Characterisation of organic carbon in particulate matter from the hunter valley

Anthony Morrison, P. Sargent Bray, Peter Nelson

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is now recognized as a critical health issue associated with numerous health impacts; in particular, the hazards associated with the organic PM is growing. This issue has attracted the attention of media and communities in the important agricultural, mining, and tourist region of the Hunter Valley, NSW, where the source of PM has been attributed to industrial and mining sectors. Most of the finer particulate material is believed to arise from combustion processes from a variety of sources, including transport, electricity generation, domestic wood combustion and from atmospheric processes which convert gases (such as SO2, NOx and some organics) to fine particles. Recent work, however, has shown that contrary to community perceptions the fine particles constitute a smaller proportion of overall dust emissions for open cut mines than for urban environments. Here molecular level characterization (using high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) of the organic fractions of PM is used to constrain the importance of industrial PM versus natural and biological sources. The organic fractions, sampled over a period of several months, are dominated by breakdown products of cellulose (particularly levoglucosan) attributable to wood burning with a small fraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons possibly linked to fossil fuel usage.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationCASANZ 2013
    Subtitle of host publicationproceedings of the 21st International Clean Air and Environment Conference, 7-11 September 2013, Sydney
    Place of PublicationOlinda, Vic
    PublisherClean Air Society of Australia & New Zealand
    Pages107-1-107-4
    Number of pages4
    Publication statusPublished - 2013
    EventInternational Clean Air and Environment Conference (21st : 2013) - Sydney
    Duration: 7 Sept 201311 Sept 2013

    Conference

    ConferenceInternational Clean Air and Environment Conference (21st : 2013)
    CitySydney
    Period7/09/1311/09/13

    Keywords

    • aerosol
    • biomarker
    • biomass burning

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