort | ground level particulate sulphate and gaseous sulphur dioxide downwind of an aluminium smelter |
| topic | Atmospheric sulphur British Columbia Filter-pack Passive sampler |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200528 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daneblanchard groundlevelparticulatesulphateandgaseoussulphurdioxidedownwindofanaluminiumsmelter AT julianaherne groundlevelparticulatesulphateandgaseoussulphurdioxidedownwindofanaluminiumsmelter |