Chemistry of Atmospheric Aerosols

In 1992 a study was initiated to investigate the chemistry of aerosols over eastern Massachusetts and the contribution of these aerosols to the total burden of various metals in Massachusetts Bays. Drs. Dan Golomb and David Ryan, UML, were the Principal Investigators. Two sampling sites were established, one at Nahant and the other at Truro. Conventional wet/dry samplers were used at both sites to measure wet and dry deposition. At each site, two parallel sampling systems were established, one using teflon buckets to collect samples for metal analysis and the other using stainless steel buckets to collect samples for organic analysis. In addition, a dichotomous particle collector was used to collect airborne particles for subsequent metal analyses. Sample collection was done in two week intervals for 12 months. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and ICP-MS were used to determine particle chemistry. Publications resulting from the study and pictures of the sampling station at Truro are found below.

Publications:

Golomb, D., Ryan, D., Eby, G. N., Underhill, J., and Zemba, S. (1997) Atmospheric deposition of toxics onto Massachusetts Bay-I. Metals. Atmospheric Environment 31, 1349-1359.

Golomb, D., Ryan, D., Underhill, J., Eby, G. N., Wade, T., and Zemba, S. (1994) Atmospheric deposition of toxic metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons onto Massachusetts Bay. Annual Meeting Air & Waste Management Association, RA110.03, 10 p.

Underhill, J. T., Golomb, D. G., Ryan, D. K., Eby, G. N., Zemba, S. G., and Wade, T. L. (1994) Pollutant deposition to the Massachusetts Bays. EOS, 1994 Spring Meeting Abstracts Volume, p. 79.

Zemba, S. G., Golomb, D., S., Ryan, D. K., Eby, G. N., Underhill, J. T., and Wade, T. L. (1993) Annual deposition of pollutants to the Massachusetts Bays. EOS, 1993 Spring Meeting Abstracts Volume, p. 39.

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Atmospheric Deposition of Toxics onto Massachusetts Bay-I. Metals

Golomb, D., Ryan, D., Eby, G. N., Underhill, J., and Zemba, S.

Wet and dry atmospheric deposition of toxic metals was measured at biweekly intervals for one year, from 15 September 1992 to 16 September 1993 at two sites on Massachusetts Bay, Nahant, near Boston and Truro, near the tip of Cape Cod. Wet and dry deposition was measured using a conventional wet/dry collector except that the dry bucket contained a layer of water in order to simulate the uptake of dry deposition onto a water surface. In addition, at Nahant, a dichotomous particle collector was used to measure metal concentrations on particles. Analytical methods were INAA and ICP-MS. Generally, dry deposition of metals was greater at Nahant than at Truro, and wet deposition was greater or equal at Truro than at Nahant. Averaging results from the two sites, the following deposition rates (wet + dry) were obtained for the Bay in mg m^-2 yr^-1: Al 102000, As 132, Cd 405, Co 58, Cr 2700, Cu 3500, Fe 140,000, Mn 4420, Ni 7200, Pb 2700, Sb 160, Se 264, Zn 7800. Preliminary results are also given for mercury wet deposition, which was measured for 6 weekly periods in the fall of 1993.

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Sampling station at Truro showing dicot and wet and dry deposition samplers. Control devices in dog-house-like structure.	Dicot sampler.	Wet and dry deposition collectors. Teflon buckets used to sample metals, stainless steel buckets used to sample organics.