Abstract
This study concerns insoluble chemical pollution in fog at the Milešovka Observatory in the Czech Republic. From August 2006 to July 2007, 25 fog samples at the top of Milešovka Mountain in the České Středohoří Mountain Range were collected with an active fog water collector. Water samples were filtered to obtain the insoluble particles. A range of 53–116 particles from every sample was chosen according to the quantity of the particles found in the dried filters. Altogether more than 2,000 particles were analyzed. The particles were examined with the help of a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer to distinguish sizes, shapes and composition. After analyzing the data, a statistical evaluation was made. The particles were categorized according to their shapes (spherical × non-spherical), sizes (coarse particles, PM2.5–10, PM1–2.5 and PM1) and composition. Typical (frequently represented) particles with a content of a given element greater than 5% (element-rich particles), such as Al-, Si-, K-, Fe- or Ca-rich particles were determined. The focus was also on particles with elements rarely represented in the atmosphere, like Ni, Au, Pb, Cu, Zr and Ba. Groups of typical insoluble particles were classified according to the meteorological conditions, synoptic situations and wind directions that prevailed in the days of the fog events to find out the possible sources of this fog pollution.
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Acknowledgments
The results described in this paper were obtained in the frame for AS CR and BAS collaboration with support of the GACR Project No. 205/09/1918, and the IRP No. AV0Z30420517.
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Fišák, J., Stoyanova, V., Bartůňková, K. et al. Typical Insoluble Particles in Fog Water at Milešovka Observatory (Czech Republic). Pure Appl. Geophys. 169, 1083–1091 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-011-0345-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-011-0345-8