OC/EC from PM10 in the vicinity of Turow lignite open-pit mine (SW Poland): Carbon isotopic approach

Özet

Concentrations of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 mm in diameter) were measured at sampling points located in the vicinity of the Turow open-pit mine, southwest Poland, in April 2008. The samples were analysed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IR-MS) to determine the stable carbon isotope compositions of organic carbon (d13COC) and elemental carbon (d13CEC). The daily PM10 concentrations ranged from 15 to 99 mg m3 with an average value of 50 ± 24 mg m3 . The analysed d13COC values ranged from 25.1 to 19.9‰ with an average value of 23.1 ± 1.9‰, and the values of d13CEC ranged from 25.6 to 24.1‰ with an average value of 25.0 ± 0.5‰. Additionally, the average d13CTC value of lignite from the open-pit mine reached 25.8‰, and calculated d13COC of lignite using an isotopic mass balance (IMB) value reaches 25.7 ± 0.1‰, whereas lignite d13CEC value reaches 25.9 ± 0.2‰. The calculated major possible sources indicated that organic carbon (OC) in PM10 are represented probably by primary OC originated from the local lignite open-pit mine, whereas elemental carbon (EC) in PM10 are probably derived from local coal/lignite combustion products. If a data base of d13COC and d13CEC values from other possible “pure” sources (coal/gasoline/diesel/biomass/etc) is created, it will be possible to calculate individual isotopic mass balances for OC and for EC, which would yield more information than was obtained for total carbon (TC). The method could be a new and very helpful tool for calculating the percentage input of possible sources of OC and EC in atmospheric particles, and it can be applied to data from locations throughout the whole world.