Search results for "atmospheric particulate"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
An experimental search for a correlation between outdoor 222Rn concentration and 210Pb activity in air particulate samples
2018
This work was aimed to search for a correlation between outdoor 222Rn air concentration and 210Pb activity in particulate samples collected on a filter. The existence of a correlation could support the hypothesis that both 222Rn and its long-lived product 210Pb are embedded into the same air masses and undergo the same air transport phenomena. Lead-210 activity was determined by means of gamma ray spectrometric measurement carried out a few days after the sampling whereas 222Rn concentration was measured through a commercial monitor. Experimental tests allowed to obtain a weak correlation between 222Rn and 210Pb air concentration as a preliminary result due to high uncertainties of outdoor …
Constraining the ship contribution to the aerosol of the central Mediterranean
2017
Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters lower than 10 µm, (PM10) aerosol samples were collected during summer 2013 within the framework of the Chemistry and Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx) at two sites located north (Capo Granitola) and south (Lampedusa Island), respectively, of the main Mediterranean shipping route in the Straight of Sicily. The PM10 samples were collected with 12 h time resolutions at both sites. Selected metals, main anions, cations and elemental and organic carbon were determined. The evolution of soluble V and Ni concentrations (typical markers of heavy fuel oil combustion) was related to meteorology and ship traffic intensity in the Straight of Sicily…
Source and Nature of Inhaled Atmospheric Dust from Trace Element Analyses of Human Bronchial Fluids
2011
International audience; Rapid volcanic eruptions quickly ejecting large amounts of dust provoke the accumulation of heavy metals in people living in surrounding areas. Analyses of bronchoalveolar lavage samples (BAL) collected from people exposed to the paroxysmal 2001 Etna eruption revealed a strong enrichment of many toxic heavy metals. Comparing the BAL to the dust composition of southeastern Sicily, we found that only V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and U enrichment could be related to the volcanic event, whereas Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb contents come from the dissolution of particles of anthropogenic origin. Furthermore, the nature of these inhaled anthropogenic particles was revealed by anomalous La and…