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Elemental and individual particle analysis of atmospheric aerosols from high Himalayas

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 160, Article number: 323 (2010) Cite this article

Abstract

Atmospheric aerosols were collected during the scientific expedition to Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) in May–June, 2005. The elemental concentrations of the aerosols were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This yielded data for the concentration of 14 elements: Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb. The mean elemental concentrations were generally comparable with those from central Asia and the Arctic, while much higher than those from Antarctic. Size, morphology, and chemical composition of 900 individual aerosol particles were determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Based on morphology and elemental composition, the particles were clustered into eight groups: soot (8%), tar ball (3%), alumosilicates/silica (55%), calcium sulfate (16%), Ca/Mg carbonate (2%), Fe/Ti-rich particles (3%), Pb-rich particles (1%), and biological particles (12%). The sampling site, located at 6,520 m in the Himalayas, is particularly remote and located at high altitude. Nonetheless, high aerosol enrichment factors for copper, chromium, lead, nickel, vanadium, and zinc all suggest the influence of long-range transported pollution, while enrichment in calcium and the presence of alumino-silicates in individual particle analyses indicates a distinct mineral dust influence. The backward air mass trajectories showed that the northwestern part of India may contribute to the atmospheric aerosol in the central high Himalayas.

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China

    Zhiyuan Cong & Shichang Kang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Shichang Kang & Dahe Qin

  3. National Center for Environmental Analysis and Measurements, Beijing, 100029, China

    Shuping Dong

  4. Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Xiande Liu

Authors
  1. Zhiyuan Cong
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  2. Shichang Kang
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  3. Shuping Dong
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  4. Xiande Liu
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  5. Dahe Qin
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Correspondence to Shichang Kang.

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Cong, Z., Kang, S., Dong, S. et al. Elemental and individual particle analysis of atmospheric aerosols from high Himalayas. Environ Monit Assess 160, 323 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0698-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0698-3

Keywords

  • Aerosols
  • Himalayas
  • Chemical composition
  • Individual particle analysis
  • SEM-EDX