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Continental origin and industrial sources of trace metals in the Northwest Atlantic troposphere

Veron, A. and Church, T. M. and Patterson, C. C. and Erel, Y. and Merrill, J.T. (1992) Continental origin and industrial sources of trace metals in the Northwest Atlantic troposphere. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 14 (1-4). pp. 339-351. ISSN 0167-7764. doi:10.1007/BF00115243. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140717-164243261

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Abstract

Trace metals (Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and stable lead isotopes) have been analyzed in precipitation and total aerosols collected in the northwest Atlantic troposphere in April and November 1989. According to stable lead isotope signatures we encountered two main air mass sources, Mediterranean easterlies (206Pb/207Pb=1.131) and US westerlies (206Pb/207Pb=1.195–1.205). The phasing out of leaded gasoline has been invoked to explain the decrease of the 206Pb/207Pb ratios from 1.22 to 1.20 for the past 10 years in North America. Based on trajectory analyses, intermediate 206Pb/207Pb ratios are explained by a mixing of pure US westerlies with Canadian air masses (206Pb/207Pb=1.190–1.195) or Mediterranean air masses (206Pb/207Pb=1.18–1.19). Isentropic trajectories are very useful in explaining the variability of trace metal concentrations, a result of the fluctuating transport range of anthropogenic aerosols to remote marine areas of the North Atlantic. Lead concentrations appear to be closely correlated to the air mass transport patterns as defined from the meteorological analyses. For instance oceanic air masses transported over remote marine areas for more than three days were characterized by lead concentrations 2 to 10 times lower (Pb=0.5 to 2 ng/scm) than coastal air masses (Pb=3 to 10 ng/scm). Anthropogenic trace metal concentrations are generally in good agreement with the air mass signatures which display Pb and Cu, Ni, Zn concentrations higher than 2 and 10 ng/scm respectively in aerosol samples for the US source. Trace metal elemental ratios and soil enrichment factors were used to define industrial sources. Aerosol originating from the US exhibits the distinct industrial signature of Cu/Ni production and coal-oil combustion, while steel metallurgy could account for more than 50% of the overall Mn input into the Northwest Atlantic ocean.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00115243DOIArticle
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00115243PublisherArticle
Additional Information:© 1992 Kluwer Academic Publishers. This study was supported by NSF as part of the AEROCE program (ATM 9013224, 9040433 and 9013192). The meteorological calculations were made using the facilities of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, also supported by NSF. We appreciate the ship time provided by G. Cutter as part of his NSF grant OCE-8800371. The authors thank the Capt. Ogus and the crew of the R/V Cape Hatteras for their helpful support and the assistance of S. Moore in sample analysis.
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
NSFATM 9013224
NSFATM 9040433
NSFATM 9013192
NSFOCE-8800371
Issue or Number:1-4
DOI:10.1007/BF00115243
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20140717-164243261
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20140717-164243261
Official Citation:Veron, A., Church, T. M., Patterson, C. C., Erel, Y., & Merrill, J. T. (1992). Continental origin and industrial sources of trace metals in the Northwest Atlantic troposphere. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 14(1-4), 339-351. doi: 10.1007/bf00115243
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:47313
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By:INVALID USER
Deposited On:18 Jul 2014 19:21
Last Modified:10 Nov 2021 17:38

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