| Project Title |  |
| Project
A3: Chemical speciation of metals in atmospheric wet deposition and multi-element
content of wet and dry precipations.
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| Research Team | |
| A. Chatt,
Dalhousie University. Email: a.chatt@DAL.ca Tel: 902-494-2474
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| Project Summary | |
| Although knowledge on the
contribution of anthropogenic sources to metal loadings to the environment is important
for policy development, better methodologies are required to achieve this step. Trace
element signatures and elemental ratios have been used for source identification. However,
research is practically non-existent for the possible use of the ratios of As, Se, and Sb
species in wet deposition to locate pollutant sources. The main objectives of the proposed
research project are to develop methods: 1) to determine multielement concentrations in
particulates; and 2) to determine As, Se, Sb species concentrations in wet deposition.
This information will be used to simulate the extractability of trace metals from aerosols
to wet deposition and to assemble criteria characteristic of deposited materials to
"fingerprint" the sources. Atmospheric particulate matter at the ground level will be collected using both hi-volume air samplers and cascade impactors. Rainwater and snow will be collected using "wet-only event" samplers. Procedures of multi-element analysis of particulates, precipitation and cloud water will be developed based on a variety of neutron activation analysis procedures. In addition, methods will be developed for the determination of As, Sb and Se species in the soluble fraction of wet deposition, providing a more complete characterisation of the wet deposition and possibly the ability to identify emission sources.
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